# 6 Months and still whining?



## Tigerbite (Dec 5, 2014)

My 6 month old pit/gsd mix whines when he's not getting his way. We've never "rewarded" him for whining. If he's not tired when bed time rolls around, he'll whine himself to sleep (usually about 20-30 minutes). If we separate him from his 2 year old brother for awhile, he'll whine. If one of us is taking a nap and we shut the door, he'll whine, etc.

Any ideas on how to curb this behavior? That high pitch squeal coming from a 65lb. monster is extremely annoying. Is this a puppy thing? A training thing? Both?


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

It's a GSD thing. They are Drama Queens of the dog world. Get used to it.


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## trcy (Mar 1, 2013)

almost 2 years and still whining. He is learning what quiet means though.  I'm pretty low key when it comes to training. So, if he whines I tell him to quiet, if he stops for a second I immediately tell him good quiet. It's been a slow process, but it's getting better.


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## Moriah (May 20, 2014)

Welcome to GSDs At a nose work class I was in, the GSD handlers were one with each other on whining. The young GSDs just could not contain themselves wanting to have their turn. It was stereo!

I am no expert. I did click and treat when Simon was young so he did learn the quiet command. I use "quiet" sparingly--when I really want it.

My guy makes all kinds of sounds talking to me. I am careful (as best I can) not to reward whining. I do a lot of impulse control exercises with my 14 month old and that has helped.

For instance, I open the door to his crate in the house or truck, and Simon has to wait to come out. He has to "down" before he is fed. 

I play a game with high value treats where I open my hand and he starts to take the treat and I close my fist. When he stops trying to take the treat from my open hand, I feed the treat from my other hand.

The biggest help has been to teach the "relax" command You need to shut your eyes and do a lot of yawning to relax the dog. I down him and he has to roll his hip so that his legs are out to the side and his feet are relaxed. Just keep yawning and treat when he gives you the body language of relax. (Watch the nails--they are up, not down; retracted--not gripping the ground). I can down Simon now and say "relax" and he will roll his hip on command and fix his nails. Wonderful way to stop whining. Now sometimes when he whines about something he will lay down and relax himself--if he knows I am going to give the command--like when I am getting his food. Whining? no food preparation . . .


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## paulag1955 (Jun 29, 2010)

Be happy it's only whining. Thor talks. And whines. And bugles. Yes, bugles. There's no other word for it.


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## Brooke (Dec 21, 2010)

paulag1955 said:


> Be happy it's only whining. Thor talks. And whines. And bugles. Yes, bugles. There's no other word for it.


That's funny Paula, my Blitz does the same thing. He is going to be 5 in July. Personally, I fine it endearing!!


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## eddie1976E (Nov 7, 2010)

It is the only thing I wish I could change about my boy...he is constantly whining, specially in the car. Can't go anywhere without wanting to pull over and leave him on the side of the road (I would never...but boy does his annoy me). It is exhausting.


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## squirl22 (Apr 1, 2015)

The lovely joys of german shepherds. I'm on my third one and they all whine and moan and groan lol. It's just the way they are. My black male rarely stops whining in the car and yes its enough to drive you a little batty, but it's no worse than my 3 human boys whining lol


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

5+ yo -- happy to get to tracking, let me out! let me out! Oh oh oh let me out! (never mind that the track has not been laid.

18 mo old -- OMG open the door! Open the door! Oh I have to get out there! The suns out, the moons out, or not!!! She trills, she yelps, she barks, she moans. 

I've been told you can teach to bark on command and that helps you to train quiet. I haven't had much luck with the last part of that....


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## DrogoIndyMommy13 (Apr 22, 2015)

My 3.5 year old mix is awful on whining and car behavior. the 5.5 month old shepherd has been awesome... until recently - he is starting to pick up Indy's complaining and whining.... gah! Now it's both! I'm up for advice to teach the older to stop being a bad influence! We've practiced and drove and treated and trained, etc. 

Drogo cries so bad if he's separated or not allowed near Indy... goofballs! Could clobber him!


