# Crying/Whining



## flynnandlunasmom (May 28, 2012)

Ever since Luna turned one (and had her first heat) she took up whining/crying. Back then, I assumed it was because she was uncomfortable, hormonal and bored without off-leash exercise etc. 

Well, that time has passed but she still whines now (she's now 14 months). She does it when she wants us to play with her. She's pick her toy up, bring it over to one of us and plop it down, and then whines/cries until we throw it for her. I don't want to encourage the behavior but it's hard not to just pick the darn thing up and throw it for her, repeatedly - to stop the whining. It usually happens late at night when she's bored and wants more exercise/attention - even after she's had tons of exercise and attention and lots of rough-playing with Flynn. It's just NEVER enough for her. 

I try to give her something good to chew instead but it only works for a short while. Then, she's back to whining for me to throw her toy for her. She will sometimes just play with it by herself but that gets old fast and she wants us to play with her. 

Does anyone have any tips for stopping the whining? I hate to hear it but I know I shouldn't spoil her and give in when she does it.


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## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

flynnandlunasmom said:


> I try to give her something good to chew instead but it only works for a short while. Then, she's back to whining for me to throw her toy for her. She will sometimes just play with it by herself but that gets old fast and she wants us to play with her.


Bingo! She is getting things she wants from the whining so she that is why she is doing it. Absolute ignoring will take some time but once locked in she won't whine anymore.


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## jjohnson (Nov 9, 2011)

If you find the answer to this problem please let me know! We have the exact same problem, and it is getting worse as he gets older (14 months old now.)

One thing we have done to combat whining during dinner, is we send him to his crate. For some reason he is quiet in there, and loves to go in it. He just lays in there with the door open, knowing he will probably get a treat when he comes out. It works sometimes when he is just being too obnoxious; I say "go to your crate!" and he'll go lay quietly in there until I tell him to come out. It doesn't really solve the problem, but I think it gives him something to do and shuts him up for a little bit!


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## Lincolns Parents (Aug 6, 2011)

You could try a squirt bottle. When she whines squirt and say NO. It nipped it for us. Just a thought.


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## adrino (Mar 31, 2012)

Hm...

Don't give in to Luna! Cheeky little bugger.  She learnt it if she whines she gets what she wants. 
Did you try to walk out of the room? Leave her where she is? 
I agree with born36, you must ignore her. She will learn that if she whines the fun ends by you walking out or she can carry on whining but nothing will happen.


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## kristen (Oct 18, 2011)

A V whining? Never... 
http://youtu.be/HoFUPle7Oj4
That was last night when we wouldn't give him a marshmallow... (I had cereal and marshmallows as a snack, left to go to the kitchen and he wanted them)
He just turned one, and has started barking or whining when he wants something. It's incredibly aggravating. We just don't give in, and hopefully he'll knock it off...soon...


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## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

I just played the video of Odin and it set my guy into a whining barking fit  

Cash is 10 months old and he's always been a talker, but lately he's stepped up his game and will "talk" and bark at me if he wants something or is mad about something. I wonder if this is a phase or a forever thing? The talking doesn't bother me, I actually think it's cute, but the barking gets annoying because he has a very loud bark.


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

I think that as a general rule, Vizslas are pretty quiet. Willie rarely barks. Only does it once in a great while, and only then if he has a darn good reason!

I watched the Odin video (and a few of his others, too). Kristen, Odin is just being a teenager, and seeing how far he can go. Odin is just precious!!


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

I think walking into the other room is a good idea, but probably an even better one is to teach a replacement behavior. 

So..... maybe, you decide you want Luna to lay on her doggy bed/blanket late at night instead of repeated play. The best thing to do is to start teaching it before she whines, but if she already whines, I would make the "no" noise (without looking at her), lead her over to the blanket/bed (without looking at her), when she touches the blanket/goes on it, look at her and say good girl. If she stays on it a second later, give a treat, 3 seconds, another treat. As soon as possible stretch out the treats so that every few minutes you treat and then every ten, and then just intermittently. Before you know it, she gets in the habit of relaxing on a blanket at night. Walah! We just kept a bowl of boiled chicken next to us. The blanket was at our feet, so at first every __ seconds and then minutes, we reached down and gave a treat. The dogs soon learn the blanket is a VERY good place to be. 

It could be another replacement behavior too. I think ignoring will work, but it will take longer. Also, cleaning up the toys at a certain time and bringing her over to the blanket could be a good signal that quiet time begins. just ideas.


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## flynnandlunasmom (May 28, 2012)

Thanks everyone, We've been ignoring the past 2 nights and she's gotten much better - though not over it completely by any means. 

I'm observing more and learned that she doesn't just whine when she wants us to play with her. She also whines when she decides she doesn't want her bully stick anymore and wants Flynn to trade with her. She sits in front of him and whines. Sometimes he gives in. Or, when she wants her favorite toy and we have hidden it behind the sofa and she knows it's there (it's a squeaky snake and the noise is unbearable sometimes). 

Good ideas "love to laugh". We do pick up the toys when it's later at night but she has figured out how to climb into her toy bin and take them out herself. Of course, we probably should have stopped her from doing so but we thought it was funny/cute/smart of her so we let her do it. Now we're paying the price. I will also try the treating on the beds. We do keep beds for them on the floor in the TV room so that will work. 

Kristen, I watched the video of Odin. Hysterical. He's definitely louder than Luna! She doesn't bark (unless she hears a noise outside and it's a warning bark). Her whine is much quieter, but no less annoying. It's high pitched and kind of like a baby whining. I should video it.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

June is my talker and would be a big time whiner if I let her. I taught her to speak on command. Then taught her to do it softly where it sounds like ro roo rooo. mimicking I love you when she hears it. Training her to do it was easy. The tough part was her wanting to play the game all day long.
She would come sit in front of me and do ro roo rooo and then go to the kitchen for her treat. Bark when it didn't get the response she wanted. Then come back to me and do it again. I would ether ignore her or give her a different command. It took her sometime but she figured out that she can't demand treats.
She will try to do the same as Luna on playing fetch. She has learned who in the family will give in to her, and who won't. These sweet red dogs are smart and will try to train their owners any time they can.


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