[PatchworkRobot]

Dreizehn is almost 10 months old and has always been a pretty good, and rather quiet, dog. Any issues I've had with him have been easily, and quickly, fixed. However, recently he's started whining and I am stumped! It started about a month ago, maybe a little longer and it is driving me insane! He does it when I crate him (this is VERY new), he does it as he's walking around, he does it when he lays down, he does it when he wants to go outside, and as I type this he is standing and whining. When he does it I tend to tell him to hush pretty early on but after that I ignore it because I don't want to be giving him attention for an unwanted behavior. His appetite is grate, he looks grate, and otherwise he is acting completely normal.

I'm not sure if this is a part of it as the whining started about a month later but recently I moved into a new house in a new town. Dreizehn doesn't get as much exercise and activity as he used to (dog park 6+ times a week, daycare 5 times a week, and outings to restaurants and farmer's markets) but he still gets a lot. He gets plenty of time to run around, at least 5 walks a week (all about 45 min), he gets to play with the neighbor's big dogs (and they play hard), he has training class once a week, and he gets multiple training sessions daily.

Anyways, I REALLY need some suggestions as to how to fix this because it's driving me absolutely CRAZY!

 

[sam&macksmom]

maybe there's a female in heat in the neighborhood?

 

[Adara]

That's a tough one. I would try as hard as I could to ignore it. However that means really NOT giving in say 10 minutes into whining. Been there, done that have the loud mouth dog to prove it Learn by my frustration. I have a demand bark/chirper and I'd get annoyed finally and give her any attention to SHUT HER UP. She's 8. She still drives me crazy because I was so inconsistent.

 

[PatchworkRobot]

maybe there's a female in heat in the neighborhood?

It could be. I really don't know what that would entail. Before I got Dreizehn I had only ever been around one bitch in heat and that was at a boarding facility. At one of the shows he was in he was crated two crates away from a bitch in heat and he didn't seem to care at all. Also, he doesn't whine once he's outside nor does he try to leave the yard (which is surrounded only by a 4ft chain-link fence), wouldn't he be trying to get to wherever the bitch in heat was?

 

[Fitzmar Dobermans]

Welcome to the world of whiny boys! If you find a "cure" let me know - ha ha!

 

[mmctaq]

Welcome to the world of whiny boys! If you find a "cure" let me know - ha ha!

It ain't just the boys! I got a girl who is the whiniest, most incessant and demanding noise machine I have ever known... if she's quiet, she's asleep.

For the OP... since you specifically say his appetite is fine, I doubt your dog is obsessing over a bitch in season.

 

[mangujowa]

I've been listening to Niz whine for the last two years... He doesn't whine as much inside the home anymore as long as we keep his supply of beds steady and fluffy, but whenever we're out and about or in the car, he's a whining machine. With Niz, he's either bored or stressed if he's whining--it's a form of complaining (he has several forms of complaint!). He has to be either eating, walking/running, or being petted. Otherwise, he's whining. Whines when he's bored in agility class, whines when we're standing around on a street trying to figure out where to go eat and he has to stay still, whines from the SF bay area to south lake tahoe in the car. When I took him to Paco Collars one day (I used to barter there in my free time), Niz whined from 10 am to 5 pm--he drove everyone mad. If he wasn't getting attention, playing with another dog, or eating something, he whined LOUDLY and constantly. SO will usually start petting Niz or giving Niz attention when Niz's whining gets to him. Niz isn't exactly underexercised as well. He walks 2-3 miles a day, hikes 5-10 miles a week, and has an hour and half long agility class once a week. Sometimes he carries 5 lbs of groceries 1 mile home (if he's sulking about having to carry stuff, I'll carry most of them instead).

There are so many things I'd do differently from the get go if we got another dog... I know I screwed up so badly with Niz on many different levels. I focused purely on his dog reactivity and basic obedience and didn't even think about impulse control, work ethic, focus/motivation, and especially whining!!

 

[Patches Mom]

I think it is a phase they go though Buddy did it about that age maybe a gallon of Rescue Remedy for him and a gallon of wine for you ?

 

[Fitzmar Dobermans]

One place Harvard does not whine is in the car - you'd never know he is in there So if he could just live in a car, he'd be great - LOL!

 

[GingerGunlock]

Elka doesn't whine when we're out, but at home, oh God.

I've finally mostly gotten her to stop whining when I'm in the bathroom. She waits out in the kitchen doorway, in a down, and she gets a treat if I didn't hear her during that time. And that took 6 months.

 

[KenyaARaineCD]

...wouldn't he be trying to get to wherever the bitch in heat was?

Some young males who have ever been bred don't "know" what it is that's setting them off. They just know they're hankering for something.

Could just be a case of delayed-onset DoberTeens.

 

[MeadowCat]

Shanoa's very whiny, too. Some days are worse than others. For her, it's anxiety, though.

Any chance he's having some pain and is whining to let you know? A minor injury of some kind? Since it's new behavior it wouldn't hurt to check him over.

 

[PatchworkRobot]

Could just be a case of delayed-onset DoberTeens.

Oh doG no! Not the doberteens D: !

Any chance he's having some pain and is whining to let you know? A minor injury of some kind? Since it's new behavior it wouldn't hurt to check him over.

It could be. I run my hands over him a lot and he never responds as if he's in pain. Perhaps I'll take him to the bet just in case. Better safe than sorry.

I think it is a phase they go though Buddy did it about that age maybe a gallon of Rescue Remedy for him and a gallon of wine for you ?

Wine. Yes!

 

[ZeldaRules]

Prime is a Whinerman Pinscher as well. Suuuuch a baby!

 

[mangujowa]

Prime is a Whinerman Pinscher as well. Suuuuch a baby!

Must be a mark of a super cool Doberboy

 

[GrdnDelite]

Gracie whines, chuffs (blows air through her cheeks, both in and out, sometimes while vocalizing) and yodels. And sings. And sometimes she even barks!

But really only as her way of pointing out that, at that moment, the world is behaving as though it does not revolve around her. Which, of course, she is very certain it does.

We enjoy her vocalizing.

 

[Qoach]

he is going through what could be a long stage of trying to control his enviroment. put him in another room until he is quiet and then bring him out. He will realize that the whining is getting him the exact opposite of what he really wants.

many males go through this. he whines, you say no, he whines, he goes in the room. every time , no hesitation. good luck.

 

[Australdi]

yup. Welcome to dobie ownership ... get used to it :lol:

 

[eisel]

Man, Finn never whines. He is really quiet. Kinda cool actually.