Behavior Problems

Re: Whining

Ebo — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:15:15 GMT

Thanks for the advice. I'm the co-owner with mrpip_pal.

Re: Whining

mudpuppy — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:52:44 GMT

And don't forget mental needs- just being in the yard all the time with nothing to do has got to be incredibly boring. Walks meet mental needs more than physical needs for large dogs. To actually exercise a large dog you're going to have to get them moving a lot faster than a walk.

Re: Whining

glenmar — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:34:13 GMT

I live out in the boonies and certain times of the year, have to transport my dogs into town to go for walks. So, I do understand that sometimes it's just hard to get them out for a good walk. I also don't really think that my german shepherds can possibly have their exercise needs met by my brisk walks.

What I do on a couple times daily basis is go outside and have a good long game of fetch to really tire them out. You can do this is a fenced yard, just be sure they are getting some good running in.

Re: Whining

espencer — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:54:41 GMT

mrpip_pal:
we don't walk them as frequently as I know we should - probably 3 times a week or so.

No wonder why, you are not even close to fulfill the exercise needs a dog like that is require to do, you need to walk your dog AT LEAST 40 minutes EVERY DAY

Maybe your dog is even begging you to go out for a walk, not just to be out at the backyard

Re: Whining

cakana — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:04:39 GMT

I just wanted to say that my lab does the same thing. She runs to the door to go out, then whines to come back in. Sometimes, she just sits and stares outside and whines. If we're eating, she whines too and we have never once fed her a table scrap (she has food allergies, so it makes it easy to be firm with this). She doesn't even necessarily look at us, just stares off somewhere and whines a little and then puts her head down and goes to sleep. Beats me what it's all about and we've made it a rule to always ignore it, but it is annoying and confusing sometimes

Re: Whining

Cita — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:02:08 GMT

Yeah, you should really try to step it up a bit. They sound like big dogs who need a lot of exercise - if I were you, I'd aim for 1 hour of walking or at the very least 30 minutes of very brisk walking every day, then see if that helps. My dog is bred to be a lapdog and weighs all of 8 pounds at his fattest, but if I don't take him for a walk for 2 days, he's bouncing off the walls and whining at everything.

It can get frustrating, but then I think about it - if I were locked up in a house without the ability to use a computer, read a book, watch TV, or play with friends, I'd probably be pretty stir crazy too!

Edit: labs in particular are notorious for being really high energy and requiring a lot of exercise, particularly as puppies. Maybe some rousing games of fetch in the yard or something might help?

Re: Whining

mrpip_pal — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:14:59 GMT

Even if I go outside with them, they'll whine. It might be excitement - we don't walk them as frequently as I know we should - probably 3 times a week or so.

Re: Whining

Cita — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:10:17 GMT

What about if you go outside with them? Are they getting enough exercise, is it possible they're just bored or over-excited by being outside?

Re: Whining

mrpip_pal — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:10:56 GMT

But the thing is, they whine and scratch the door and can't wait to get outside, and literally in seconds of getting outside, he starts his high pitch whine.

Re: Whining

spiritdogs — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:29:13 GMT

I agree. Dogs don't like isolation, and they howl, whine or bark to try to get the pack together. This is natural behavior that you are unlikely to be able to stop under these circumstances, without using something aversive.

Re: Whining

Cita — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 16:54:49 GMT

My dog whines when he's outside by himself. It's because he doesn't like being outside, he wants to be near the people, and he's sad/stressed being left by himself. He runs around, too, but I think in part it's because he's looking for a way indoors or trying to find me. So my solution? I don't leave him outside by himself anymore. :)

Whining

mrpip_pal — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 15:52:03 GMT

We have 2 lab/chow mixes from the same litter - one who is more lab than chow and the other who is more how than lab. They are about a year and a half old. We mostly keep them outside, but bring them in at night. We've been having a problem where the mostly lab whines all the time where he's outside. It's not that he's in any duress or sad - he's happiliy running around in the yard - he just whines.

This has become a problem becasue it disturbs our neighbors next door.

Any ideas as to why he might be whining or what we could do to stop it?