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## RZZNSTR (Jan 24, 2015)

My 3 GSDs never (well almost never) whined. The middle one (Donner) would only start his form of whining about a mile from the beach in Carmel. It didn't matter what route we took he could smell the beach and that triggered the "lets go! get me there mode".
When his paws hit the sand he was very vocal and once he ran off some of the excitement he was good. The thing was, he went to the beach 4 or 5 times a week so it wasn't like it a big deal.... 
They never whined about anything else really unless there was bitework to be had...


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## Tigerbite (Dec 5, 2014)

Not sure if I'm supposed to be happy or not that this seems to be normal. lol. He's a great pup though. Listens well for his light training and rotten 2 year old brother always being a distraction.

I love how much he "talks" to me...as long as it's in his rough manly voice. But the high pitched whines are deadly, especially in the car. Boy does he hate the car.


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## robrymond (Sep 7, 2014)

Our dog loves the car so thankfully this is not an issue but I've had to start wearing ear protection when at home and he is whining due to the high-pitched nature of it. Does this get deeper as he gets older like his bark?

I've taught the bark command and trying to teach quiet which he can do in the right frame of mind but if we walk upstairs and I say quiet he won't.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

What you reward is what you get more of.


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## Pretzels (Aug 11, 2014)

My pup,went through a whining phase between 5 and 6 months old. I just ignored it even though it drove me nuts! It ended thankfully! Now he only whines sometimes... Like if I tell him we're going to go somewhere and it takes me too long to get out the door. 
I would be a little careful teaching the "quiet" command that your not unintentionally rewarding the whining by giving him the attention it takes to to quiet him. Lol, I think that's how my pup would have taken it.


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## AussieGSD (May 4, 2015)

shepherdmom said:


> It's a GSD thing. They are Drama Queens of the dog world. Get used to it.


THIS! My 8 month old is the biggest baby/drama king ever.


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## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

Boy, guess I got off easy! Lady, she never complained or whined, she was great. Stella, only whined in the car, and even then it was like a whimper here or there.. Fritz, now he never complains or whines..but he has an extremely deep bark thats freaky!


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## robrymond (Sep 7, 2014)

I only practice quiet when he is barking or we are doing training in general. So I'll do bark and then something else before doing quiet. He has picked it up but not on a general day to day basis.

Today for the first time I heard him howling which he has never done before...and that was at the vets when I went to collect him after his manhood removal.


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## Blkgp1 (May 2, 2015)

My Harley only cries when she cant be by us. She loves the car. But when she is in her kennel and by herself.... Look out, the screaming begins! Lol


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## Zumi2015 (Mar 11, 2015)

My Zumi whines when she can't go upstairs with us because she is in her crate- and "normally" that's only on the weekday mornings because she darts through rooms waking everyone up at 4:45 am! Yikes!
I tell her " to quiet" and sometimes it works but not always. If she can see us even crated she's fine. Our trainer advises to never reward whining by letting her out while whining but also that she is simply wanting to be with us! 
Funny when I get home from wk or anywhere she is let from her crate but gives me a howling , cry, bark - literally like she's saying NEVER LEAVE ME AGAIN! Lol it's really funny 
Not sure this helps but know your not alone.


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## JackandMattie (Feb 4, 2013)

If the whining is stressing you out, then you're probably tensing up, physically, when the whining starts. That's reward enough for a Top Dog  

Breathe, pause, breathe (a full cycle), and then redirect your gaze... With patience, the dog will look the same direction. Then, when your dog looks back at you, PLAY!


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## Ashparrish (May 17, 2020)

Tigerbite said:


> My 6 month old pit/gsd mix whines when he's not getting his way. We've never "rewarded" him for whining. If he's not tired when bed time rolls around, he'll whine himself to sleep (usually about 20-30 minutes). If we separate him from his 2 year old brother for awhile, he'll whine. If one of us is taking a nap and we shut the door, he'll whine, etc.
> 
> Any ideas on how to curb this behavior? That high pitch squeal coming from a 65lb. monster is extremely annoying. Is this a puppy thing? A training thing? Both?


I am also having this problem with my pit/gsd puppy did you ever find a solution for yours??😓


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Ashparrish said:


> I am also having this problem with my pit/gsd puppy did you ever find a solution for yours??😓


Member has not logged on in 4yrs. Perhaps some of the replies will help you or feel free to start your own thread.


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