How To Stop a Dachshund Whining

New or experienced owners of dachshunds may discover that their dog has a whining problem. Whining is very common in dachshund puppies and is perfectly natural in newborn or very young pups. They whine to let mother dogs know they are hungry, fearful or in need of attention. This sets off a natural response in the mother.

Once old enough to be placed in new homes, this whining behavior may continue. Since whining is very hard to ignore, some owners may mistakenly train dachshunds to whine by responding every time the dog makes a noise. This only teaches the dog that such behavior is acceptable and is likely to result in increased whining. It is up to the owner to be head of the pack and keep whining under control.

Dachshunds often beg for food at the table and some owners consider this cute and give in to their dog’s demands. But what seems like cute behavior can turn into a daily annoyance. Also, when guests are present, they may find the habit to be offensive or bothersome.

Any behavior which encourages whining should be avoided at all costs. Dogs instinctively react to owners whose actions indicate they are in control. Dachshunds will also take advantage of owners who send mixed messages and aren’t firm about whining. So owners need to put themselves in the dachshund’s place and think about the messages being given to the animal.

The first step in getting a dachshund to stop whining is to be clear about why the dog is doing this. Is it a constant habit or does it only occur in certain situations? Common reasons why dachshunds whine are to get food from the table, to avoid being left alone or separated from family members (this may occur after the family leaves the house), and because it is afraid of loud noises from airplanes or thunderstorms.

The next step is to be clear that there are no medical issues. Although most dachshunds who whine while in pain will go on to yelp or howl, some won’t do more than whine in the beginning stages. So make sure that any medical problems aren’t to blame.

Finally, do not pay attention to a dog who is whining and, if possible, leave the room and wait for the noise to stop.  As soon as it does, reward the dachshund and the promptly leave the room again. Some feel that having a short play period reinforces the proper behavior but there is evidence that this encourages dachshunds to expect that the owner will always return as soon as the whining stops. The goal is not to reinforce expectations that as soon as the dog stops whining the owner will quickly return.

Give the dachshund puppy or dog plenty of attention when it is not whining. Plenty of play periods, walks and even visits to dog parks can help ensure that whining for attention may lessen or disappear completely. Also, a dog who is tired after a good day of activity may be happier and less likely to whine for attention.

Since dachshunds may often beg for food at the dinner table, remove the dog to another room or put it in a safe dog crate while eating. Any whining should be ignore, a task that may seem difficult, similar to ignoring a crying baby. Owners need to remind themselves that this type of whining does not mean their dog is in pain, danger or in need of medical attention or care.