My 10-week German Shepherd puppy whines. What can I do to stop it?

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.

This behavior is normal. she does not like being separated from her 'pack'. Luna is too young to have separation anxiety but if you indulge this type of behavior, you could cause her to develop separation anxiety as an adult. It is important to have dogs that are comfortable and adjusted to being away from you. Your best option is to work with a trainer and to read many books about dog training and behavior. There is a trainer named Victoria Stilwell who has written several books that will be beneficial. German Shepherds are a breed that can be prone to behavioral issues so you want to be certain that Luna is well exercised and trained. I recommend to stick with positive training techniques and to read a lot about the breed. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It sounds like Sweety is doing well as far as training goes! Socialization is very important for GSD. She should meet other dogs, cats, humans, go for car rides...etc....anything you can think of that she will do as an adult, get her use to now. Make sure the interactions are positive and that she does not become frightened. Also, she is not finished with her vaccines yet so you should still avoid parks or other public areas. She can meet your friend's dogs who are healthy and up to date on vaccines. Puppy classes are another great option (as long as it requires vaccines). In the scenario you described, Sweety has learned that if she barks/whines, you will eventually feed her. You are rewarding the behavior in her mind. You will have to stop giving her to food, otherwise she will continue to do it. Instead of letting her in the kitchen, try to train her to sit in the next room or her bed. You will have to ignore her whining and not feed her. This is all easier said then done, but GSDs are smart and she will learn eventually. Please post again if you have any further questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The best remedies here are practice and distraction. Give a special new toy or some play time to to the howler when his littermate is taken away. Keep the littermate away for only 2 minutes, then put them back together. Repeat several times per day, slowly increasing the time that the littermate is gone. It may take several days or even weeks but this usually works well if done consistently. Best wishes to you and the pups!

Yes. It can be traumatic for young puppies to leave their mom, litter mates, and previous home that they knew. He needs to develop a new bond with you and learn a new home/environment/routine to gain confidence. Keep working with him and with time and becoming older he will learn. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

She could have pain somewhere in or on her body or she could have anxiety. It is hard to say for sure without seeing her or examining her actions. I would recommend video taping her doing this and showing it to your veterinarian. The vet can also do a complete physical exam to make sure she is not hurting somewhere on her body. Typically pets will gnaw or limp on a certain leg if they are experiencing pain along the skin or musculoskeleton. If she is painful in her belly, then you can see vomiting, lethargy, and lack of appetite associated with it. I hope this helps and best of luck finding out what's truly going on with your pet Riley. Take care.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Although puppies will want to chew and bite, this behavior should be corrected with a little training. Keeping your hands away (placing them behind your back or folded) when he tries to go for a play bite will help eliminate the behavior. Also, making sure he has plenty of tactile toys around he enjoys to chew on will help as well. Lastly, a German Shepard needs PLENTY of exercise, so I would make sure he gets walked at least once daily (more is better). All of these behavioral tips can help decrease and eliminate the biting behavior. I hope this helps!