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Are you dealing with a super whiny puppy? A puppy whining all the time can get old pretty fast.
If you’re wondering when puppies grow out of whining, a lot of it comes down to you as his owner.
Here’s a little more information on why puppies whine, along with some tips to help your puppy stop.
Why is my puppy so whiny?
As much as you might love your puppy, there are probably some pretty annoying things that you wish he wouldn’t do.
Nobody likes having to listen to their puppy whine and whine and whine. It can start to grate on your nerves after a while!
So what can you do? Is there any way to help your puppy settle down and stop whining?
The good news is that yes, there are several great ways you can help your puppy stop whining.
It’s true that dogs often become more quiet over time, but that is because they learn to trust you, and that whining doesn’t get them what they want. When separation anxiety is an issue, or if they know that it gets them attention, puppies will not grow out of whining all that easily.
That said, these aren’t the only reasons for whining, of course. Next, we’ll get into the reasons why your puppy might be whining, but first you might want to take a look at these related articles:
He misses his litter mates
If you only just got your puppy, then the problem could be that your puppy is feeling lonely.
For his whole life up until this point, your puppy has had the other puppies in his litter along with his mom to cuddle up with.
Now your puppy is in this completely new place with a stranger. You might cry a little bit too if you were in that situation!
In most cases, you will need to work on training your puppy if you want him to stop crying. But this is one situation where you just need to keep spending time with him to get him used to his new life.
Your puppy will quickly consider you part of his pack and stop missing his litter mates so much.
Separation anxiety
It is very common for puppies, especially young puppies, to experience separation anxiety.
Separation anxiety can be a really challenging thing to deal with. If your puppy is showing signs of separation anxiety, it’s important to work with him right away to try and ease the uncertainty he’s feeling.
Whining is one of the common signs that your puppy might be struggling with some separation anxiety.
First of all, it’s important to know that your puppy’s separation anxiety isn’t your fault.
Also, there are lots of great ways that you can help your puppy feel safer and more comfortable by himself. If you’re looking for some tips on dealing with this difficult problem, you’ll want to take a look at these related articles:
- Do Puppies Grow Out of Separation Anxiety?
- How to Crate Train a Dog with Separation Anxiety
- 9 Signs and Symptoms for Separation Anxiety in Dogs
Boredom
One of the biggest reasons for bad behavior in dogs and puppies is boredom.
If your puppy is crying a lot and he’s not injured or sick, then he could just be bored. You’re going to want to make sure that you’re finding ways to prevent boredom.
A bored dog is a dog that’s going to try and find his own ways to entertain himself. You should remember the saying, “a tired dog is a happy dog.”
That saying means that a dog that’s not getting the stimulation he needs throughout the day isn’t going to be happy. He might also start getting into trouble trying to find ways to keep himself busy.
And some of the things he might try not be very safe. Always make sure that there’s enough excitement to your puppy’s day to prevent boredom!
Frustration
Puppies are really similar to human kids. When something doesn’t go your puppy’s way, he could start feeling pretty frustrated.
When he does get frustrated, he might start whining and crying to express how he feels.
It’s a lot like a human kid getting frustrated about something and crying over it. They just don’t quite know how to deal with those feelings properly yet!
It’s your job as his owner to try and find ways to help your puppy deal with his frustration a little better. It’ll take some work and positive reinforcement dog training, but in time you’ll be able to teach your dog some better ways to handle his feelings.
Stress, Fear and Anxiety
Your puppy might also start crying if he’s feeling stressed or anxious about something. If there’s something going on that could be triggering fear, he might deal with this by crying.
There are a lot of things that could cause these feelings in your puppy. Your puppy might even be affected by some things that you find pretty weird!
You can keep track of when your puppy starts crying to try and figure out what his triggers are. Once you know what causes crying in your puppy, you can work with him to help him feel a little more confident in these situations.
You might also want to check out 9 signs your dog is stressed for a little more advice.
Hunger and Thirst
Has it been a while since your puppy last ate? Is his water bowl empty?
He might be crying to let you know that he needs his bowls filled up!
It’s important to make sure that you are giving your puppy a healthy amount of food every day. So how many times should a puppy eat? The amount that you feed him will depend on a few factors, like his age, breed, and weight.
You should aim to give your dog multiple meals a day, at least 2 or 3. This will help him stay full throughout the day and prevent crying from hunger.
Another thing to keep in mind is that your puppy needs to have access to water. Your puppy’s bowl should be full of clean water!
Keep his bowl full and fresh throughout the day, but can consider taking it away about an hour before bed. This will help prevent your puppy from filling up his bladder and needing to go in the middle of the night.
He wants your attention
Your puppy loves you. You’re his pack, after all! He wants to spend time with you, whether it’s playing together or cuddling on the couch.
If your puppy doesn’t feel like he’s getting the attention he deserves, then he might start acting out. He could be crying because he’s trying to get your attention.
You could also be unintentionally encouraging this behavior. When your puppy starts crying and you immediately give him attention, even if it’s to tell him to stop, you’re still giving him what he wants.
