Is There A Reason For Your Dog’s Whining?
As much as we love our canine companions, a dog that is incessantly barking or whining can sour the the best relationship between the dog, hie owner and the people that live in their vicinity. While it is normal for some barking, even in a well behaved dog, what do you do when your dog is overtly vocal?
1. Listen to your dog. It is not whining without a reason and instead of trying to get the dog to shut up, you will do well to find out what the problem is. Perhaps someone has attempted to enter the yard and your dog is chomping at the bit to get out and mark its territory. Maybe it spotted an animal, lacks food or water, or maybe a hurtful little spur got tangled in its fur. Check on the animal to make sure all its needs are met and then work outward and see if there is something external that might be causing the whining.
2. Unlike barking, whining is a distinct sign of doggy distress and so you will be wise to clue in to the fact that something is bothering your canine. Many a dog was saved by an alert owner who came to find out what was wrong rather than closing a door, only to realize the dog got tangled up in mini blinds and was close to choking!
3. Dogs whine when they are feeling lonely. Dogs are very social animals, in their natural settings they live together in packs. If you have been gone all day your dog may be whining out of loneliness. Set aside the first 10 minutes when you get home from work to play and socialize with your dog and you will stop the whining in it’s track. It is also a stress relief for you to interact and love your dog after a stressful day at work.
4. A dog locked out in the back yard is a sure recipe for incessant whining. The dog wants to come in and be with YOU. He misses the companionship with you and will persistently whine for hours until let inside. Keep in mind that if you leave your dog in the yard all day while at work, your dog can be a nuisance for the entire neighborhood. Much better to keep the dog inside the house.
Attempting to discipline a distressed dog is rarely a good idea although a dog that incessantly whines even after all of its needs are met will benefit from a stern “no” that is immediately followed with eye contact and a turning over onto the back in a submissive position. Do not hit your dog or simply put it outside as this will not solve the problem but actually make the behavior a lot worse.
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