# Dog won't stop whining



## ak_traveler (Nov 26, 2009)

Hi all, I hope you can help me. One of my pups, Fergie, whines incessantly if she isn't given the attention she thinks she deserves. Only problem is, what she wants is CONSTANT attention and there's just sometimes that I can't hold her in my lap. If we are in the same room with her, she wants to be a lap dog. If we go into another room, she whines and barks like she's been left at the pound. If we leave to go out like to the store or something, she sees us getting our shoes and stuff and barks, whines, jumps and acts like a complete fool.
We take her out when we can but she can't go with us everywhere. We would like to take her more places, but leaving her in the car when we go someplace isn't feasible until she quits this whining/barking. We also want to take her camping and rving with us, but we are afraid she will become an annoyance to the other folks there and we won't be welcome anymore.
In order for her to go out more she needs to stop this carrying on. And she won't quit this carrying on as long as she's left at home. A vicious circle!
She's a good dog and she likes to be part of the family. I understand that. But she also needs to learn how to behave in public. There are just some places, unfortunately, that aren't dog friendly and she has to understand that she can't go with us every minute of every day.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

We rescued a chihuahua-dachshund mix, Abby, a couple months ago; we already had an 8 month old mini dachshund. Abby is a whiner, too. When we leave the room she whines. She even whines if one of us leaves, but one is still in the room! She used to whine if we were in the room, but not paying attention to her, but that has stopped.

We just ignore her when she whines, and it really seems to have gotten better. If she whines when I go into another room, I don't talk to her or tell her to shhh, I just ignore her. After about 1 minute, she will stop and go find something else to do.

But, when we both leave the house, we are a bit worried about the whining irritating the neighbors, so we put the puppies in the kitchen, with the baby gate, and we give them their Kongs stuffed with treats and peanut butter. It really keeps them from whining while we leave!  It's the peanut butter, for sure! If we skip the peanut butter and just fill the Kongs with treats, they like them, but will still whine. With the peanut butter, the house could fall down around them and they wouldn't notice!


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Don't give in to her _demands_ for attention; rather, give her attention on your terms. If she paws, nudges, or whines at you ignore her - not even eye contact! Stand up and turn your back on her if you have to. Be alert for the point when she (hopefully) gives up and is quiet/not soliciting attention -- if it is even for a second that's when you swoop in and ask her to sit and _then_ give her attention for doing what you ask. She only gets to come up on furniture by your invitation, not by her own choice -- and yes, it may take what feels like a hundred repetitions of "off" and her getting back on before she gives up, at which point you can invite her to lay quietly by you on the couch (BTDT).

It's hard, very hard, to be consistent and not feel like you aren't allowed to pet your dog. But once she learns you are not at your beck and call in her presence, she will hopefully not expect you to be at her beck and call in her absence, either.

(If your dog truly has separation anxiety rather than just being very entitled and demanding of attention, this stuff isn't going to cut it... but for those dogs who just think the universe revolves around them and need an attitude adjustment it's a good start.)


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## Ronin rogue (Jun 23, 2010)

sassafras said:


> Don't give in to her _demands_ for attention; rather, give her attention on your terms. If she paws, nudges, or whines at you ignore her - not even eye contact! Stand up and turn your back on her if you have to. Be alert for the point when she (hopefully) gives up and is quiet/not soliciting attention -- if it is even for a second that's when you swoop in and ask her to sit and _then_ give her attention for doing what you ask. She only gets to come up on furniture by your invitation, not by her own choice


In this case you are punishing her by ignoring her. Only punish her for inappropriate behavior. When she comes to you and quietly rests her head on your arm rest, that is an appropriate way to ask for affection. IMO 

Different people have different ideas of what is and is not appropriate. Reward her when she asks the right way and ignore her when she asks the wrong way. Remember to be consistent.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Ronin rogue said:


> In this case you are punishing her by ignoring her. Only punish her for inappropriate behavior. When she comes to you and quietly rests her head on your arm rest, that is an appropriate way to ask for affection. IMO
> 
> Different people have different ideas of what is and is not appropriate. Reward her when she asks the right way and ignore her when she asks the wrong way. Remember to be consistent.


Oh absolutely everyone is going to have their own opinions and tolerances for what behaviors are ok. The nice thing is, the principle is the same regardless of where anyone's personal limits lie.

(In our house we have a hardcore "give an inch, take a mile" boundaries-pusher. It takes her about a half-second to conclude things like that "since resting my head on the armrest is ok, I'm going to see if shoving my head in your armpit is ok, too". So we have to be very strict and consistent about acceptable attention-seeking behavior, which is pretty much just come and sit or lie down politely.)


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