One of the means of communication between dogs in a pack or a dog with a person is whining. It is a set of sounds that express certain feelings and emotions, carrying important information for the animal. A good owner who cares about the condition of his pet should know in what situations and what certain sound signals emitted by him can mean, respond to them in time, or provide the necessary assistance. Let's look at why a dog whines, what it can mean, and how to stop him from whining at night.
Why does a dog whine - reasons
When a puppy or adult dog whines, they are trying to communicate with their owner and family members. With this behavior, pets want to convey their emotions and mood to people.
There is no need to rush to scold or punish the animal, because the cause of whining may be injury, stress, or something even worse.
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An important task for any owner of a four-legged friend is to understand and find the reason for the dog’s whining. Among the possible ones are illness, fear, joy, inappropriate sound vibrations, happiness or negativity when meeting a person. After an accurate determination, you need to help your friend, be patient and not scold your pet. Otherwise, you may lose the animal’s sincere love and trust.
If your pet is too active and emotional, then this can become a real problem for all family members, especially if the dog expresses its emotions by whining. What are the reasons for this behavior? And how to wean your pet from this habit?
Manipulation and blackmail
A dog does not whine without a reason, even when it manipulates its owner. This is how the animal begs for a tasty morsel or wants to play. Apparently, the owner did not learn how to control his pet when he appeared in the house as a puppy.
He gave in to emotions and always reacted to his quiet barking or whining. Meanwhile, the baby was happy, spinning in place and wagging his tail, teaching the owner to give in to everything.
Advice: Dog handlers recommend ignoring whining if it is a means of manipulation. Do not approach or notice the pet until it changes its behavior.
It also happens with a manipulator that the owner shows interest in him, but not for long. Then the dog raises his voice, expressing dissatisfaction and anger with this behavior. And this is exactly the moment when blackmail began, which only an educational team or punishment can stop.
How to help a puppy or teach him not to cry when he's locked up or outside
I've encountered this. It's been a long time, really. The puppy cried terribly the first day, I gave him my old rabbit fur hat. He probably thought it was still a puppy and didn’t cry anymore. Maybe I should give him something fur too? :))
Let's try to find some kind of fur trap.
You can also try leaving for a few minutes and returning, each time increasing the time of absence - so that he understands that you are not leaving him and will definitely come soon. Absolutely right. Or - get dressed and NOT leave. Lock yourself away from him in the room/kitchen, scold him if he cries, scratch him, praise him if he was silent and didn’t ask. Praise + treat if you were silent for at least a minute or two. Then increase the time. Everything else is also an option, try it.
Longing and need
Blues, natural needs are those reasons for a dog’s whining that, if desired, can be prevented:
- Gloomy melancholy mood. Wanders around the rooms, not finding anything to do, or lies, not taking his eyes off one point. This happens when the pet is left alone in the apartment or lacks attention from people.
- Hungry, wants to drink or go to the toilet, or maybe cold.
Advice: Maximum exercise will help improve your mood: active and long walks, indoor games, training. In other words, the dog requires attention and help from a person to teach it to remain alone while everyone else is busy outside the house.
A walking schedule, feeding schedule, and the presence of water in the bowl will forever eliminate whining due to natural needs. But what you don’t need to react to is when a dog in a neighboring apartment or on the street also whines.
Shiver
Excessive saliva and convulsions are a sign of a seizure
And this is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, dogs, especially puppies, can tremble in their sleep. You can clearly see how a wave of trembling passes through the animal’s body. Unfortunately, trembling can be a sign of a disease such as epilepsy. Just don’t be indignant, like, my dog is healthy, she can’t have any epilepsy!
May God grant that our pets will always be healthy and live to a ripe old age. But, as they say, forewarned is forearmed. The main insidiousness of epilepsy is its sudden onset. A dog can live most of its life, and the disease strikes completely suddenly.
The second point is that most attacks begin at night, more precisely, closer to the morning. Why this is so - history is silent, however, the fact remains a fact. And the owner should sound the alarm if:
- a sleeping pet seems to be beaten from the inside, causing the dog to tremble;
- the hind legs convulsively stretch out, and the animal’s body, on the contrary, seems to “curl up” into a ball;
- If during the REM sleep phase your pet’s eyes are half-open, then this is different. The dog can open and close its eyes several times, the gaze is absent and meaningless;
- foaming at the mouth is another warning sign of a seizure;
- uncontrolled waste of urine and feces - this does not happen in a dream;
- at the time of an attack, the dog cannot be woken up, as during normal sleep.
After an attack, the dog is disoriented in space, and its coordination of movements is impaired.
Giving advice on preventing an epileptic attack and treating the disease is a dangerous business. The only thing that can be advised to owners who are faced with such a situation is to immediately contact a competent veterinarian.
Emotions and experiences
Animals are greatly frightened by sharp and loud noises outside the home. Fear makes them tremble, hide in a dark corner and whine in fear.
By whining and changing behavior, the dog expresses its emotions and experiences:
- Joy and excitement when greeting the owner. At such a moment, he can take a pose of submission (lying on his back or side).
- Annoyance - the goal was not achieved, the bird flutters nearby outside the window, but it is impossible to catch it.
- Anxiety - manifests itself before the onset and during the bitch's heat. Running around the apartment, the animal cannot find a place for itself.
- Pretending to have done something wrong - chewed a slipper, broke something, tore up the sofa or tore the curtains, and then demonstrates sincere “repentance” for the offense.
- Fear – when the owner is not in the house, the pet worries about “what’s wrong with him” and when he will return. If the neighbors hear something, they will probably tell you.
- Anxiety - moving, a new family member now lives in the house, a trip to the groomer or to the veterinary clinic.
