# How to: Whining and Whimpering



## LoJack

I'm guessing its just going to take time ... but she's whining a lot, mostly just when crated, but when crated she goes absolutely balistic! I'm almost positive its loud enough for the neighbors to hear through the walls, and they must think we're torturing the poor girl.

Anyone have any tips on training quietness, a command, or tactic that they used. 

I don't want to put her crate in my bedroom, because I know I'll have to go through the same anxiety issues when we decide to move the crate out of the bedroom later on.

Keep in mind she's only 9 weeks old ... so I mean I can understand if time is all its going to take ... I just wanted to check and see if there is something I can be doing to help her along in the transition!

Thanks


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## wildo

Pimg is nearly 5 years old and whines constantly. My trainer is a GSD breeder and dubbed it "the german shepherd whine." I think to some extent, the breed whines a lot. That said- at least with my dog- she has no lines to speak of and it's likely the consequence of really crappy breeding. Poor girl- it's not her fault... But yes- it is ANNOYING!

Looking forward to suggestions for the OP. I will certainly keep track of this thread.


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## onyx'girl

Put the crate in the bedroom at night with you right beside the bed. When she starts whimpering put your fingers in there for her to smell. A couple nights of this,she should be settling down. After she is use to the crate changing locations should be no big deal, but babies always want to be with someone.
A clock that tick tocks is soothing for a pup, place one nearby her crate if you have one.

Put her in the crate when she is tired so she'll see that it is a good place to rest. Give her a couple of treats when you put her in.
Feed her her meals in her crate and leave her in there for a bit afterwards. When she is quiet let her out.
Don't let her out if she is pitching a fit, then she'll see that is a way to "win" her way out, and the noise will continue.
I was very lucky, my pups breeder had them use to crates before they came home so the transition was so much easier on him....leaving his littermates, was bad enough, but already being use to a crate was less stress. I also brought a couple crate pads to the breeder previously for the familiar scent later, not sure if it made any difference.


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## LoJack

I had read about getting the scent, but my breeder was 800 miles from home, so I didn't have that option. 

I guess I'll have to try moving the crate, it seems like the common suggestion. I'm such a helicopter parent, constantly hovering. I've read so much about the breed and training before picking her up, that I keep expecting her to be perfectly behaved all the time (my mistake, not hers) 

I tend to overlook all of the good things she's done since coming home. She has had like 5% of accidents inside, and she fetched and brought back a tennis ball 13 times straight yesterday without getting distracted. She's been well behaved around company, her only weakness has been the whining ... and I guess its only a weakness because I can't handle it. 

Thanks for the suggestions, I'm going to try and make the transition tonight. I'll let you guys know how it goes tomorrow!


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## onyx'girl

http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/DevelopmentalStages.html
is a great site to look thru/many articles> http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/behavior.html
I would let her have some alone time so she does get use to you not being around every second, that can create problems too! Separation anxiety is very hard to overcome. But for now, love her every second! her pic in your avatar is adorable!
She was born on my Onyx's 4th birthday!


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## Stosh

What onyx'girl said is just what I would have said too. Definitely move her next to the bed, put a stuffed toy in with her, a tshirt you've worn. Pop her in without any words or excitement. You might want to cover part of the crate with an old towel or blanket to make a den. I've taught the quiet command using a clicker. When she really starts tuning up, click and treat as soon as she stops, even if it's just to take a big breath. You'll have to be really fast, don't give a command just click and treat when she stops. When she starts catching on, give the quiet or hush or whatever command you want to use, then click and treat when she stops whining. I know it's annoying and you feel like yelling at her but try to make it a fun game for her. You can start with the all purpose "eh eh" sound and when that gets her attention and she's quiet you can treat and praise her for being quiet. Good luck!


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## 48496

You can also put a radio next to her crate so she has noise. Maybe a stuffed animal to cuddle up against and something of yours with your scent on it. That's what we did with Jackie and she never cried in her crate. Now she only has her blanket and no more radio and she still doesn't cry. In fact, she goes in her crate even when she doesn't have to and hangs out.


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## LoJack

Thanks again guys ... I'm pretty optimistic heading into tonight!


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## Stosh

Remember my motto: A glass of wine solves everything!


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## doggiedad

when i was crate training i use to put my pup
in his crate for 5 to 10 minutes at a time. i did
this many times during the course of the day.
sometimes i would stay in the room where he was crated
and sometimes i would leave the room and or the house.
i did this over and over. i slowly increased his time in his crate.
over night i took my pup out every 2 hours. going out every 2 hours might not be necessary but my pup never had an accident in his crate
over night. the only time he had an accident in his crate was when he ws sick and even then it was my fault for leaving him in his for to long of 
a period.


