# He will not stop whining!



## Innuendo

Max is (estimated) at around 2 years old now. As far as I know he wasn't really in any abusive situations but was clearly neglected as far as socialization goes and contact with humans. When I first got him he had little to no people manners or house manners. Everything scared him including loud noises on TV, toilet flush and the doorbell. He was also very skittish of new people especially on walks but he seemed to love children and other animals (even cats).

Anyway, over the past few months i've done my best to socialize him. He used to try to panic and take off at the first sight of strangers but I started taking him to a friends soccer game where people were far off and i'd keep a bag of treats and hot dogs on hand for people to feed him. He now loves this routine and loves the soccer field. He always looks around waiting for people to throw him hot dog pieces.

Anyway, aside from that progress he has always done this high pitched random whine. When I let him inside from the backyard at night he paces around the living room, he will lie down for a bit but then just start to whine or he will get up and walk in circles in the living room while whining.

I have a "dog room" for when im not home. I keep their crates, water, kongs and other chew stuff in here. When I put him in that room he will lie down and start chewing on something but will whine while chewing on his pig ear, or whatever I gave him.

He also whines when im putting a leash and he loves walks. He's always excited when I grab the leash but then just whines the whole time it's on.

I've heard shepherds are very vocal but I was just wondering if it's something that can be corrected or maybe something I can do to where he doesn't whine all the time. Pandora never whines unless she has to go potty but she never whined nearly as much as Max does.

That's really still his only issue and it doesn't bother me so much as I just don't know why he's doing it.


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## DSudd

Rocky can be a whiner. He does not whine all the time, however if he hears a key word he knows he will whine until we do whatever he heard, for example if he hears ride he will sit at the top of the stairs whining in anticipation. I know for him the whining is just his excitement. Of course once we are on our way, the whining is over with.

Rocky will also talk to us, but when he does this it is actually different sounds.

Sorry I know I am not much help, but that is what I have experienced. Could he just be whining cause he is happy some of the time?


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## Karin

Heidi's a whiner and a grumbler. She's toned down a bit over the last couple of months (and she's around 2-1/2), so maybe Max will eventually. Sounds like you've done great work socializing him!


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## WinitheGSD

Have you taken him to the vet recently? You might want to get him a check up just to see if everything is ok health-wise. But on tip is never to reward him when he whines. Like don't start petting him or say "It's ok, good boy." A lot of people will do that, not realizing they are encouraging the whining. 
First try to identify what he is whining about. I know it might sound cruel, but vinegar mixed with some water in a squirt bottle is a miracle. You just squirt some in their mouth when they whine and they usually stop. We've done that for years. My motto is, "No one can stand a whining dog, but a whining GSD is ten times worse!!" But I have to admit my dogs still do it too!! I would never squirt them when they whine from exitment.


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## Innuendo

he actually just got his yearly vaccines a few weeks ago and the vet said he's in good health and was happy with the weight he gained (he was pretty skinny when i got him) but he had a clean bill of health!


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## Jax08

Jax does this but only when she's out and she is tired of being restrained or, recently, if I leave her with someone. My theory is she wants something and isn't getting her way. Normally, she is a grumbler and a groaner. 

Maybe he wants back outside. jax quite often doesn't know what she wants..just that it's not happening at the time. Have you tried playing with him a few minutes in teh backyard before bringing him in?


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## lcht2

mines a whiner also. when he lays down to chew on his kong he whines, its only the kong and i dont know why. i just say its because he's frustrated that he cant destroy it (its the black kong). also sometimes he will lay in the middle of the liveing room and whine, then when he realizes he is not getting any attention he just groans and puts his head down in bored'em. he also whines in the vehicle also...unless its a medical issue (which i know isnt my dogs issue) i would not worry about it, i think its just a shepherd thing.


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## Innuendo

I think he really is just talkative. Maybe he has a lot to say?