- Jealousy – the owner smells like someone else’s dog or he doesn’t notice the pet and spends time only with family members.
Advice: Emotional reasons can be eliminated by socialization, education and correct behavior of the owner. And instincts (reactions to certain situations) are short-term in nature, and the health of animals does not suffer from them. You can ignore them or support your pet with a friendly dialogue.
Metal state
In a pack of wolves, howling means submission. Wild animals are accustomed to fighting and obeying leaders. So, a defeated wolf may begin to whine and lower his head when he has lost the fight. In our case, the dog may howl because he feels guilty. In this case, you should not shout at him or show emotions. You need to silently approve of his whining and leave. Thus, the dog will think that the “apology” has been accepted and he has been forgiven.
Also, whining can mean delight. Often, they whine when the owner returns home. Often, the howl is accompanied by barking, jumping and wagging of the tail. In such a case, restraint must be exercised. It’s better to wait until the dog stops whining and only then pet him and talk to him
Then he will understand that whining does not attract your attention.
In this case, you should not provoke your pet. You need to wait until he stops whining and only then decide whether to fulfill his desire or not.
The dog whines at night
Anxious sleep or discomfort is why a dog whines at night. The little puppy misses his abandoned family. In a new house, among unfamiliar smells and people, it is uncomfortable, scary and lonely.
The owner’s two main tasks in such a situation are not to succumb to provocation and to find sedatives:
- A warm bed with a soft side will remind you of your mother’s sides.
- An item from the owner’s wardrobe will accustom you to a new smell.
- A toy or treat in the bed will distract attention.
- A quiet voice and stroking will calm the baby.
- Moving the lounger to the owner's bed will give confidence that the owner needs the pet.
Puppies, teenagers and adult animals whine at night because they have nightmares. The cause of disturbing dreams is overexcitation of the nervous system. In a dream, a dog experiences an incident that has already happened the day before, causing emotional shock. At this time, she may also growl dully and appear outwardly agitated.
Examples of such frightening events:
- Weaning the bitch from the puppies.
- Firecracker explosions.
- Car alarm.
- Thunder with lightning.
Advice: Sedatives relieve nervous tension and calm you down. The veterinarian will tell you which medicine is best to buy and according to which regimen to give.
Human behavior is the most likely cause of disturbing dreams in animals. When your pet is overloaded on an evening walk or the atmosphere in the house is not calm. Loud sounds of music and films, screams, scandals in the family undermine the health and affect the behavior of the dog.
Other measures
There are several ways to keep your dog quiet in your absence that I find unacceptable.
- It happens that dogs have their vocal cords cut. Besides the fact that it interferes with the 4th of the “five freedoms”, the hoarse sounds that dogs nevertheless make after this operation will make the owner feel guilty for many years...
- Electroshock anti-barking without the exercises described above will only increase the dog’s fear of loneliness. Often she will continue to howl without a collar, and while wearing a collar she will begin to spoil things, dirty the house, or develop some other bad habit. In addition, the use of electroshock anti-bark is inhumane and violates the animal’s right to 5 freedoms.
- Ultrasonic anti-bark (stationary and collar) can replace your punishment at the 8th stage of behavior correction. Without preliminary exercises, the dog will get used to the ultrasound and stop responding to it after about 2 weeks.
Dog whines while walking
An adult dog rarely whines on the street, only if it expresses joy at the meeting. It’s a different matter with a young dog or an older puppy who is having their first walks. The negative experience from the walk could remain in their memory. Perhaps they experienced stress when they lost sight of their owner or found themselves in an unfamiliar place. They became frightened by the sounds of a noisy street, felt danger from humans or aggression from other animals. 4 remedies will help calm young pets and teach them positive walks:
- Treats – encouragement will reinforce correct actions. Give your dog a treat when he becomes interested in something on the street.
- A toy will distract you from your fears.
- A leash is like an adult holding a baby’s hand, but for a puppy it’s so secure and calm.
- A well-thought-out route is a quiet place where there are no cars, crowds of animals or people.
A dog that whines at the sight of a person or object may be experiencing conflicting emotions:
- Delight - wagging its tail, holding its mouth open with its tongue hanging out, rushing towards.
- Cowardice or panic - hiding behind the owner or looking for a secluded place.
- Aggression – tenses the body, does not look away from the source of irritation.
Negative emotions will pass after the educational command “near”, “lie down”, “sit”. Otherwise, you will have to be patient and start training your pet.
Dog feeling unwell
Illness is the dangerous reason why a dog whines all day long. You need to take a closer look at it and, before the veterinarian examines the animal, identify the accompanying symptoms. This information will help in making a diagnosis and speed up your pet's recovery.
Advice: You cannot ignore or ignore apathy, poor appetite or anxiety.
Such symptoms often accompany serious illnesses.
- Shaking head, itching - ear infections.
- Biting the tail - external or internal parasites, damaged tailbone.
- Trembling, salivating plus diarrhea – poisoning from spoiled food, poisons or medications.
- Limping or moving poorly - destruction of joints due to age or pain after injury.
- Makes unusual sounds, breathes frequently - a sharp object or hard pieces of food are stuck in the mouth.
- Discharge from the nose and eyes, fever, upset stool - viral, fungal or bacterial infection.
The dog whines after eating, during defecation or urination, because it feels sharp pain. This symptom indicates problems with the gastrointestinal tract, cystitis, constipation, hemorrhoids or pathological processes in the intestines.
Only a veterinarian can make an accurate diagnosis, but first he will ask about the pet’s age. Owners probably notice that it is the aging dog that for some reason often whines and even howls at times. This happens due to complications of cognitive functions: dementia and disorientation.
Important! Animals also feel pain and discomfort after sterilization, and therefore whine or howl. On such days, the owner requires patience and increased attention to the dog.