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## LoJack

Alright, so last night I moved her crate beside my bed, and you were all correct! After about 30 seconds of whining (at a much lower volume than when alone) she just dozed off and went to sleep. 

The last two days have been huge breakthrough days for Atticus. She hasn't had an accident inside in two days, and she is finally letting us know with a bark at the door when she needs to go out. It appears as though our diligence and constant hovering have paid off. I'm sure we'll suffer some setbacks, but I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that doesn't happen. 

Thanks again for the tips guys ... its nice to have a network of people who have been there before, and can relate and provide tips and encouragement. Sometimes just a stick with it is all you need to remember why you're doing what you're doing.

--Tyler (& Atticus)


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## MaggieRoseLee

LoJack said:


> *Alright, so last night I moved her crate beside my bed, and you were all correct! After about 30 seconds of whining (at a much lower volume than when alone) she just dozed off and went to sleep. *
> 
> The last two days have been huge breakthrough days for Atticus. She hasn't had an accident inside in two days, and she is finally letting us know with a bark at the door when she needs to go out. It appears as though our diligence and constant hovering have paid off. I'm sure we'll suffer some setbacks, but I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that doesn't happen.
> 
> Thanks again for the tips guys ... its nice to have a network of people who have been there before, and can relate and provide tips and encouragement. Sometimes just a stick with it is all you need to remember why you're doing what you're doing.
> 
> --Tyler (& Atticus)


Good for you for listening! Wonderful news about how well she's doing :thumbup:


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## Sirscarecrow

Simple :

First, put crate in front of your door to your room. Give her small treats frequently through the openings. (if that young, split up her regular dog food into small pieces to use as treats)

During the day, put crate in another room you often are and put your GSD in there for 30 mins, 3x a day, put treats through openings regularly (small pieces of regular dog food) and praise your dog a lot.

Feed your dog always in the crate and lock the crate door while you stand nearby so your dog sees you INITIALLY while eating. You can move off more and more, the more your dog gets used to eating in the crate. After it ate, let it in the crate another few mins.

DO NOT PRAISE THE DOG WHEN HE IS COMING OUT OF THE CRATE !!!! DO THE OPPOSITE.

When your dog sees the crate as a food source, take some small regular dog food pieces that you broke up in smaller pieces and throw some pieces inside so it makes that nice noise when it hits the inner wall a few times, your dog will go in to eat the treat, praise it, repeat, always say BOX, or CRATE or whatever you wish so your dog learns something new.

With time, after maybe 2 weeks having the crate in front of your room, move it down to the other place you most frequently hang around in during the day. Let him sleep there and keep putting him in the crate .

If you have a garden, depending where you live and what kind of harsh weather conditions you may face, but the goal is if you have a garden to have him outside about 2 months after you started crate training it. Make sure the area outside has a roof and does not get wet.


Relax, 8 weeks is normal for a dog to act like a fool when crated. 

IGNORE YOUR DOG when he acts that way, I in particular just walk away whenever he acted berserk, when he was still or sleeping I came up praising it, bringing treats so it was confused, then I walked away again and did the same again.

Maybe you are paying too much attention to your dog when he is outside of the crate. At that age your dog should be a cuddle buddy for a few minutes a day and the rest is, ignore him, act like he is not there, to clearly show who the leader is and call him a few times and sit on his crate, play around his crate, just make him see the crate over and over;.

My dog is now 5 months old. When he was 2 months old he hated the crate. When I put him in the cage during the day, he acted like a berserker.
With 3 months he walked in there with mixed feelings but already knew food is coming. When I caged him a few times a day he also acted mixed. From being a toddler to just fall asleep within minutes. Occasionally during the day he walked inside his crate on his own, smelling a bit, sometimes even laying down there and taking short naps. 
With 4 months, he jumped in there every time I shouted BOX, like a rabbit. He really jumped in there of happyness. Sits and lays and gives me his paw from in there.
With 5 months, everytime I look at him all i gota do is look in his eye and nod my head toward the cage from 10 yards away and he knows and runs like a madman into the cage, jumping in, all I hear is how he bangs himself around in there and he waits for me to come to his crate and praise him. With or without food that is.

I was very consistent and patient and spent a lot of time with this. But they will learn, be patient do not glorify your dog 24/7 .I hope I could help out.
Remember, many people cuddle around with their dogs so much that they do get bothered at the end and can actually even become aggressive because of it, I do not understand why some people treat their dogs like they would be their first teddy bear or a barbie. :crazy:


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## Sirscarecrow

I would like to add a correction to what I wrote :

By " DO NOT PRAISE THE DOG WHEN HE IS COMING OUT OF THE CRATE !!!! DO THE OPPOSITE " I meant not to say that you shall yell at him, I meant to say that you should ignore him.


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