When a dog whines it is trying to communicate. Whining is one of the first actions that a dog learns. A hungry puppy will whine to let its mother know that it is hungry. The mother dog feeds the puppy and the puppy learns that whining produces the desired result.
As a dog grows it will continue to whine when it is distressed or requires attention. A puppy is usually one of a litter and feels a sense of belonging to its litter. If it becomes separated from its litter it will whine as a sign of its distress and to let the litter know that it needs to be rescued.
When the puppy is removed from its litter to become a member of your family it may feel extreme distress at being removed from its familiar surroundings and former family. It will whine to communicate its distress to you.
Now is the time to start training your dog not to whine. If you pay attention to its whines you are reinforcing this action and the dog continues to understand that if it whines it receives attention. On the other hand it is important that you have taken care of dog's needs before you try to stop the dog from whining. Make sure that your dog has food and water and is comfortable and is not trying to communicate to you that he is hungry. If your dog whines when eating, running or going to the toilet it will need to be seen by a vet.
You must not neglect your dog and you must spend time with him and play with him. If you spend time with him when he is quiet and not whining it will reinforce good behavior.
Once your dog has adapted to you - its new family - it may suffer from separation anxiety if you leave it. Remember that dogs are naturally pack animals and it may feel quite anxious when you leave it.
If you put your dog outside before you go out try spending a few minutes with it in the outside environment and make sure you leave it toys to play with. The dog will soon learn that being outside can be fun, too.Pay attention to you dog's whines and you'll begin to understand what he is trying to tell you and why. Your dog could be trying to communicate to you that he is hungry, thirsty, hot, cold, bored, lonely, wanting to go outside to relieve himself, or he may be in pain.
Provide plenty of exercise and stimulation for your dog. Take him for walks, play games with him and take him to dog parks so that he can socialize with other dogs. Dogs are intelligent creatures and require stimulation or they can become bored. A bored dog may whine for attention.
Tend to your dog's needs and don't let him manipulate you with his whining. You must learn to recognize the difference between the dog's genuine needs and his need for attention. Give him the love and attention that he deserves when the whining has stopped and you will be reinforcing this good behavior and he will soon learn that his whines do not produce the results that he wants.
Did you find these tips on how to stop dogs whining helpful? Discover more secrets about how to train a dog here.
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