How To Stop A Cocker Spaniel Whining
You probably thought that you were all prepared for bringing home your new Cocker Spaniel. You have thought about all of the fun things that you want to teach him and you have probably already decided how potty training is going to go. Even though you have probably thought a lot of things through, there is a very good chance that there are a few key issues missing. You may be surprised to find out that your dog whines when it does not get its way or when it wants your attention. Dealing with a dogs whining can be a little frustrating if you are not sure of what steps you need to take.
When you know exactly how to handle the situation, dealing with all of the whining will not be all that bad. Of course, how you deal with the whining will be dependant on what the cause is. If you feel that your dog is whining because he is in pain, there is no training that will help the situation. You need to get your dog to a vet right away. The problem could be small or it could be large. The thing is though, you simply will not know until you have a vet check your dog over. The sooner you seek medical treatment for your pet, the easier and cheaper it will be to get him healed.
Some Cocker Spaniels will whine just to grab attention. Maybe you are busy tending to the children or washing the dishes. Maybe you are on the computer or you might even be in the middle of taking a shower. Either way, if your dog feels that he needs consistent attention from you, he may whine non-stop until he gets your way, which would be you stopping what you are doing in order to give him attention.
The best way to stop this behavioral problem would be to simply ignore your dog while he whines. Wait until he is done whining and that is when you can give him attention. He may go back to whining after you walk away, but continue to ignore him. When he stops the whining, reward him with positive attention. Eventually he will get that the whining does no good and that the only way to really get your attention is through being nice and quiet.
If you are out of the house a lot and you are not spending a lot of one on one time with your Cocker Spaniel, you may want to address that. You will want to make sure that you are setting aside at least a good twenty to thirty minutes a day for your dog. Play fetch, roll around together on the carpet or give him a nice massage. Anything that you can do in order to spend time with your pet will allow him to feel a little more loved and he may not feel the urge to whine so much.