How to Stop Your Sheltie Whining

By Becky Turner

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Is your Sheltie whining?

Is your Sheltie whining whenever you leave her alone in the house? Do you have a new puppy who constantly whimpers when you put her in her crate?

Why do puppies whine anyway?

Or do you have an adult Sheltie dog that has learned to whimper for your attention all to often?

This free article contains important advice about your dog's whining and how to deal with it. Let's begin with why Sheltie's whine in the first place...

Why do Puppies Whine?

As puppies, whining comes naturally. They do it instinctively to get attention when they are hungry, tired, or cold. Their mom will react by providing them with milk, warmth and a safe place to sleep. As time goes by, the puppy makes an association between the two. This is known as Pavlovian conditioning; a specific behavior creates a specific response - ie the puppy deliberately whines for attention.

The ideal age to adopt a Sheltie puppy is at 8-10 weeks old. This is the time that your puppy will either learn that whining doesn't work with her new family - or that it does! In which case, she'll learn to use whining as a manipulative tool to motivate her new mommy to get what she needs. This can become a really bad habit her whole life, making you a slave to your pooch whether you realize it or not!

Fortunately, with puppies, you can nip Sheltie whining in the bud...

How to Stop Your Sheltie Whining: Puppy's First Night

Don't expect to get a blissful night's sleep the first night you bring your new puppy home. For her, it's a major lifestyle change - she's away from her mom and/or the rest of her litter for the first time ever. Everything is new and unfamiliar and she'll be looking for considerable reassurance from you. (Read: your Sheltie WILL whine!)

Howard on the bed at 9 weeks...

The first night we brought Howard home at 8 weeks, we encouraged him to sleep in a little box lined with pillows, right next to our bed. But not even this close proximity would curb his Sheltie whining - the only way he'd lay quietly was if we allowed him to curl up with us on the bed. Yeah... big mistake!

If you allow your puppy on the bed, you better get used to it! I think a lot of people who own small dog breeds put up with this. That's their choice. On the plus side, the warmth and comfort meant he didn't whine so much, so there was no night-time whining habit to kick - on this occasion.

...Howard on the bed at 15 months!

However, this isn't exactly a solution for everyone. In fact, dog experts generally recommend leaving your new Sheltie puppy alone on her first night. If you respond to her whining with positive attention (cooing, patting, sympathy, taking her out of the crate and cuddling her) she will become conditioned from day one. But if you don't want her on the bed and can't bear hearing her whine - what can you do?

You'll need to use your good judgment. Don't feel like you have to cold-bloodedly ignore her Sheltie whining. A really nervous puppy probably does need some attention to distract her from her scary new surroundings. The trick is to respond in a timely manner so that she doesn't feel like it's her whining that's got the result.

If you get the chance, wait until she stops whining, then initiate the contact. Pick her up and cuddle her and make her feel safe and comforted, just like her mom would. This will fulfil her need for attention without conditioning her to whine. Having said that, it's not always realistic to wait until she stops whining altogether - some puppies simply do not stop whining and will continue for hours on end.

If you suspect this the case, you don't have to prolong your Sheltie puppy's misery: just wait until she's stopped for even a few seconds, then seize your moment. It's not ideal, but under the circumstances, it's the best you can do for her.

Why do Adult Dogs Whine?

Got a whimpering adult Sheltie? Whining is not a natural form of communication between humans and dogs. Most dogs grow out of this behavior by about six months; if your dog is whining after this period, it means she's either doing it unconsciously, or she's learned that it's a useful motivatory tool to get her something that she wants or needs.

There are a variety of reasons for a Sheltie whining. Ask yourself:

• Is she in pain?
• Is she simply bored or lonely?
• Is she afraid or anxious?
• Does she need to go outside?

How to Stop Your Sheltie Whining: Solutions for Adult Dogs

Your response to her whining really depends on the cause of it. Sometimes whining is justified and does require a response - but other times, it's just plain manipulative. The following tips will help you identy the cause and the appropriate solution.

Cause #1 - My Sheltie's Whining Out of Pain!

Dogs may whine out of pain

If your Sheltie dog starts whining suddenly and then keeps it up steadily afterwards, she may be whining out of pain. This isn't just limited to older dogs: puppies and young dogs can be subjected to some pretty severe growing pains, so don't rule out this possibility on the basis of age.

If you think your dog may be in pain, check her over for obvious signs: is she holding any paws off the ground, or favoring one side of her body? Check her face and body for scratches and splinters. Next, you can palpate her limbs and joints for inflammation (like arthritis) and possible injuries. Be gentle. Run your hand down her tail to check for lumps and bumps, too.

If you think your Sheltie's whining out of pain but can't find any injury, take a trip to the vet so they can identify and treat it before it gets worse.

Cause #2 - My Sheltie's Whining Out of Boredom!

If your Sheltie is simply bored, you'll be able to tell because she'll wander around the house (probably following you around, or pacing about the room you're in) and whine aimlessly and without direction (like she's whining to herself).

The best cure for a dog that's whining out of boredom is a quick exercise: take her out for a brisk walk as soon as you can. In general, try to ramp up her daily exercise and dedicate more time to fun and games. A tired dog is almost never a bored dog.

For a Sheltie that's whining out of loneliness, you'll have to try your best to spend more quality time interacting with her. If you don't have a lot of spare time, make the time that you do spend together really count: play, groom, train and cuddle.

Cause #3 - My Sheltie's Whining Out of Fear!

Normally, it's fairly easy to tell when your Sheltie is whining out of fear. Look for a direct cause to her fear - like fireworks or a thunderstorm or any loud noises that are spooking her (even when you know she is perfectly safe).

Shelties can be fearful dogs

If she's anxious, it means there's no direct cause for her whining - she might be on edge simply because you're acting stressed out. Or perhaps there's been a change to her daily routine (did she get her morning walk?)

Don't attempt to punish or correct her for whining out of fear or anxiety - that will simply increase her stress and making the whining worse. Instead, simply ignore her. It's hard to do at first (in fact, it can feel like the least natural reaction in the world!) But it really is the best thing for you to do to undo her conditioning.

If you lend credence to your dog's mood with an excessive reaction - patting, sympathy, cooing - she won't be comforted; she'll actually be more worried, because you've just validated her fear. So don't pander to her, but instead, distract her with play, or run through a quick obedience routine.

Cause #4 - My Sheltie's Whining To Go Outside!

If your Sheltie's whining because she needs to go outside, first of all you should give yourself - and her - a big pat on the back! This is the sign of a well-trained dog. She needs to go badly enough to be whining about it, but she knows not to do it inside - and she's smart enough to try and let you know about it, too.

This one's easy: if she's standing near the door, or just has that look on her face, praise her and let her out. Job done!