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How can I stop my dog's constant and annoying whining habit?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 1 year and 1 month old | 23.5 lbs

My dog whines way too much! For a dog, it's ridiculous how much she whines about something. If I play fetch with her, she'll whine about not her ball being stuck under something or simply whine about not being paid attention to. She will whine loudly and nonstop until she gets what she wants. How can I stop this annoying whining habit of hers?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Jeffrey Milner

Answered By Jeffrey Milner

Veterinarian

Published on May 7th, 2017

They key to stopping this kind of behavior is with training and positive reinforcement. If Panda spends a great deal of time whining for things she wants, you must learn not to give into her demands. Any time you respond to whining in a way that will make her happy, you are reinforcing her unwanted behavior. If you are outside and she is begging for you to play fetch, you can not throw the ball until she is sitting calmly and attentively. The moment that this happens, you should say praise her and play fetch. Continue with this in a repetitive way until she begins to see that being quiet and well-mannered is the key to her getting the ball. This type of positive reinforcement technique is the mainstay to training most dogs for any basic obedience. The use of a clicker is a great tool in starting this type of training. You can find countless videos on clicker training on Youtube that will show you just how to use this tool to your advantage. Other things that might be useful are things like the Adaptil collar (http://www.allivet.com/p-5327-adaptil-collar-for-medium-and-large-dogs-246-in.aspx?sku=49617&gclid=Cj0KEQjwi7vIBRDpo9W8y7Ct6ZcBEiQA1CwV2BJDnbVHCRFspwaa-XevpeDb6Tr5L9MFP5z4rAupDhoaApW08P8HAQ) and in some more persistent cases, certain medications that can be prescribed by a veterinarian. Hope you and Panda can work things out so everything is happy and well-adjusted.
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on November 20th, 2016

    This is a common attention-seeking behavior in puppies. You can help by making sure that Panda is getting plenty of exercise and mental stimulation - she should be getting at least two walks every day, 15-30 minutes each. You can also do short training sessions with her throughout to work on skills like sit, down, stay, etc. - use treats, and keep things fun and positive. These things will help to reduce the amount of whining she does during "downtime", since she'll be tired and ready for a nap when you settle down to relax. I would also recommend trying to anticipate the times during the day when she is likely to do this and provide her with something to do before she starts whining - a puzzle toy like a Kong stuffed with peanut butter, a Kibble Nibble with her dinner in it, or something to chew on like a bully stick or pig's ear. Over time, the whining will become less of an issue as she gets into the habit of resting or chewing on something when you are busy or relaxing.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Bette Isacoff

    Dog Trainer

    Published on January 5th, 2017

    You can stop responding to it. She keeps doing it because it gets results. Ignore her completely when she's like this. Once she understands that her behavior is not going to have any effect on you, she will stop. Initially it may get worse, though, beause it's always worked in the past and she may up the ante a bit to try to get you to pay attention to her. Keep ignoring her (but make sure she's not whining to go out!

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Vet Q & A
How do I stop my puppy from whining for attention and everything?
if you are giving in when he whines, you are encouraging the whining (he gets what he wants, right?) You need to ignorre the whining. Don't scold; don't reassure. just ignore him completely. He may increase the behavior at first, since it has always worked in the past. But if you stand your ground, it will eventually stop for good.
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My 4-month-old puppy barks and whines a lot. How do I stop it?
Barking and whining in a young puppy is a very normal behavior. Diesel is simply begging for attention, and if you have given into it previously, he now knows just how effective his whining can be! The key is patience and consistency. You must never reward these types of unwanted or disobedient behaviors. When Diesel is whining or begging at you, you should turn away and ignore him. I know this seems cold, but I assure you it is the best way to try and break him of this behavior now. As soon as he stops whining / begging and settles down, this is when you turn to him and reward him with treats and love. This sort of consistency no your part will tell him that good behavior gets him the best results, rather than the opposite. It will take time and take patience, but I assure you this is the best approach you can take.
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Why is my dog whining so much in the car, at home, and on walks?
Whining can be caused by a number of different things - pain, anxiety, frustration, or loneliness are all common reasons that dogs might whine. It can also be an attention-seeking behavior in some cases, especially if she has learned that this is an effective way to get your attention. Older dogs may also whine more as a symptoms of canine cognitive dysfunction, which is similar to Alzheimer's disease or dementia in humans. If this is a recent behavior change for Sally Mae, I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam to see if there is a medical reason for the whining - she may be painful or not feeling well for some reason. If this is normal, you could try a DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to see if this helps, or make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist to evaluate her in person and help determine what may be causing this behavior.
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My 4-month-old pitbull puppy whines non-stop. How do I stop it?
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There are certainly things that you can do to help with this. One thing that can help is taking him for long walks and playing with him often. Another thing that may help is getting him plenty of toys that he can play with instead of whining. Part of this really is just a puppy thing that will eventually go away on its own but hopefully these things can help with this issue. Good luck and have a good night!
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Why is my dog whining constantly and how can I make it stop?
German Shepherds are known to be whiny and vocal and very intelligent. The first thing to do is to get him seen by your vet to rule out any underlying medical condition causing this behavior, especially if this is new. If he is cleared from any problems, your dog may need more exercise and mental stimulation. Take him with you everywhere you can, go for rides, get him involved in obedience training, agility, flyball, teach him tricks and tasks, anything and everything to tire his body and stimulate his mind. German Shepherds are working dogs and need something to do, they need a job. Also consider getting him a slow feeder or a puzzle feeder that makes him work and figures things out in order to get his meals and treats. A tired dog is a happy dog.
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My dog whines loudly when left alone. How can I stop this behavior?
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Why is my 7-year-old dog suddenly whining, especially in public?
If he is seven years old and all of the sudden is now whining, I would be concerned that there is potential reason for this, such as pain or discomfort. Identifying the source of this is the key to determining if there is a problem. Unless you are certain this isn't the case, I think Steve should get a physical exam performed by your veterinarian to determine if they can find anything wrong. At 7 years, some vets will also begin recommended annual blood work to make sure there is nothing potentially laying in wait. If you are certain that Steve is fine and you feel this is a behavior problem, the best way to avoid this is to vehemently refuse to give in to Steve's whining, and only reward him when he stops. If you discover that the whining is purely behavioral, the use of a training clicker might be useful in making matters easier and more understandable for him. These can be obtained online and in some pet stores. Information on clicker training such as videos are widely available on YouTube. Hope this helps.
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