If your dog is an adult, there are a variety of reasons why he/she may be whining:
- Something hurts
- Nothing to do/ a little lonesome
- Has to go outside the house
- Is nervous or afraid of something
In order to know what steps to take to get your dog to stop whining you will need to know what is causing it. The cause may be justified but even still you will need to know so you don't cause further damage and cause your dog to whine even more regularly. There are also dog training courses and programs to help you with this.
- When she's whining because something hurts
If your dog's whining has been sudden and then consistent afterward it is probably because of some kind of discomfort. Check her over to see whether there's any bruises or open wounds. First, check for the obvious signs: Is she favoring one leg over another or moving about strangely? As you check her over remember to try to be gentle: if she is hurting, you don't want to make it worse. Run your hand down her tail to check for lumps, too. Even if you can't find anything seriously wrong, if you believe she's whining out of pain, schedule an appointment with your vet.
- When she's whining because she is lonely and bored
You will know if your dog is whining because she is bored if she is pacing all around the house, following you constantly and seeming unsettled. The best cure for this is simple exercise. Get her out of the house and run a few laps or play fetch. A tired dog is a happy dog so it is vital to implement exercise for your dog into a regular routine. But it is important to do this before she starts whining. Otherwise your dog will think "Whining gets me a trip outside for some fun", and this dog psychology will have you being the slave of your dog's cries. Spend time with her and make sure she has plenty of toys to play with in your absence.
- When she's nervous or afraid of something
Usually, it'll be obvious to tell if your dog is whining out of fear or anxiety. If she's afraid, it means there's a direct cause to her fear - like a thunderstorm or another dog outside. Any change in a regular routine can cause anxiety and so can sensing your anxiety. Yes, dog's do feed off our energy as well. Don't punish or correct her for whining out of fear or anxiety but do not encourage it either by automatically comforting her. It may sound heartless, but for her own sake it is better to ignore her, otherwise she will never learn to cope with her own fears and will be insecure. When you validate your dog's fears you will also be telling her to keep it up and that it's fine to be afraid of things like thunder, even if all you are doing is trying to soothe her with pats on the head. Don't baby her; instead however, distract her with something she likes, or get her to do some tricks. Change the gears in her brain to something other than her fear and she will see that it really is nothing to be afraid of.
- If she has to go outside the house
Whining to go outside is actually a good thing and a sign of a well-trained house dog. She is trying to communicate with you that she does not want to go in the house. Every dog owner will usually know the certain expression a dog will give when it's time for this. The obvious answer is to let her out and to encourage this behavior by having a treat waiting for her when she comes in. Try to make this a regular thing if she is a house dog that will be in the house mostly. She will not only know that it is good to go outside and not inside but she will know to come back inside when she is done for that tasty treat.
Further Reading
For more information (that I highly recommend) on dog training techniques and the ultimate guide to dog training and behavioral problems visit here: http://www.squidoo.com/what-is-the-best-dog-training-book
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Souza
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