11 tips to stop your dog from whining [2024] –

To break the habit of whining in dogs, distraction, ignoring and giving a task usually help. In order to prevent the whining in the long term, it helps to increase self-confidence and eliminate potential stress factors.

Measures 1-5 are acute measures while strategies 6-11 are more effective for prevention in the future. Let's go!

Acute measures

Below you will find 6 methods that are particularly helpful if your dog is whining at the moment. So they are primarily short-term solutions.

#1 Distract your dog

In most cases, dogs whine because they don't get enough attention. This is especially true for very sensitive breeds such as Beagles, Labradors and Yorkshire Terriers.

You can usually recognize this because the dog makes eye contact with you, jumps at you, behaves hyperactively and follows you wherever you go. [1]

Distraction is the easiest way to break the habit of whining. Proven strategies are here:

Constantly getting new toys (like ours)
A treat ball like this where treats automatically fall out when you play
Put a sock over old toys to make them appear “new.”
Get a snuffle mat and hide treats in it
An automatic ball throwing machine for the home and garden

On the other hand, if jealousy is behind the whining, then you can't avoid personal attention.

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#2 Give a task

Hunting dogs, sniffer dogs and shepherd dogs in particular need a lot of activity due to their past. The more work they get, the happier they are.

These dogs also naturally have a strong desire for obedience. You can take advantage of this by giving your dog commands.

A simple “sit” or “down” followed by a “stay” is often enough to keep you busy. A reward should follow after 10 minutes at the latest.

#3 Ignore the behavior

Young dogs and small children have many things in common. Because, among other things, both are always trying to test their limits.

If you always comply with your dog's wishes and needs, you will end up with a spoiled dog who is constantly dancing on your nose.

It is much more effective to consciously ignore your dog. Not only will you get him out of the habit of whining, but you will also show him where his limits are. [2]

If your dog is quiet for a certain period of time, you can further encourage this behavior by rewarding him with a treat.

Important: You should be really sure that the whining is not caused by fear, pain, stress, poisoning or even illness.

#4 Make use of aids

There are some devices that not only prevent constant barking, but can also help with whining, whining and yelping. The two most famous of these are:

At the push of a button, this device plays a high-pitched tone that is inaudible to us humans. Since the sound almost never occurs in nature, dogs immediately look at the device.

In the past, such devices were sometimes criticized because the sound was said to hurt dogs. But this myth has long been refuted. Rather, the unusual noise is confusing.

A dog clicker can also help break the habit of whining. This device makes a mechanical “click” sound when you press a button.

This sound almost never occurs in nature, so it triggers immediate curiosity. At the same time, many dogs forget why they actually wanted to whine.

#5 Eliminate potential triggers

If the constant beeping is due to fear or stress, the first thing to do is to find out the trigger responsible for it and then eliminate it.

You can usually recognize such emotions when your dog shakes, behaves restlessly, has his tail tucked, is panting heavily, avoids direct eye contact and hides. [3]

The most common triggers are listed below. To stop the whining habit, you should avoid these:

Loud noises over 85 decibels
Loneliness (especially at night)
Places with large crowds
Violence or threats in education
Presence of many strangers [4]

Lap dog breeds and other sensitive breeds tend to be the most anxious. You should pay special attention here.

Preventive measures

Although the following methods usually have no effect in the short term, they can prevent constant whining in the long term.

#6 Strengthen self-confidence

This is especially true if your dog constantly holds back his ears, tucks his tail and avoids eye contact when in contact with strangers or dogs.

Because these are all signs of submissive behavior. However, if you increase his self-confidence, you will automatically stop him from whining.

Best practices are here:

Teach your dog simple tricks that will reward him
Avoid punishments and limit yourself to positive feedback in training
Gradually accustom your dog to all the things he is afraid of
Limit yourself to small progress instead of overwhelming the dog
Avoid all verbal and physical violence in education [5]

Basically, the higher your dog's self-confidence, the less he whines and whines. Consistent training is therefore the be-all and end-all.

#7 Make sure the room temperature is comfortable

You can usually tell when dogs are in heat because they pant heavily. They only beep here in extreme cases. However, this is very often the case when it is cold.

Puppies, short-haired dogs and naked dogs in particular freeze particularly quickly. The same goes for breeds like the Doberman, which have very little body fat.

You can often tell that your dog is too cold by shaking. In addition, affected dogs seek excessive physical contact and walk comparatively stiffly. [6]

To prevent and break the habit, you should always provide warm blankets in autumn and winter, buy a warm coat and purchase a padded dog bed.

#8 Store toxic agents on shelves

Swallowing toxic substances is one of the most common reasons why you need to see a veterinarian. Affected dogs constantly whine and whine.

You can also usually recognize poisoning by restless behavior, sudden diarrhea, severe shaking, vomiting and listless behavior. [7]

To prevent poisoning and therefore whining, you should store all toxic substances so that they are out of reach of your dog. This includes:

Cleaning products
Insecticides
Drugs
Supplements
Medication
alcohol

But foods such as chocolate, avocados, raisins, macadamia nuts, pralines, garlic, xylitol, onions, cinnamon and grapes are also toxic to dogs. [8]

#9 Make sure there is plenty of workload

Very active breeds in particular often tend to whine when the need for mental and physical exercise is not enough. It usually manifests itself in hyperactivity.

You can tell this, for example, if your dog starts digging in the apartment, chews on furniture, destroys his own basket or jumps on you. [9]

The more tired a dog is, the calmer he tends to be. To break the habit, it helps to ensure plenty of exercise as a preventive measure. Proven strategies are here:

Organize playdates with other dogs
To ensure an appropriate apartment size
Paying the neighbor's child pocket money for walking the dog
Avoid densely populated residential areas for active breeds

Neutered dogs are usually significantly calmer than their unneutered counterparts. This has to do with the fact that hormone production is greatly reduced by the operation.

#10 Take regular pee breaks

How long dogs can hold urine depends primarily on their size and age. Activity and health also play a central role.

Puppies of a small breed can endure it for a maximum of 2 hours on average, while adult dogs of a large breed can endure it for up to 14 hours.

If your bladder is squeezing, housetrained dogs usually draw your attention to it loudly. To break the habit of whining, you should ensure regular pee breaks. [10]

Alternatively, such pee pads are also ideal for the apartment. Because they absorb all urine without leaving a single drop behind when disposed of.

#11 Rule out pain and illness

Constant whining can, among other things, indicate existing pain or illnesses. The following are particularly common here:

Dementia in dogs over 10 years old
Thorns or splinters in the paw pads
Allergic reactions or intolerances
Arthritis in dogs over 12 months old
Problems with the musculoskeletal system
Splinters of wood between the teeth

You can usually recognize pain by restless walking, sudden limping, constant whining and whining, and a hunched posture. [11]

To prevent and break the habit of whining, you should visit the vet regularly and always update your mandatory vaccinations.