How to Stop Your Doberman’s Whining
A problem that many Doberman owners share is their frustration and annoyance with excessive whining. Owners often think this trait is cute when they first bring their puppy home. They soon find out that it’s not that cute when their adult Doberman continues to moan. In some cases the relationship between the owner and his dog can become stressful.
Most reach a stage where they will try anything to stop their dog’s constant whining. The good news is that you can train your dog not to complain. The bad news is that if you’ve waited until your dog is older and the habit is ingrained, it will take a lot of time and patience to break this habit you helped foster.
Why did Dobermans come?
There are three basic causes of Doberman whining. Your dog is sick or in pain and whining is his way of telling you that he is in pain. He is bored and needs physical and mental stimulation. You have taught him by your actions that whining will get your attention, and he uses this whining to manipulate you into doing what he wants.
Behavior change
The first step in changing your Doberman’s behavior is to find out why he is complaining. The first thing you should do is visit the vet for a complete examination and rule out any health problems. Once he has a clean bill of health, you need to decide if he lacks physical and mental stimulation or if his whining is to get your undivided attention or both.
Physical and Mental Stimulation
Dobermans are larger dogs and need a lot of physical exercise so they don’t get bored. They may require as much as an hour of play time two or three times a day, as well as some walks. A well-exercised dog should be a little tired, calm, and well housed. Dobermans, being intelligent dogs, also need a lot of mental stimulation to keep them from getting bored.
Obedience and other types of training, done on a daily basis, will help give him the mental stimulation he needs. You can also include puzzle balls among his toys and teach him some simple tricks. This should help reduce his whining.
Change manipulative behavior
If your Doberman is whining to manipulate you into paying attention, you may have taught him that whining gets your attention. You will have to teach him that whining will not get him the attention he is looking for. You and everyone in your household will have to ignore him when he complains, unless he is doing it out of need to relieve himself.
When he complains, ignore him and leave the room. Don’t look at him or talk to him until he stops whining, no matter how long it takes. The moment he stops whining, pet him. Tell him what a nice guy he is and take a couple of minutes to get his attention. Do this consistently, and he’ll soon learn that whining won’t get your attention.