There are not many things more annoying than dog whining. The number one reason dogs do bad things is to get attention. You’re lying in bed and trying to relax and your dog starts to whine. You let them out and they don’t do anything. You let them back in and they start whining again. They are seemingly whining for no reason, but there are reasons as to why your dog may be whining. Dog whining occurs when they are hungry, scared or in pain. So, once you have ruled out those things, it comes down to a behavioral problem that can be corrected with training.

First of all you need to identify why your dog is whining. Ask yourself a few questions. When did you last let your dog out to go to the bathroom? When did you last play with them? Have you exercised your dog today? When did you last feed them? Do they have water in their bowl? Have you examined them for injury or sore areas? If you find a problem here, you may want to visit the veterinarian. Is there a storm outside? Is there a change to their environment that may be scaring them or making them nervous? All of these problems can stop dog whining with just a little bit of your time.

Pay attention to the signs your dog gives. Is your dog whining because they need to go out? If so, they are being good and are housebroken. If you haven’t played with them for a while take 15 minutes and walk them or throw a ball for them. Dogs like to eat at least twice a day but some are pretty good at maintaining their weight and can have food down all the time. "You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink." Just fill up their water bowl and they’ll figure it out. Fear, when a dog is scared you don’t want to comfort and cuddle them because it reinforces dog whining. Try to distract them by throwing them a toy, telling them to "lie down" and staying calm yourself are good methods to bolster your dog’s confidence.

Don’t reinforce whining by coddling them or rewarding the behavior. You may find that crate training your dog or gating them in a specified area will be helpful but they should be introduced to these things gradually. Start by simply putting them in the crate, telling them they are good and quickly letting them out. Slowly increase the time they are left alone and reward them when they are nice and quiet.

Punishing your dog when they whine is counter productive and only reinforces dog whining. Even if they get attention that is negative, they are still getting attention. If you threaten them in any way they may respond aggressively. A simple "NO" and a period of time where you ignore them is a good way to stop dog whining as it isn’t going to get them any positive attention. When they are quiet for a few minutes you may then give a little praise by way of a "good dog," a toss of a ball or tug of a toy, or even a simple pat on the head followed by another period of silence. If they start whining again, start the process over again. That is what training is about, repetition until your dog gets it.