Author Topic: New, annoying behavior: WHINING.  (Read 2412 times)

Offline LMT

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New, annoying behavior: WHINING.
« on: December 26, 2006, 01:03:11 am »
Adicus (8mo.s now) has started a new, annoying behavior that drives me up the wall. He whines, incessantly. Sometimes its a whimper to let me know he's bored. Other times, if he is trying to get to the cats. Sometimes, to say, hey, I need to go potty. I try not to acknowledge it (unless it's obvious he needs to go potty)... but most of the time, he does get a response out of me. "Stop it, Adi." or "No" or "SHUT UP". While I know these responses aren't necessarily the best ways to curb the behavior, I can't stop it because he is so annoying!

Anyone have any advice?

I'm hoping that our move after the first of January to a much warmer climate will help - in that, I will be more willing to take him on longer walks each morning again. He'll be a more fulfilled dog then...
lmt.

Offline mynameislola

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Re: New, annoying behavior: WHINING.
« Reply #1 on: December 26, 2006, 07:46:27 pm »
If you say anything during or right after the whining, you will train your dog to whine.  Your attention, even if it is negative, is reinforcing the behavior.  If you want the dog to signal you with whining to let him out, you will do better if you take him out every time he whines at you.

If you don't enjoy the whining, practice selective deafness.  When my big doggies want attention, they know that they must be sitting quietly. 

Stella tried the whining for attention thing in the winter.  Granted, winter weather here when it is bitterly cold is in the 50's but that is too cold for tiny Stella.  She stopped whining when she realized that if she whined she was brought outside.

Maybe there is something harmless you could do when it whines that your dog doesn't like.

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Offline Imani's Mom

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Re: New, annoying behavior: WHINING.
« Reply #2 on: December 26, 2006, 08:02:09 pm »
I agree- you do not want to respond in any way to the whining, as a response of any kind is encouraging the behavior.  Be very patient, and play deaf! 

Mastiffs have this thing they do where they always want to put their paw on you.  If I say anything when Imani does it, it is a response, which is what she is looking for- attention is attention, whether it is positive or not does not matter.   In order to break the behavior, when the paw comes up, Mom grabs the dremel to do the toenails.  Needless to say, she does not put her paw on me any longer.

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Offline LMT

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Re: New, annoying behavior: WHINING.
« Reply #3 on: December 27, 2006, 01:15:21 pm »
Thanks for the support. I need to get better at ignoring him. I will attribute my short temper to the current circumstances (changing job, moving, la la la). But you both are right... MUST. IGNORE. WHINING.

Adicus does the paw thing too. It hurts people. I can't get him to stop. Every time he does it... I grab his paw and say no. I might have to try the dremel... It sounds like an interested approach!

Thanks.
lmt.

Offline schelmischekitty

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Re: New, annoying behavior: WHINING.
« Reply #4 on: December 27, 2006, 02:04:02 pm »
maybe the water bottle with ice water would work for the whining and the pawing??  sheeba does the pawing, but it's nice and polite and doesn't hurt.  whining, caine does, and diesel does it outside while he shreds the screen off the window.  hubby broke him of that by throwing a SMALL pot of ice water on him through the screen.
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