Like growling and barking, whining is also one of the ways your dog communicates their pain, stress, desires, excitements, and everything in between that involves their well-being and livelihood. But because it can be challenging as to whether you should respond when your dog whines or not, the essential thing to do to help you decide the proper reaction is to determine why the dog whines in the first place. And while they are many reasons that can result in dogs whining, read about the 4 reasons your dog is whining before we look into each of these in detail and other reasons.
Why Your Dog Whines and What to Do About It
The top reasons your dog whines can range from excitement, a sign of pain, feeling stressed, and sometimes communicating about their fears. But because each of these reasons affects the dog differently and distinguishes the whining level, let’s explore them in detail below.
When the Dog Needs or Wants to Ask For Something
Like humans, dogs also have their unique ways of communicating in mannerly ways that differentiate the kind of communication they want to pass. And one of those ways is whining. For instance, when your dog needs or wants to ask for something such as taking a walk, they want a toy or even food, they will whine to tell you.
When this happens, you will notice the dog shifting their eyes between you and the door or the desired object. When they turn their eyes between you and the door, it’s probably a way of informing you they need to take a walk. And when they whine with their eyes towards an object, they need the thing, which could be a toy or anything else.
What to Do When Your Dog Whines Asking For Something
The action to take towards a dog that whines asking or needs something is giving them what they want. Therefore, once you relate the dog’s whining to taking a walk or asking for food and toy, the next thing to do is offer what the dog asks for. But remember, if you’re looking to limit the dog from whining regularly, you don’t necessarily need to respond to the dog’s needs promptly but do so based on the schedule you plan to give them their toys, food, and even taking a walk together. This way, you will use whining as a way to teach manners.
When the Dog Seeks Attention
Unlike when the dog needs something, whining about seeking attention occurs following particular circumstances, such as when you’re on the phone or doing something else that makes the dog think you’re not paying attention to them. Or, your dog could be whining as a sign of jealousy. And this is especially when you pay too much attention to people or pay much attention to another pet.
What to Do When Your Dog Whines for Attention
The action you take towards your dog whining as a sign of seeking attention depends on how long you spend time with people or involve yourself with something else and leave the dog alone. For instance, if the dog whines as a result of jealousy because you attend and spend much time with another pet or people, you can also involve the dog in what you’re doing to help create a bond that showcases how much you care for the dog.
Whining to Express ExcitementÂ
For most dogs, whining is also a way of showing excitement. It could be a sign of burning energy when this happens, accompanied mainly by jumping up and down and sometimes running around. But remember, this kind of whining can also be a sign of seeking attention.
What to Do Towards a Dog That Whines for Excitement
The action you take towards a dog whining for excitement depends on whether you support the cause of excitement. For instance, your dog could be whining while in a car or when they smell a particular food. And if you support the cause of the dog’s excitement, you will likely take them to the car and make them happy or limit the stimuli to help teach the manners and response you want the dog to have after experiencing the same thing.
Whining To Express Discomfort and Pain
Unlike other reasons, your dog whining to express pain and discomfort are some of the priority factors to consider. For example, the dog could whine to let you know of their sickness or distress and sometimes to calm down.