I need some suggestions on how to stop whining. My 13 month old male Basset is a very laidback, soft dog... a good boy, but the whining is really nerveracking, especially in obedience class. He is in advanced basic obedience, and I think he does it becuase he wants to play with the other dogs, which he loves to do. Other times he may whine when he is not getting his way. I have tried ignoring him, spraying him in the face with water, a firm NO, flicking his muzzle, praising when he is quiet, all to no avail. I feel this must be very distracting to other people training in class, and I feel badly about it, and fortunately no one has said anything.(yet!) Any ideas on how to eliminate whining will definitely be appreciated. Thanks!
My dog used to do the same thing on the way up to the dog park, it was so loud I thought I was going to go insane. The only way he would ever stop is when my other dog would bite him in the face. They do it because they are so excited, they do it when they are bored, nervous, who knows. I would just try to pick one thing and stick with it. Most times soothing talk won't help, I found ignoring the whining and praising smiling or good queit behaviour helped.
There used to be several dogs at my ob classes that did this. It's really hard to get them to stop, but if you try to keep them busy it helps. Does he like toys? Try keeping a toy in your pocket and distracting him with it every time he's about to whine, and whenever he has to sit still. You could probably use food too, but I think a toy would work better. In time it'll probably diminsh, but it might never totally go away. Depends on the dog.
Punishing him probably won't help, it'll just stress him out and make him whine more. He has no idea he's not supposed to whine!
Thanks, Julia and Meghan, for the good suggestions. I need to pick one method to deal with the whinning and be consistent with it. I have been trying everything, and I think I have been confusing him. I will take a toy to obedience class, along with his food treats, and the clicker. Trying to pay attention to my instructor, keeping him busy, and juggling all this stuff, leaves me feeling really uncoordinated! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Some of the electric dog collars also have a warning tone without administering the shock. My dog didn't have a whining problem but when she was in training with the collar I only had to zap her a couple of times and from then on I could just "tone" her without the shock and she responded very quickly to say the least. If the dog is an adult and if there is nothing physically wrong with it then there is no reason you couldn't use the electric collar. After a shock or two for whining, the tone alone should be enough to get her attention and I'll bet that the whining will be history in short order. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
I've seen two very good trainers use this technique to stop "leaking" on some VERY persistent whiners - they used a choke collar with the very small links, not a fur saver, but the line was on the dead ring. Collar is waaaaayyyyyyy up high on the neck, directly behind the ears and under the chin, dead ring centered high behind the ears. At the first sign of a whine, calmly lift straight up until their front feet are slightly off the ground and set them back down the instant they are silent. If you are absolutely consistent, calm, and unemotional, they get the connection very quickly and decide that a little self control is a small price to pay for being allowed to breathe. There's nothing
Thanks, everyone, for the good suggestions. Obedience class starts again today after the holiday layoff. Hopefully, we can get there as it is snowing again here in the northeast.
Up to this point I have never used a choke to train him...just a buckle collar. Hounds have a tendency to quit and shut off if they are corrected harshly. I have never trained a Basset with such a laid back, soft temperament before, as this one has.
I will give the choke a try today, & lift him off his front legs, if he begins to whine. Also the suggetion to keep it short and sweet, and fewer repitions of the same exercise is a very good one too. Sometimes I could swear he is looking up at me and thinking "OK, I did this exercise perfectly 2 times...what's your problem?"
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