It's not nearly as bad as it used to be and I don't think it's a seperation thing either as he seems okay when we leave. He gets more upset when he has to go into the dog room while we're home. I had to keep him in there the other day while mopping the floor because I didn't want paw prints while it was wet and he wasn't happy at all!


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## GabbyBond

Bond is a noisy whiner too. Our rule is to wait it out. He too gets excited to go on walks. We do not put the leash on until he is quiet, we do not walk out the door until he is quiet. We waited standing by the front door for up to 20 minutes some times in the beginning! If he whines because he wants something, another dog up ahead for example, we turn and walk the other way. He eventually got it, and while he does still whine a little, it's not as much or for as long of a period as before. It's so easy to give into the whining because you want it to stop. 

Another thing that we do is to turn our back to him and ignore him. When he stops whining we turn around and praise him. If a whine slips out, we turn our backs again. 

I feel that if you have the patience to wait it out you have the upper hand. Giving them what they want while they are whining or in that state just reinforces the whining! And it can be sooooo annoying at times!


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## Markovsmom

*Very good thread. Awesome ideas as well. I am about going bonkers with my 2 yr old and his whining to get attention. Now that I realize it is I that needs the training and not him. I will rest easier. Thank you all for your tips and advice on this.

*


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## JackandMattie

My old girl, Mattie, is a whiner and a singer. She's a senior and always a few paces behind the younger two, and she will whine to remind me she's there and wants attention, too.

It's tough, but I am Really buckling down and trying to ignore the behavior, because it drives me Bonkers. For a while I would correct her and she would instantly stop, and then I could pet her. But she has gotten to where she will just start up again a couple of minutes later when it is clear she no longer has my attention.

She had her annual checkup just a couple of months ago, full senior blood panel, etc., all came back perfect. It's clearly an attention-seeking behavior for her.

I'm hoping by ignoring, and then rewarding her randomly with attention when she is not whining will help this out. Good luck to you! Let us know what works


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## RowdyDogs

I have a couple of vocal dogs, but I don't mind it at all so haven't tried to extinguish it. Just for full disclosure. 

Seems like this is like any other unwanted behavior though...make sure he's getting all his needs met, but otherwise just modify your training so that you reward him for being quiet, and ignore him when he's whining. If he's just naturally vocal you might never be able to totally eliminate it, but it might help.

I agree too with the posters who say it is probably linked to his insecurity, and continued positive socialization will probably naturally help it end on its own. That has been the case with all the whiners I know, anyway...they still whine when very excited or upset, but not any time they are excited or upset like when I first got them.


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## Misty Creek

Overall, I'm ok with the fact that my girl is very vocal. It's just the VOLUME that I'd like toned down. If she's in her crate and wants my attention or doesn't like that I'm with the other dogs...she does this incredibly loud (to the point of painful) whine/bark/yowl. It's awful and I'm at a loss of how to help. She does it when crated and wants my attention so going over to correct the behavior actually reinforces the behavior. I'm at a loss, but she can make put everyone on edge when she gets started. 

I'm even considering a bark collar, but I do want her to be able to bark some - just not her tyrannical demands.  Any thoughts on the training collars where I could tell her "no" for her inappropriate barks and then correct if she doesn't quiet down?


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## lzver

Glad to see we aren't the only ones with a vocal GSD! Our Jake is 1 year old now and has been a vocal talker and whiner since a young age. He whines and cries when he wants to go outside. If it's been a while since he's done business then I let him out on his leash and when he is done he comes back in the house. If he's whining/crying because he wants to play outside, I ignore him and let him out when he quiet's down.

He also has an attitude and doesn't like being told no. That is another time he get's vocal, but that is with more of a high pitched bark. We try to ignore to discourage it, but sometimes it's funny and you have to turn your back so he can't see you laughing.

They are funny dogs, that is for sure. Never a dull moment with a GSD in the house!


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## zivagirl

Beth is a whiner, talker, grumbler. She tends to whine when she is bored or has to go out.


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## emy1

My little Magnum is 7 weeks old, do i have to ignore him to discourage him of crying when he is on his own or is it too soon ? TY


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