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Why is my dog whining so much in the car, at home, and on walks?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 11 years and 10 months old | 160 lbs

Why dog my dog whine? She does this a lot with no reasoning, in the car, at home, going for walks. I dont understand as to why she whines so much.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on December 28th, 2016

Whining can be caused by a number of different things - pain, anxiety, frustration, or loneliness are all common reasons that dogs might whine. It can also be an attention-seeking behavior in some cases, especially if she has learned that this is an effective way to get your attention. Older dogs may also whine more as a symptoms of canine cognitive dysfunction, which is similar to Alzheimer's disease or dementia in humans. If this is a recent behavior change for Sally Mae, I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam to see if there is a medical reason for the whining - she may be painful or not feeling well for some reason. If this is normal, you could try a DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to see if this helps, or make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist to evaluate her in person and help determine what may be causing this behavior.

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