Why Does He Whine?

[lovemesideways]

So my Labrador Riddick is almost 7 months now (he's getting so big ) and I've noticed him doing this thing recently, and am wondering why. It has only been recently, in the past month or so.

He will be standing there, looking at another dog that is usually a few meters away, and he gives a deep whine.

Now he does this on lead and off lead. Neither time does he ever attempt to pull towards the dog, or run up to the dog. He never gets attention when he does it, except maybe me saying "ah!" once or twice. He also never gets to go towards the dog hes staring at when he whines.

It seems like a attention seeking thing, he wants to go an sniff the other dog. Or maybe just voicing his displeasure over not being allowed to go and greet the other dog? Even when off lead he isn't allowed to go and greet dogs without my ok. (At the off lead dog park or beach.) though this is a work in progress..

So why do you think he does it? Think it will be a behaviour that will eventually pass since it never achieves anything?

[luvsdogs]

I think you should try ignoring him totally while he does this, which is not eye contact, no touching & do not speak to him, it could all be attention in his mind.

[lovemesideways]

I think you should try ignoring him totally while he does this, which is not eye contact, no touching & do not speak to him, it could all be attention in his mind.

Yeah I've been wondering if even negative feedback it still attention in his mind.

[shmoo]

I think you should try ignoring him totally while he does this, which is not eye contact, no touching & do not speak to him, it could all be attention in his mind.

Yeah I've been wondering if even negative feedback it still attention in his mind.

Negative attention is attention.

Ignore the unwanted behaviour. See if it changes or extinguishes.

[lovemesideways]

I think you should try ignoring him totally while he does this, which is not eye contact, no touching & do not speak to him, it could all be attention in his mind.

Yeah I've been wondering if even negative feedback it still attention in his mind.

Negative attention is attention.

Ignore the unwanted behaviour. See if it changes or extinguishes.

When he's on lead, if he whines as another dog approaches us, to you reckon that just continuing the walk and not allowing him to sniff, that tug he might feel on his collar could count as attention?

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

He wants something.

If he gets something, he will probably do it more.

If he doesn't, he might stop.

Depends if you think it is a problem.

You could try giving him something else to do.

My dog barks a lot at dinner time. I give her other things to do and little yum treats for doing and she barks less, though I haven't specifically asked her to.

The quickest way to shut her up or get her to make much less noise - is to ask her to speak, because I reward the tiniest audible noise, and so that's all she makes when I ask/signal her "what you say?". No more loud barking. weird.