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How can I stop my dog's constant and annoying whining habit?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 1 year and 1 month old | 23.5 lbs

My dog whines way too much! For a dog, it's ridiculous how much she whines about something. If I play fetch with her, she'll whine about not her ball being stuck under something or simply whine about not being paid attention to. She will whine loudly and nonstop until she gets what she wants. How can I stop this annoying whining habit of hers?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jeffrey Milner

Veterinarian

Published on May 7th, 2017

They key to stopping this kind of behavior is with training and positive reinforcement. If Panda spends a great deal of time whining for things she wants, you must learn not to give into her demands. Any time you respond to whining in a way that will make her happy, you are reinforcing her unwanted behavior. If you are outside and she is begging for you to play fetch, you can not throw the ball until she is sitting calmly and attentively. The moment that this happens, you should say praise her and play fetch. Continue with this in a repetitive way until she begins to see that being quiet and well-mannered is the key to her getting the ball. This type of positive reinforcement technique is the mainstay to training most dogs for any basic obedience. The use of a clicker is a great tool in starting this type of training. You can find countless videos on clicker training on Youtube that will show you just how to use this tool to your advantage. Other things that might be useful are things like the Adaptil collar (http://www.allivet.com/p-5327-adaptil-collar-for-medium-and-large-dogs-246-in.aspx?sku=49617&gclid=Cj0KEQjwi7vIBRDpo9W8y7Ct6ZcBEiQA1CwV2BJDnbVHCRFspwaa-XevpeDb6Tr5L9MFP5z4rAupDhoaApW08P8HAQ) and in some more persistent cases, certain medications that can be prescribed by a veterinarian. Hope you and Panda can work things out so everything is happy and well-adjusted.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on November 20th, 2016

    This is a common attention-seeking behavior in puppies. You can help by making sure that Panda is getting plenty of exercise and mental stimulation - she should be getting at least two walks every day, 15-30 minutes each. You can also do short training sessions with her throughout to work on skills like sit, down, stay, etc. - use treats, and keep things fun and positive. These things will help to reduce the amount of whining she does during "downtime", since she'll be tired and ready for a nap when you settle down to relax. I would also recommend trying to anticipate the times during the day when she is likely to do this and provide her with something to do before she starts whining - a puzzle toy like a Kong stuffed with peanut butter, a Kibble Nibble with her dinner in it, or something to chew on like a bully stick or pig's ear. Over time, the whining will become less of an issue as she gets into the habit of resting or chewing on something when you are busy or relaxing.

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    Answered By Bette Isacoff

    Dog Trainer

    Published on January 5th, 2017

    You can stop responding to it. She keeps doing it because it gets results. Ignore her completely when she's like this. Once she understands that her behavior is not going to have any effect on you, she will stop. Initially it may get worse, though, beause it's always worked in the past and she may up the ante a bit to try to get you to pay attention to her. Keep ignoring her (but make sure she's not whining to go out!

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