Reasons why dogs whine and how to stop it

The following cliche' happens to almost all new puppy owners: they adopt an adorable eight week old puppy and every night upon placing him in the crate for the night, the concert begins. Concerned about the poor puppy being afraid of being left alone, the owner will rush to the puppy to console it and let it know that ''mommy'' is there. Unfortunately, this approach does more than providing reassurance to the new puppy, it actually has taught him an invaluable lesson:  indeed, whining works!

Indeed, whining should never be encouraged either if your are dealing with a 2 month old baby or a small puppy. Both infants may have small brains and have so much still to learn about life, but they already have the capability of understanding which behaviors bring results and which do not. So how to approach that tiny puppy that keeps you awake almost all night long?

If its the first night you have adopted the puppy it is a good practice to allow the crate in the bedroom.  Just the first night or two. Simply put, being in a new home is traumatic for a puppy that has lived in a home with his mom, litter-mates and previous owner. Your new home has new smells, new sounds and new views, and ultimately, there is really nothing familiar surrounding him. It is OK therefore, to have him near by the first few nights, just so he knows he has somebody to rely on and to understand that he has not been abandoned in the dead of the night.

Having him nearby is also helpful because the puppy will need to go out to potty in the night because his bladder is still small and the only way to let you know he must go is through whining. Check as well if he needs some water or if he is too cold or too hot. Whining in dogs is often a sign of him being uncomfortable.

Then, as days go by and the puppy is more familiar to the home, your presence and the smells, his crate may be gradually pushed farther and farther from the bedroom. As you learn how often he must go potty in the night (calculate how many months he is and add one and you will get how many hours he will have to go potty on average), learn to recognize signs of needing to go potty from signs of simply wanting to see you for comfort. 

If you notice he is simply seeking  your attention, all you need to do at this point is ignore, no matter how loud he whines. You may resort to use ear plugs but keep in mind that you must be able to wake up when his next potty time comes. Potty training is an arduous task, and it feels great once your puppy is able to hold it through the whole night!

Why Dogs Whine

Puppies are natural whiners, after all whining is how they get their mom's attention. Mom however,in nature, learns when it is time to lend a deaf ear to those whiny voices. As the pup grows however, the whining may continue. Adult dogs resort to whine as well once grown up and for various reasons. Following are some common causes of whining in dogs.

-Pain

Some dogs whine out of pain. It is never a bad idea to have a dog seen if it appears to whine for no obvious reason. Watch for other signs suggesting some discomfort or pain.

-Needs

Dogs have needs regardless of age. Puppies may need comfort, water, food or warmth. Adult dogs may whine for the same reasons, a dog may be found whining in front of an empty water bowl or whining because it wants to seek human companionship.

-Attention

Dogs may whine for attention when they realize that ...it brings attention. The recipe to a whiny dog is easy, just give it attention and you are set up for success.

-Frustration

Dogs may whine when they are frustrated. A good example is a dog whining at a squirrel going up a tree or at another dog behind a fence.  They simple whine because they are unhappy because in some ways they are unable to get to the object of their attention.

-Stress

Stressful situations may cause whining episodes in dogs. Just think of dogs whining at the vet's office or when left along during the day. 

As seen, there are various causes of whining in dogs. They way owners react to the whining may really make a difference in the way dogs perceive their owners. Attention whining should never get attention, stress whining should never be scolded neither reassured,  frustration whining should never be reinforced such as taking a dog out to chase a squirrel or he will whine anytime a squirrel is in the yard, while need whining and of course pain whining needs attention. Dogs do not have a lot of vocabulary, but it helps at least to understand what they are trying to say when they vocalize with us.