From your puppy’s point of view, even negative attention is good attention. So be careful about what you might be unintentionally teaching your puppy!
Do puppies grow out of whining?
A whining puppy can get pretty annoying. But is there anything you should be doing? Or do puppies just grow out of whining on their own?
Here’s a little more information.
Do puppies grow out of whining when left?
Does your puppy whine when he’s left alone? That’s not going to be nice for your neighbors to listen to, and it can’t be nice for your puppy either.
Some puppies are able to learn on their own that being left by themselves is okay. With consistency, they’ll trust you to always come back, and there’s no reason to cry in the meantime!
But other puppies need a little bit of help with this. You might need to work on crate training your puppy and start leaving him alone gradually.
Remember to stay patient when you’re working with your puppy. This is all new to him, and it can be pretty stressful!
As long as you keep working with him and use positive reinforcement, you can teach your puppy to stay by himself and be comfortable.
Related topic: For dog training in general I highly recommend you get a program that walks you through step by step, such as Braintrainingfordogs. Certified dog trainer Adrienne Farricelli teaches you to train your dog to be the best dog he can by be using mental stimulation! Check out Dogpackr’s review to see if this is a fit for you!
What age will puppies stop whining?
It would be nice if there was a specific age where all puppies would grow out of whining! If only your puppy could reach that age and stop doing all the annoying things that he does…
Unfortunately, that’s just not the way it works! You’ll need to actively teach your puppy better ways to handle his feelings.
Training your puppy can take a lot of time and patience. But if you want your puppy to be calm and well-behaved, it’s really important to take the time to do it.
So, ultimately, it all comes down to you! With time and practice, you’ll show your puppy what some good ways to handle his feelings are.
How do you get a puppy to stop whining?
If you want your puppy to stop whining so much, you are going to have to work on training him. There are a few great things you can do if you want to get your dog to stop whining so much.
Try out these tips to get your dog to stop whining.
Figure out the reason for his whining
The first thing to do when trying to stop any unwanted behavior in dogs is to figure out the source. Once you know why your dog is crying, you’ll be able to help him deal with his feelings.
So make sure you’re paying attention to when your puppy is crying.
If he seems to be crying when you’re getting ready to leave for work, for example, you might need to focus on separation anxiety. Finding the best morning routine with a dog before work can help with this.
If he cries when you are home and stops as soon as you pay attention to him, then he could be just attention-seeking.
Make sure he gets enough physical and mental stimulation
One of the most important things to do for your puppy is to make sure that he gets enough stimulation throughout the day. This will help your puppy stay calm and prevent bad, unwanted behavior.
There are a lot of great ways to give your dog some physical exercise. Here are a few articles to check out if you’re looking for ideas:
- How Much Exercise Should a Puppy Get?
- How Many Walks Should a Dog Have a Day?
- 11 Tips to Tire Out a Dog Quickly
You should also make sure to provide your dog with mental stimulation. Take a look at these 10 brain games for dogs to play at home.
Mental stimulation can also be a wonderful training tool if used correctly. Check out Braintrainingfordogs to learn how to train your dog to be the best dog he can be by using mental stimulation! Or have a look at Dogpackr’s review first to see if it’s a fit for you and your dog!
Don’t give in to whining
If your dog is whining because he wants something from you, like your attention, it’s important to ignore it.
As difficult as ignoring your puppy can be, if you give in to the whining you’re only teaching him that this gets him what he wants. And puppies that learn this see no reason to grow out of whining.
Part of positive reinforcement dog training is showing your puppy what behavior it is that you don’t like. You do this best by ignoring it.
As long as your puppy doesn’t seem injured, just keep ignoring him. Eventually, he should realize that he’s not going to get what he wants by crying.
Reward calm behavior
When you are training a dog with positive reinforcement, you need to show him what behavior you don’t like. Ignoring it will help you do that.
But that’s only half of the equation. You also need to make sure that you’re showing your puppy what behavior you do like!
When you puppy is staying calm and not crying or acting out, you should make sure to reward that behavior.
Give him some treats, or spend some time paying extra attention to him as a reward.
Your puppy will quickly learn that staying calm is what gets him what he wants!
Be patient, especially with separation anxiety
There’s no denying that it can be pretty frustrating to deal with a puppy that won’t stop crying.
But even though it’s frustrating, it’s important to be patient. Your puppy is still figuring out how everything works, and the world can be pretty frightening for him sometimes!
If you’re dealing with separation anxiety, it’s even more important to stay patient with your puppy. Just keep taking things in small steps, celebrate the little victories, and remember that your puppy’s anxiety isn’t your fault. Stay patient with him as well as with yourself!
Conclusion
If you are dealing with a super whiny puppy, you might be feeling pretty annoyed. But as long as you work on training your puppy, you’ll help him feel more comfortable in your home. You’ll also show him some better ways to deal with what he’s feeling.
With practice and consistency, you’ll find that puppies will absolutely grow out of whining and become calm, well-behaved dogs!