I started writing down all of the causes that make puppies whine but then realized two things. I realized that regardless of the reason, they will either whine momentarily or they will whine continuously. And that you are only looking for answers if your puppy whines continuously.
Momentary whining is usually of no concern because it doesn’t really disrupt our lives. And because it means that the reason for whining has either passed or their need (that caused the whining) has been met.
Continuous whining is a different story. Not only is it disruptive to our lives but it’s also putting unnecessary stress on our puppies. So, instead of covering every scenario, I’ve come up with a few topics that can better explain all puppy whining and how it can be helped.
Anxiety
First, let’s address what whining actually is and what can cause it. Whining is a dog’s way of communicating that they are experiencing anxiety, which occurs when their mind is under stress. They will whine out of excitement, too, but that usually falls under the momentary whining.
The most common cause of anxiety for a dog is the uncertainty of the current situation they’re in. Uncertainty is the mental state that happens when faced with situations for the first time, without any prior knowledge or experience. And this makes them worry because it’s a perceived threat to their survival. Especially since they can’t rationalize it.
Anything that threatens their ability to meet their own needs will make them feel uncertain and then anxious. Like being in a crate, a car, or left alone. Until they learn to trust that they don’t have to meet their own needs and that they’re in good hands. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and, even if, it takes a while for them to get there.
The reason that uncertainty makes them panic is two-fold. There was no previous, positive association to the situation, so they were not able to recall that nothing bad happened. And, since they live in the moment and are not in charge, they can’t tell how long it will last. Similar to children.
Another cause of anxiety is the inability to do what they want when they want to. That can circle back to uncertainty, too, because it would mean that they aren’t certain about how long they will not be able to do what they want. If they knew how long they would have to wait, it would remove the uncertainty. One downside of living in the moment, I suppose.
Anyway, anxiety can be another blog in itself but, for our current purposes, we just need to understand that whining is a dog’s way of communicating that they are anxious about something. Which would be anything that they need or want.
I realize that’s a bit broad but if we rule out the basic essentials like food, water, shelter, and relieving themselves, we can move onto the other, less obvious but more relevant causes for whining. Like puppy energy and not getting enough physical and mental stimulation. Each can give them anxiety, if not provided.
Activity
Exercise is the most important factor when correcting dog behavior issues and dog anxiety. Which, in this case, would be caused by the uncertainty of not knowing when they will be able to use up the energy. They just don’t have any way of knowing.
The biggest problem is that dogs and humans have different energy allocation. Due to confinement, dogs don’t get to use all of their energy. And we tend to use more than we might want. Between chores, work, exercise, shopping, cooking, and relationships, we are low on energy most of the time.
And our dogs get the short end of that stick because they have been resting all day and we have worked all day. The last thing we want to do is go on a long walk. But, if we want them to be balanced, we have no choice. This is why it’s important that their energy needs and our energy capacities are a good match.
A puppy will have a lot of energy. They say that puppies need 18 hours of sleep a day. It seems like a lot until you realize that you are probably not walking her the other 6 hours. So she will rest and recover energy while you’re in the other room or when you go to the store, which all adds up.
If they have energy that has nowhere to go they will develop negative behaviors. Excessive whining is a way for them to express their anxiety, excessive barking is a way for them to express their frustration, and excessive jumping, circling, moving around is a way for them to express their restlessness.
Physical and mental activity removes all of that negative energy. If they don’t get the activity that meets their energy needs they will either destroy things in the house or whine, bark, and jump around. Even more so if they are confined. And the smaller space they have the less energy they can release.
Confinement
There are various ways that confinement can be applicable to a dog. They can be confined to a crate, a playpen, a room, a home, or even a yard. Regardless of size, confinement is still not freedom.
As far as physical space is concerned, when they can’t move in a linear / forward direction or to where they want, it has the same effect as confinement. They will always want to be where freedom is. Especially, if that’s where you are, the pack leader.
Unless they are tired, being confined will magnify their needs. Which will give them a reason to whine continuously. Whether it’s because they can smell food, want to play, want to be where you are, or because you gave them a treat yesterday but not today.
Which brings us to the most unusual of reasons that will make a puppy whine. Especially a smart puppy.
Schedule
This may seem like a strange category for whining but I don’t think people realize how big an effect inconsistency has on dogs and why. They rely on patterns to make associations, like us, as a survival tool. Because it minimizes energy consumption which extends survivability.
A puppy that is learning your ways will feel confused when your pattern is unpredictable, which will lead to anxiety and stress. They are highly observant, and when they make associations they also develop expectations.
They learn our behaviors and our schedules. They know when to expect things and even what to expect in certain locations. Since they rely on us for their schedule they will be anxious when we are off-schedule, because it affects them.
Not only when we are doing something unexpected but also when we’re not doing what IS expected. Although these sound similar, one affects them more than the other.
If you go to the garage after dinner one night, she will probably not care about that as much the next night, whether you go again or not at all. But, if you gave her a bone to chew on instead, she will be waiting for it the next night and she’ll wine if she doesn’t get it.
Being inconsistent with their walks and meals will translate to not knowing when they can expect activity and food. A consistent schedule is important because knowing when to expect things uses less brain power. And, if your previous pattern involved them in some way, they will whine because you’re not doing what they are expecting.
Let’s say it’s 2 p.m. and you bring your puppy to the backyard to play. At the minimum, she is learning two things. She is learning that 2 p.m. means playtime and that backyard means playtime. Both now represent excitement. From here on, anytime you are heading for that same door, even if you just want to do yard work, she will want to go with you.
Or if it’s 2 p.m. but you’re not going out back, she will whine to let you know that it’s time to play. Then you are stuck having to teach her to disassociate the excitement from both (2 p.m. and backyard) unless you are willing to commit to that schedule. Schedule is not just time but location too.
If your third neighbor gives her a treat once, each time you go by that house she will expect a treat and she will be looking for your neighbor. Not that you can integrate unforeseen events into her schedule but knowing about it allows you to prepare for them. Like walking on the other side of the street.
Consistency (which leads to predictability) minimizes uncertainty, which helps to lower anxiety. If you can’t keep up with her expectations, don’t introduce new events to her (in her daily surroundings). Because, if she enjoys it, but the event doesn’t repeat, she will whine to get it. And it will take a few days before she moves on from expecting it.
It’s important to only introduce events into her schedule that you can stay consistent with. They should know when to expect food and playtime and when not to. Otherwise, you’re setting her up for anxiety and setting yourself up for frustration.
If you’ve noticed, each of the above categories is connected in some way. That’s because, in life, one thing always has something to do with another. In the case of our puppies, confinement validates the need for activity, and a schedule helps with the uncertainty. Between them, she will have a reason to whine.
Once you come to better understand your dog, it becomes a lot more simple. The best way to handle dog anxiety, and whining, is to walk her a few times a day so her animal needs are met and so her energy is being used.
It has also been said that whining should be ignored to teach your puppy to calm herself and relax, and to not reinforce that whining gets her what she wants. While I agree with this to some extent, I think it’s more important to understand why a puppy might whine and whether or not it’s a good enough reason to address.
The only way to learn that is to address all of her needs, up until you know which ones are important and which ones are not. If you’ve heard the expression that a squeaky wheel gets the grease, then you’ll also know that a greasy wheel doesn’t squeak.
My philosophy with dogs is the same. A fulfilled dog will have no reason to whine. If she whines more than another dog, it’s because she has more needs than another dog. And since we are the reason that they whine, we should also be the reason that they don’t.
