Ignore the whining behavior. “Ignoring the whining is your best option,” says Dr. Coates. “Any type of attention will just reinforce the behavior.” Campbell says that pet parents should avoid giving attention or taking a puppy out of the crate until he is quiet.
Use dramatic body language such as turning away from your dog or folding your arms across your chest and completely ignore her to indicate to your dog that her attention-seeking whining won't work. In addition to not reinforcing whining behavior, you need to reward your dog for being quiet.
Never ignore a puppy during these first few days, as their crying is more likely to be caused by stress or fear which shouldn't be neglected. Ignoring a puppy may also teach the puppy that you aren't there to help them when they are distressed, causing further fear and distress.
If your dog is whining just to get your attention, ignoring her is the best way to stop the behavior, training experts say. When the whining starts, avoid eye contact by turning away from your dog. Don't touch or speak to her, and that includes no scolding — she just sees that as a form of attention.
How long should you let puppy cry in crate? You shouldn't leave your dog crying in the crate for more than 10-15 minutes. If they're still crying regularly after this period of time, take a step back and work more on crate desensitization games to build up a positive association with the crate.
Truly ignore the constantly whining dog.
“I recommend getting up and moving away from the dog if it's too hard to ignore,” said Robin Bennett, a certified professional dog trainer. “At a minimum, turn your back on the dog.” She said not to make eye contact because most dogs will find that rewarding.
Most of the time we recommend that your pup be settled for 5 or more minutes before being let out of their crate. The most ideal scenario is that your pup cries for a bit, but settles in under 30 minutes and falls asleep.
Start with just 5 minutes apart, then increase to 10 minutes, 15 and 30—until they're happy to stay on their own for an hour. Remember to take it slow. Leave them in a safe area where they feel comfortable with something to take their mind off your absence.
Don't make a big deal out of arrivals and departures—talk to your dog in a calm voice when you're leaving or returning. Establish a word or action that you use every time you leave that tells your dog you'll be back. Consider using an over-the-counter calming product that reduces fearfulness in dogs.
The most important thing to remember about puppy whining is that it's a very common, usually short-lived phase. Very young pups might just whine because they miss their mom or siblings. In most cases, puppy whining stems from basic needs they haven't figured out how to communicate yet.
Why Do Dogs Whine? Whining is especially common in puppies because they're learning how to communicate their needs and wants. Young puppies whine to get attention and food from their mother in the same way that babies cry. It's often fairly obvious why a dog is whining.
Dogs are a naturally social species and it's normal for them to stay close to their social group which is why they can become anxious when left alone. When a puppy is first separated from their mother and litter mates, their usual response will be to whine, whimper or bark while trying to get back to them.
Separation anxiety is a serious condition that creates high levels of stress for your puppy and often results in abnormal behaviour when left alone. Puppies may cry a little when you leave the house, but separation anxiety is usually explained by more extreme behaviours, such as: Destructive or disruptive behaviour.
As long as it doesn't escalate and he settles quickly, you can ignore brief fussing. If it starts increase to distress crying, intervene. Hang your hand in front of his crate or into his pen so he has company. Over time (days, weeks) you should gradually be able to remove your hand without causing distress.
If your dog is engaging in an undesirable behavior to get your attention, the best thing to do is ignore him.
Just like a human baby, puppies use whining to communicate to their mother that something is not right or that they need something. Whining essentially serves as an alarm for the mother dog, alerting her that her puppy requires attention—perhaps they've become separated from their littermates or are hungry.
Anxiety and Stress
Dogs who have anxiety issues often develop clingy dog behaviors. Interestingly, dogs can also become clingy if they sense our stress or anxiety. Dogs can also become clingy if you change their daily routine or make changes in the home or household that cause them stress.
You don't want your puppy to miss you when you leave the room. If your puppy is crying in their confinement area, you've likely started the training before they've learned to associate the area with good things, or you've left them alone for too long. Don't make a habit of letting them out when they fuss.
In general, you can leave a healthy puppy home alone when they are over 10 weeks old. However, this doesn't mean letting puppies roam free around your home. Before your puppy reaches this age, you can start crate training. This helps ensure that your puppy will be ready to handle being in a crate while you're at work.
Dog experts recommend not letting your puppy cry at night. It's likely to make their anxiety worse and could lead to behavior problems. Not only will you hear it, but your neighbors will hear crying, too. Even if you live in a soundproof home or have a mansion, the noise will be audible even if they're alone.
If you notice your puppy crying or whining frequently, be sure to take it to your veterinarian. Increased crying is a common symptom of most neonatal problems. If a puppy is crying, it may be overheated, becoming ill, experiencing pain, or not getting enough to eat.
The general recommendation is to wait for a few seconds of the puppy being quiet before you let them out. Dogs have an association period of about 1 second so you just need to make sure you are waiting a couple seconds after the behavior stops to let her out.
One of the most common mistakes new pet owners make is to give their puppies too much attention or to let them out once they start whining. It is important to allow a puppy crying in their crate to self-soothe a bit to ensure they do not whine and cry every time they are confined to receive your attention.
Ignoring them at night won't help them build confidence and may make them worse which isn't what anyone wants. They need to be taught how to be independent slowly. We would never recommend ignoring your puppy when they cry at night, especially in their first few nights.
If your dog follows you everywhere then it's most likely a sign that they love and adore you. When dogs interact with someone they like, the hormone oxytocin is released. Oxytocin is often referred to as the 'love hormone' and makes you feel that warm glow when you're around someone you like.