I won’t repeat the old and very bad Henny Youngman joke about women of a certain faith and whining. Suffice to say, your dog is NOT begging you for a vacation in a warmer climate.
So what IS your dog trying to tell you when he whines, cries, whimpers, moans, or as one client phrased it “gives me the business?”
Dogs that utter a h
igh-pitched, persistent, irritating noise have almost always been taught to do it.
Take Cleo, for example.
Cleo is a a 7-year-old Dachshund who whines constantly. The only time she is quiet is when she is eating, or is in her owner’s lap.
“How did this happen” her owner mused, “and how do I get it to STOP?”
It happened because Cleo learned that if she whined, eventually her owner would give up, give in, and give her what she w
anted: undivided attention and a fairly permanent lap reservation.
The only way to get it to stop is – tough love – and a good set of earplugs.
Cleo’s owner had to harden her heart and NOT respond to her dog’s pitiful cries. I advised her to keep herself busy, play the radio or keep the TV on as a noise-buffer, and to not sit in her usual chair. Changing routine can help to break long-term habits. And the cycle of Cleo’s whining and her owner relenting was a pattern that begged (pun intended) to be altered.
If, and only if, Cleo takes a breath and is quiet for a moment, she was praised! Brief vocal accolades, a bit of petting, maybe even a treat. Her owner was told not to overdo the compliments though, as getting a dog too excited may cause the whining to begin anew.
Cleo also got some entertaining, food-based puzzle toys – something to do with her mouth besides complain.
And finally, no joke, there’s no more whining.
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