Understanding Puppy Whining: Causes & 7 Proven Steps to Stop It

Whining is one way that puppies communicate their needs but it is not a pleasant sound.

Worse is when the whining becomes consistent and unbearable.

As annoying as this situation may seem, there is a solution. You only have to learn why your puppy is whining and try to solve that problem.

In this article, you will learn

Why Do Puppies whine?

• Without any further ado, let’s get to business!
• How To Get A Puppy To Stop Whining in 7 Easy Steps

Let’s move in!

Why Do Puppies whine?

There are different reasons why puppies whine and they include:

•  Your puppy may just be seeking your attention.

If you are very busy with something or someone and have not noticed your pup, she may whine in an attempt to get your attention.

•  A puppy can also whine if she needs a potty break.

When a puppy is in her crate and needs to go, she may result in whining so that she will be let out.

•  Another reason for whining in puppies is stress.

Here, the whining is usually accompanied by yawning or lip-licking.

In a situation where the dog is afraid, you may also notice flattened ears and tucked tail.

•  When a puppy is in pain, whining may be a sort of relief.

•  Also, a puppy that is left alone for a longer period than she is used to may whine out of fear and feelings of loneliness.

•  Over-excitement can also prompt your pup to expel energy by whining.

When jumping and running accompanies whining, your pet is probably excited and wants you to notice.

•  Whining could also mean that the dog is bored.

•  Another reason why a puppy whines could be to alert the owner of a sudden change or movement in the environment. 

This could be as minor as a paper being blown away by the wind or as serious as a potential burglar.

•  Lastly, your puppy may whine to compel you to give her food, a treat, some playtime, or a walk.

In this case, you may notice your pet’s eyes shifting between you and the desired item.

Depending on the reason for the whine, you can get your puppy to stop if you approach the matter the right way.

Now, we’ll see how to get a puppy to stop whining.

Tag along!

How To Get A Puppy To Stop Whining

1. Ignore Her When It’s Your Attention She’s Seeking

Like we saw earlier, a puppy may be whining just to get the owner’s attention. If you are certain that this is the reason behind the whining, it is okay to ignore her.

When she stops whining, step over, and pat her a little. If she starts whining again, let go and pretend like you are returning to your previous position till she stops whining. Then you can return and pet her again.

The idea is to help her understand that whining wouldn’t win your attention but staying calm would, which is a behaviour that you are trying to help her build.

2. Take Her Outside For Potty

The second tip on how to get a puppy to stop whining is to take her outside for potty.

When a puppy is whining in the crate, observe her closely, her body language can tell if she needs a potty break.

If that’s the case, then take her outside for potty. You don’t want her doing it in her den. Else, you will be giving yourself another job of training her not to do that.

However, for your pup not to master the act of whining when she wants to potty, you need to be proactive.

Take her out every 45 minutes – 1 hour to potty. That way, she doesn’t have to whine before she is taken out.

By the way, it is not only when your puppy is in the crate that she will need to potty. While playing with her, be observant enough to know when she needs to go and take her out before she starts to whine.

3. Train Her To Love Her Crate

No doubt, your puppy will spend a lot of time in her crate alone. It is not surprising if she is whining because she feels isolated or alone.

To stop this kind of whining, train your pet to love her crate. Make the crate a fun place so that she will always look forward to going into the crate.

Stock the crate with toys, feed her there, play with her, and reward her with treats whenever she accepts to stay in her crate.

Another good idea is to wear her out with play before sending her to her crate. That way, she will not have any other option than to rest.

She, therefore, associates the crate with rest and peace of mind rather than fear and isolation.

Be sure to add a comfy bed for your dog in the crate.

4. Keep Your Puppy’s Crate Close To You At Night

Our 4th tip on how to get your puppy to stop whining is to keep her crate close to you at night. Doing this will take care of two reasons behind whining: fear and potty.

When your pet can see you at night, she feels safe and can sleep more calmly.

Also, you get to take your pup out to potty at intervals as we discussed earlier. Talk about killing two birds with a stone.

5. Make Your Puppy Fearless

Here, we are looking at how to get a puppy to stop whining out of fear.

Once you have confirmed that the reason behind your puppy’s whining is fear. Find out what is making her afraid and train her to deal with it.

How? You may ask.

Take your pet a good distance from the cause of fear whether a person or an object.

Then, get your puppy to look at the source of fear. If she cooperates, give her a treat.

Continue this repeatedly until your pet understands that the person or object is not a threat.

If your pet is not cooperating, extend the distance and increase the treat. You can also seek the help of a professional reward-based trainer.

Also, increasing your dog’s exercise time can help her fight fear because exercise stimulates both the body and the mind.

6. Emphasize Other Good Behavior

6th on our list of how to get a puppy to stop whining is to emphasize other good behaviour like ‘sit’.

For example, when your pup whines out of excitement at the sight of food or a toy, instruct her to sit and be calm. Don’t offer her the toy or food until he is quiet.

If your puppy whines a lot when she looks out the window, you can deny her access to the window until she learns to be calm.

In the case of an excited pup in the car, a food stuffed toy should keep her occupied throughout the ride.

7. Talk To Your Vet

The last tip on our list is involving your vet.

When you cannot trace your puppy’s whining to demand or excitement, she may be hurt or in pain.

At this point, your best option would be to inform your vet so that a proper assessment will be done.

Important Tip: don’t yell at your dog or punish her for whining, you will only be making her more aggressive.

The best approach is to emphasize other good behaviour as we saw earlier.

Conclusion

Whining is a way puppies communicate but it can become intolerable.

Do your best to discover why your pup is whining and follow the tips in this article to address the situation.

With a combination of basic behaviour training, exercise, and mental stimulation, your puppy’s whining should reduce to a tolerable minimum.

Remember to inform your vet when the situation is beyond your control.

We’ve come to the end of our discussion on how to get a puppy to stop whining.

Now, I’d love to hear from you:

Have you dealt with an excessively whining dog before? How did you handle it? Do you have any great tips you feel should be included in our list?

Let’s have your responses in the comments section right now.

Also, share this post with other dog lovers on your list, thank you!