# Please Help- Whining



## kbeaner522 (Oct 20, 2006)

I just adopted an 8 year old dog. She CONSTANTLY whines! She will be fed, have water, gone to the bathroom, played and be petted. And she will just sit there and WHINE. and whine and whine and whine... yesterday she whined for literally 3 hours straight. 

I don't know what to do. I've tried telling her "no whine" and spraying her with a water bottle. It stops for the second I do that, then she's back at it. I will pet her and play with her, and she doesn't want that.

I am at the end of my rope here. She is a really good dog besides this... and I'd really like to keep her. 

Please help!!!


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

How much are you walking her? Do you practice NILF?


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## kbeaner522 (Oct 20, 2006)

I walk her usually an hour a day and take her out more than that. I had to look up what NILF was, but yes, I do it. She must sit and stay while I get her food, before I feed her, before I put on her leash, etc. 

That's why I am at the end of my rope. She has everything and still whines.


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## blackgavotte (Sep 28, 2006)

Hi. Talk to your vet. She is anxious and needy right now, maybe always was, and will be but we don't know that for sure yet. There are wonderful anti-anxiety drugs out there now, and maybe putting her on those for just a while, will help get her over the transition. I would sure not give up on her yet, and poor dog, if you give her away, her new owner is going to have the same problem. Wonder how many times she's been passed around because of the problem. I would find it irritating too, but do talk to the vet... These drugs don't make them woozy or drunk, they just take the nervous edge off, and you can try them for a bit. Good luck.


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## Cheetah (May 25, 2006)

If it's nothing medical, do you try petting her and playing with her while she is whining in an attempt to get her to stop?


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## keister (Oct 23, 2006)

i have the same problem with my female. i am also at my wits end because she also whines when shes excited its for every reason.


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## spobryan (Oct 25, 2009)

Hello there, My name is Shannon and I've seen this problem most commonly in dogs that have been switched from one family to another. She may be feeling uncomfortable emotionally right now. There is nothing you can do to make her feel at home because she isn't home in her mind yet. she'll learn over time that your home is her home now. 

as far as the whining, I'm not blaming you at all but when a dog whines and people pay attention to the dog, regardless of whether or not it is negative attention (spraying water) or positive attention (comforting, petting, playing, feeding, AWARDING) you're giving her attention. she learns that to get attention, all she has to do is whine. so she learns to constantly do it. now you have to be patient with this. I know that it is going to be annoying. I think the worse case I saw was it lasted more than two weeks but to get her to stop, DO NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION TO HER WHATSOEVER. This almost always works. if she doesn't stop after a week.. you may have a problem. make sure you tell everyone that will be around her not to pay attention to her at all. dont isolate her. let her roam the house freely and whine whine whine. she needs to learn that that isn't the way to get attention. If she doesn't stop, she actually may be feeling physical pain, most likely internally (if you haven't seen her licking any external parts of her body or being protective over them) take her to a vet if this continues.

-Shannon O'Bryan

[email protected]


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## Spunky Dog (Dec 6, 2010)

I agree with Shannon. As much you love your dog, the worst thing you can do if go to her when she is whining. It will soon be ingrained in her mind that she can always get your attention by simply whining. Worse, you would be validating her fears by going to her when she whines. "How Do You Get a Dog to Stop Whining" can be a difficult question to answer. It could also be the case that she has a previously undetected, underlying medical condition that is causing her to whine. If it is a serious case of whining, and nothing else seems to work, then I would immediately seek veterinary assistance.


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

You can try... but in all reality once a dog STARTS this behavior it is one of the most difficult to fix, if you can fix it at all. This is truly a behavior that needs to be stopped before it starts as once you have a dog that whines.. you likely will have a dog that whines. 

You can try but having listened to a few very very good trainers and handlers talk about whining the consensus is that it is likely not something you can stop. 
Certainly you can try.. marking and rewarding for silence would be my choice method. 

Whining usually starts as a response to stress and then becomes a self reinforcing behavior. Good luck with your efforts and I wish you every success.


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