How Can You Get A Puppy to Stop Whining

Is your puppy a big noisemaker? Sometimes our pooches can be very chatty! But if your puppy regularly whines and whimpers, it can be concerning!

So why might your pup be whining, and what can you do to stop them?

5 Tips to Stop Puppy Whining

1. See if your pup is lonely

If your puppy is new to your home, they may be missing their mommy, brothers and sisters, and feel lonely.

Try not to leave them alone too much when they first arrive in your home. Everything will be strange for them and you want your pup to be happy and comfortable! Young puppies especially, should not be left alone for long periods of time. If you must leave them alone, make sure they feel safe in their own area, with toys and food to keep them occupied.

To help your pup adapt, vary the length of time you leave them alone. Start with a short absence and build it up to the whole night. Make sure you reward your pup, with treats or praise, for longer periods without whining.

2. Check for illness

Frequent whimpering could mean that your puppy doesn’t feel well. If whining is accompanied by other symptoms, like loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy or if they are breathing quickly, you should get them checked out by your vet immediately.

3. Remove any stress

Stress can be indicated by a number of things, including whining. If your puppy is licking, biting or scratching an area of skin persistently, there could be a medical cause behind these signs. The continued discomfort can also lead your puppy to be stressed or anxious.

Try to distract your pooch and keep them calm when they are stressed, but if the symptoms persist, a visit to the vet is recommended.

4. Distract and tire out your pup

Puppies have an amazing amount of energy! But, having so much energy means they may become bored easily - and start to whimper. Make sure you set aside regular times for puppy play and distract your pet with food toys or puzzles. Try lots of training and play sessions too, to keep your pet’s brain stimulated and help them learn!

If you are both to get a good night’s sleep, it’s important you don’t allow your pup to take a nap before bedtime. Ensure you have lots of play and exercise before bedtime and once your puppy lies down in his crate or bed, he will soon fall asleep and not have the energy to whine or whimper!

5. Check for other causes

Although it may take a little while to settle your pup and help them feel at home, they might still continue to whine or whimper, so try to figure out if anything else may be upsetting them.

Maybe your pooch needs to go out, and whining is their way of letting you know! Puppies cannot hold on for very long (about an hour longer than their age in months), so bear in mind if they whimper in the night they may just want to go outside.

Never punish a puppy for any ‘accidents’ they may have indoors. Like human babies, they will have mishaps! Just clean it up thoroughly and continue potty training.

Create a Calm Environment to Stop Puppy Whining

If your puppy is stressed or unsettled, create a calm environment, and keep them occupied and focussed on something else, like a food toy. Soothing classical music can be used as a relaxing therapy for pets to relieve stress levels and help them to fall asleep.

ADAPTIL Junior can help to create a calm environment as it releases “comforting messages” like the ones sent by the mother dog after birth. These will naturally calm and reassure your new puppy just like when they were with their mother.  Consistency is key too, you should provide your puppy with clear instructions and routines that they can understand, learn and get used to!