Whinning

[RaisingRiver]

River learned as a puppy that whinning in her crate is not acceptable. This was easy to teach because as a babe she got to get out (at potty time) as soon as I heard silence. I'd rush to the door, tell her good girl and let her out!

 

Well, just past 1yr old she's decided to take to whinning while lying in the hallway outside my open door office. Whimper, whimper, whimper. Sometimes she'll walk in and visit me and whine at me. I totally know she wants to go outside and play fetch. I usually tell her 'go lie down' which after a sec she'll do. Then a bit later I'll hear her whinning in the hallway again. It's rather obnoxious and repetitive.

 

She'll even do this beginning 2hrs after we play outside. Appparently I've lost the 'off' switch.

 

Today I was having a hard time concentrating on my work while she was doing it (it's been almost a week now). So I put her in her crate. Not a peep. Of course not, becuase she knows she's not supposed to whine in there.

 

How do I train her not to whine when outside the crate? 'Quiet' only works for a few minutes - not really effective to repeat it all the time.

 

I should note that my other dog, Jaida whines whenever we prepare to leave that house in hopes to go too. I've never been able to teach her not to do it no matter what I've tried. I'm hoping she's not 'training' River

[Kat's Dogs]

Dazzle did that a few months ago - for her it was just some sort of teenager phase. Within a few weeks she quit it.

 

Well, something I bet you would already know of course - don't reward her for it (like taking her out and playing). How long has she been doing it? Is it something that sort of just started and you can just ignore her and it will go away? Or is it something that has been going on for a while now and she seems to enjoy doing it?

 

Option 1: Ignore (but if you have already done that for a week or so....)

 

Option 2: maybe crate her (in the room with you) while you are working, then the next day leave the crate door shut, but unlocked, next day leave it open, etc. So maybe she would get that she needs to just rest during that time?

 

Option 3: Give her a kong (or similar) for a few days, maybe she would get it that way that this is the time that she needs to play calmly by herself?

 

Option 4: An actual correction (I would only do corrections if it has been going on for awhile, and you have tried everything else first). Something like bitter apple - or anything that tastes bad - sprayed in her mouth. Or if it works better for her, "No!" kind of corrections.

 

It is late, and I need more sleep - so this is all I can think of now. I am sure more people will have other options, and I will dream about it tonight and maybe come up with something....

 

Oh, and it is a possibility that she is picking up on Jaida's behavior, but if that is the case - after it not working (you not playing fetch whenver SHE wants) I would expect the behavior to extinguish itself.

 

Good luck, and good night.

[RaisingRiver]

Thanks for the ideas. It just started a few days ago. She does get let out in the AM when she whines outside my bedroom door (my wake up call) and of course is rewarded w/ going outside, but that's just to potty. I'm wondering if I wake up before she starts whinning in AM if that would help the senario.

 

During the day, the whinning is to play I think.

[hoku's mum]

Hoku (12 months now) has started the same thing, whine at me while I work, but not untill 4:00 or 4:30, used to be 5:00 - 5:30, but I think the day length is messing his time telling up a bit . I know it's the play time whine, and I have just been trying to tell him to wait, and then take him out to play when he is quiet, and I am done. As the days shorten, I'll have to move play time up, and work time back (lucky to be flexible), but that just reinforces the whine, on some level. Not much help, just to commiserate, and reinforce the thought to never give in to the whine, as hard as it is. Our pups are of similar age, very well could be yet another adolescent brain freeze side affect.

 

Kristin, Hoku and Gussy

[RaisingRiver]

Hmm.. kinda sounds like a scheduling thing as well. Daytime playtime has always been random. Maybe I should schedule it.

[Meg's mum]

Meg's been whinning for about a month now. It IS preferrable to piles of toys pushed on top of my feet. I have never found her 'off' switch. I tried sending her outside, but that just elicits barking fits.

 

Meg's 11 months, so the pattern may fit. Meg starts whining when she stops being tired from the last play session. But we're not scheduled either. She's used to be at puppy daycare and now that I'm home she seems to expect me to play with her 24/7.

[hoku's mum]

Ya know, I think the schedule thing is good, he knows there's a walk and short training in the AM before I start to work, a short training at lunch break, and then a short training and big play in the late afternoon. He has a good off switch all day, just holds the rug down till the play-time-whine starts. Since this is his first autumn, I think the shorting days really has him confused (but we always play by the time the sun is low!!!!)

 

Kristin, Hoku and Gussy

[RaisingRiver]

Originally posted by Meg's mum:

Meg starts whining when she stops being tired from the last play session.

Yes! That's exactly when River does it!!