Why Does A Dog Keep Whining? What Is He Trying To Tell You?

Do you often find your dog whining when you come home from work or when he meets new people? Are you wondering why he whines so much?
You may not realize it, but whining is one of the most vocal ways dogs communicate both with humans and other animals. A whine from a dog can mean a number of things. In some cases, your dog is whining to train you. If you are misreading your dog’s whining, you may be reacting in the completely wrong way.
Your dog is whining to tell you:

“I’m bored! I want a job.”

When your dog has too much free time but has nothing to do or when he is kept doing the same thing for a long time, he may feel bored, which can lead to his whining. If you think it could be boredom, keep him occupied, or shift his attention to other activities according to the context. A tired dog is a content dog, and a content dog doesn’t whine unless something is wrong.

“Help, it hurts here.”

Of course, dogs may whine in response to pain or a painful condition. If your dog suddenly starts whining for no apparent reason and displays general discomfort, consult your veterinarian first to rule out injury or medical causes.

“You're my boss.”

Does your dog whine and look nervous when he meets new people and/or large dogs? Such whining is known as appeasement whining.
Appeasement whining is a sign of submission and usually accompanied by one or more submissive behaviors, such as holding ears back, avoiding eye contact, crouching, tucking the tail, and showing the belly.
You’re likely to find appeasement whining when your dog meets something or someone that he sees as a threat. It happens due to your dog’s lack of confidence, so seek the help of a profession trainer to build his confidence.

“I’m so excited!”

One of the most easily recognizable “whines” is the excitement whine, which often happens when your dog sees you coming back home from work, when he’s taking a ride in the car, or when his old friend comes around.
Excitement whining will come with a lot of jumping up and down, barking, circling and yipping. This is the time to practice “no talk, no touch, no eye contact,” until he settles down. If it doesn’t work, take him to training classes on self-control.

“I need you, please don’t leave me!”

Dogs with separation anxiety may whine just before you leave or during your absence. Your dog may also display other behaviors, such as pacing, panting, drooling and destruction at exit points, depression.
In this case, don’t let your dog follow you around all the time. Randomly leave him in his crate or a room with a favorite toy for 20-40 minutes at first and then gradually increase the time. Teach him that it’s OK to spend time alone.

“I whine, I get attention. That’s cool!”

Be careful! You might be getting trained by your dog. Dogs are smart: if they learned that their whining could get rewarded with attention and comfort, they’d probably exploit it. If your dog is whining for you to pet him, whining for a treat or whining to get your attention, don’t offer him any physical or vocal interactions, just turn your back, leave the room and close the door. Only come back into the room when he’s quiet.

Of course, the list does not end here. There is much more your dog wants to tell you:
“I'm anxious to do my business, so let me out before we both regret it.”
“I’m so tired, help me postpone or cancel the training classes.”
“I’m frustrated because my toy is stuck behind the bed.”
“I’m scared of that thunder.”
…

If the whining has been going on for a very long time, try to identify the reasons, and then take the appropriate actions to reduce or stop the whining. If you are unsure what caused your dog’s whining, call your veterinarian.