It is a known fact that German Shepherds are herding dog breeds. This means that they were initially bred to herd, lead and protect livestock. This kind of work requires vocalization because they have to give a lot of signals.
German Shepherds are also very intelligent family dog breeds that use their voice to communicate their feelings and conditions to their owners.
Although whining is normal behavior for German Shepherds to express their feelings, it can also indicate underlying medical conditions that you might not have noticed.
Why does my German Shepherd whine? Read this article diligently to find the best answers to your question.
Why Does My German Shepherd Whine?
Your German Shepherd will whine because of so many reasons. Some of the common ones are;
- It is bored.
- It is excited.
- It wants something
- It wants attention
- It is feeling anxious
- It is sick, in pain, or injured
- It is scared
- It is stressed
- It is on heat
- It wants to alert you
- It is apologizing
- It is comforting you
- It is lonely
It Is Bored
German Shepherds require activities in the form of playtime or exercise more than many other dog breeds. If its needs for activity are not met, it becomes bored and might whine excessively until it gets involved exciting.
It Is Excited
German Shepherds tend to get very excited sometimes and whine to express their happiness. Instances where your German Shepherd might be too excited to contain its feelings and whine
joyfully, are when you come back home after a long period of being out and when you are taking it out for an exciting activity.
It Wants Something
If your German Shepherd wants something, it is normal behavior for it to make whining its way to communicate it to you. A German Shepherd may whine if it wants to go outside, it is hungry or wants treats, it wants toys or it needs to go potty.
It Wants Attention
German Shepherds are velcro breeds that love attention so much that they will do anything to make sure they get it. When your dog doesn’t get as much playtime and pampering as it wants, it might express itself by whining.
This happens mostly when you give it the attention it wants when it whines.
It Is Feeling Anxious
German Shepherds are high-anxiety dog breeds. They mostly suffer from noise, car, and separation anxiety. Their anxiety is usually accompanied by whining and other unusual behaviors like excessive panting, aggression, drooling, pacing, and excessive barking.
It Is Sick, In Pain, Or Injured
Whining behavior in German Shepherds can be an indication of a medical condition that brings pain or distress. If you sense that your German Shepherd is whining because it is sick or injured, make sure you take it to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
How To Stop A German Shepherd From Whining
It is with much pleasure that we let you know that there are different ways that you can stop or reduce your German Shepherd’s whining attitude. However, some of these methods are only specific to a cause.
Here are the top ways to stop your German Shepherd from whining;
- Identify the cause
- Training
- Play and exercise routine
- Visit the Veterinarian
- Provide it with treats
- Ignore it
- Do not encourage whining
- Comfort it
- Give it new toys
- Do not give in to its whining
- Give it calming supplements
Identify The Cause
The first step to putting a stop to a German Shepherd’s whining is to determine what is triggering it. This will make you easily pick the best method to adopt.
Is your German Shepherd whining because it is sick, bored, sick, or anxious? This will help you find out.
Training
This is the best and one-in-all method of curbing whining behavior in German Shepherds. A wide range of training techniques can be used to prevent a German Shepherd from whining excessively.
Play And Exercise Routine
When your German Shepherd has a consistent play and exercise routine, it won’t be bored and whine to ask for activity.
Visit The Veterinarian
If you observe that your German Shepherd is whining as a result of a visible or underlying sickness, it is advisable that you take it for medical treatment immediately to prevent the worsening of its condition.
Provide It With Treats
A very good way to encourage good behavior in a German Shepherd is by rewarding it with treats whenever it doesn’t exhibit any unpleasant characteristics.
Giving your German Shepherd treats when it is calm and not whining will make it realize that it gets rewarded for being on its best behavior and keeping up with it.
Ignore it
Giving your German Shepherd attention or treats whenever it whines to stop the behavior will only encourage it to continue as it is sure that it will be rewarded if it continues.
Ignoring your German Shepherd whenever it whines will make it realize that no matter how much it whines, it won’t get what it wants and it will have no other choice than to behave well. You can then reward it with treats or attention when it behaves well.
Why German Shepherds Whine: Conclusion
As a result of being vocal when communicating with their owners, it is normal for German Shepherds to whine. In fact, they whine more than many other dog breeds.
However, you are not meant to overlook your German Shepherd’s whining habits, especially when it is excessive, because it might be trying to express something that requires immediate intervention. It can also be annoying having to listen to a dog whining about everything.
Knowing the cause of your German Shepherd’s whining will help you determine what method to use to make it reduce or stop. This will require a close examination of the situation in which it whines and its body language whenever it exhibits this behavior.
