When a dog whines it is trying to communicate. Whining is one of the first things a dog learns to do. When it is hungry the puppy whines to let its mother know. The puppy learns that whining produces the desired result because the mother dog feeds it when it whines.

As a dog grows it will continue to whine when it is distressed or requires attention. A puppy is usually one of a litter and feels a sense of belonging to its litter. If a puppy becomes separated from its litter its whines are a sign of its distress and it is letting the litter know that it needs to be rescued.

It can be extremely distressing for a puppy when it has to leave its litter and its familiar surroundings to become a part of your family. It may whine to communicate its distress and sense of loss.

This is the time to begin training your dog not to whine. If you pay attention to its whines you are reinforcing this action and the dog continues to understand that if it whines it receives attention. On the other hand it is important that you have taken care of the dog’s needs before you try to stop a dog from whining. Always ensure that your dog has food and water and is comfortable and is not trying to communicate to you that he is thirsty or hungry. Have your dog seen by a vet if it whines when running, eating or gong to the toilet.

You must not neglect your dog and you must spend time with him and play with him. You can reinforce good behaviors by spending time with him when he is quiet and not whining.

Once your dog has adapted to you – its new family – it may suffer from separation anxiety if you leave it. Separation anxiety in dogs is not uncommon. Dogs are pack animals by nature so remember that when you leave it it may feel quite anxious. If your dog is put outside before you go out try spending a few moments with it in its outside world and make sure you leave toys for it to play with while you’re out. The dog will soon learn that being outside can be fun, too.

Listen to your dog’s whines and you’ll start to understand what it is he is trying to tell you. Your dog may be trying to communicate to you that he needs to go outside to the toilet, or that he is hungry, thirsty, hot, cold, lonely, bored, or he could be in pain.

Provide your dog with plenty of stimulation and exercise. Your dog is a sociable animal and you should take him for walks, play with him and take him to dog parks so that he can learn to socialize with other dogs. Dogs are intelligent creatures and require exercise and stimulation or they can easily become bored. A bored dog will sometimes whine to get attention.

Attend to your dog’s requirements and don’t allow him to manipulate you by whining. You must learn to recognize the difference between the dog’s genuine needs and his need for attention.  Reinforce good dog behavior. Give him the love and attention that he deserves when the whining has stopped and he will soon learn that his whines do not produce the results that he wants.