Why Do Dogs Whine?

Whining is a form of communication for dogs. Canines whine to vocalize feelings of boredom, anxiety, pain, or need. Common reasons for whining include:

1. 1. To alert their owner of suspicious activity: Some dogs whine in an attempt to make their owners aware of something they’ve noticed, like a visitor at the front door or an animal entering the yard.
2. 2. To appease people or dogs: When a dog feels threatened, they may try to appease the perceived threat by modeling submissive behaviors like tucking their tails between their legs, showing their stomachs, or whining.
3. 3. To express anxiety: Anxious dogs whine to express discomfort in stressful situations. They may experience stress because of loud noises, unfamiliar people and animals, or separation anxiety from their owners. Other signs of separation anxiety include excessive drooling, panting, and indoor urination.
4. 4. To express boredom: Like people, dogs need plenty of mental and physical stimulation at every age. If your dog isn’t getting enough exercise, they may start whining. Learn more about how to train a hyper dog.
5. 5. To express pain: Dogs will whine when they aren’t feeling well due to an injury or other medical issues. Senior dogs will experience medical issues that come with age, like joint pain. If your dog begins to excessively whine all of a sudden, make an appointment with your veterinarian to rule out any medical issues.
6. 6. To get attention: Attention-seeking canines often whine when they want something (like treats, time outside, or validation) from their human friends and stop when they get what they want. Additionally, puppies are more likely to whine than adult dogs because they crave attention or miss their littermates.
7. 7. To let you know it’s time for a walk: Dogs may whine to communicate a desire to go outside before they relieve themselves indoors. Puppies especially may whine when you send them outside to relieve themselves or when confined indoors with a full bladder.
8. 8. To say hello: In addition to barking or wagging their tails, some dogs will whine with excitement when they meet new animals or people.

It’s important to determine the reason for a dog’s excessive whining before stopping the behavior. If you’ve ruled out medical conditions as a reason for whining, it’s likely a behavioral issue. Thankfully, you can train your dog to stop whining (or whine less) by doing the following:

1. 1. Seek veterinary care. The first step to addressing excessive whining is ensuring that an underlying medical issue is not the cause. Before taking steps to solve your dog’s excessive whining problem, visit a veterinarian to address any potential medical conditions that may be causing the issue. Whether the root cause is medical or behavioral, a medical professional will be able to give you the best advice on the next steps.
2. 2. Contact a dog trainer or animal behaviorist. Working with a professional dog trainer to solve your dog’s whining issue is a good first step to take after consulting with a vet. Animal behaviorists can look at your canine’s vocalization and body language to determine the most likely motivation for their whining behavior.
3. 3. Build their confidence. Dogs may engage in appeasement whining due to feeling threatened. These canines can benefit from training that makes them feel capable. Participating in trick training—or dog sports like agility, flyball, or dock diving—will go a long way toward strengthening a socially anxious dog’s confidence. Use positive reinforcement to train them instead of physical confrontation or verbal punishment.
4. 4. Give them a chew toy. Silence whimpering by giving your dog something to entertain themselves with when you’re otherwise occupied. Give them a favorite toy or a selection of chew toys from which they can choose.
5. 5. Redirect your attention. In cases of mild attention-seeking behavior, ignoring a dog’s whining can be enough to stop it. If you decide to do this, avoid scolding your canine in the process. Negative attention is still attention, which they are likely to experience as positive reinforcement. When your dog starts whining, direct your attention away from them and avoid making eye contact.
6. 6. Increase playtime and exercise. All dog breeds need plenty of physical exercise to burn off their abundant energy. Your dog’s whining behavior might be due to feelings of restlessness, so try to fit in a long walk or a trip to the dog park a few times a week.
7. 7. Provide mental stimulation. If your dog is whining out of boredom, incorporate mental stimulation into their daily routine with puzzles, toys, and games. Try slow feeder bowls, puzzles, or interactive food games like obstacle courses.
8. 8. Work on obedience training. Teaching your dog basic obedience commands, like sit and stay, will reinforce good discipline and curb behavioral issues like whining. In addition to establishing you as the pack leader—reinforcing your high status in your dog’s mind—obedience training can make your furry friend more sociable.
9. 9. Work on housetraining. Dogs of any age may whine because they desperately need to go to the bathroom. Learn how to crate train your dog to reinforce healthy behaviors around going to the bathroom.

Your dream of having a dog who understands words like “sit,” “stay,” “down,” and—crucially— “no” is just a MasterClass Annual Membership away. The only things you’ll need to train up a well-behaved pup are your laptop, a big bag of treats, and our exclusive instructional videos from superstar animal trainer Brandon McMillan.