Whining

[Bossman27]

This feels like a silly question but I'm curious if there are any tips out there on curbing whining. My pooch loves to whine excessively, especially when we are in the blind waiting for some ducks to come in. Whenever I try to get him to stop i get the feeling he doesn't know what I'm trying to get him to stop.

[DonF]

Excessive antiscipation. Squirt an Bodie are like that. Put them in the car to go to the post office and their sure we're going hunting. So all the way down and all the way back they stand on the passenger sweat with their feet on the dash and slobber all over the dash. One time Squirt filled up the built in tray on it all by himself. Don't know what to do about it. But when I kept them in the back they learned how to push the divider aside so they could come up front. Finall put Squirt in the back and Bodie in front while we worked with another guys dog and Squirt ate the headliner back there. Aren't dogs great!

[4dabirds]

Whining is a strategy the dog is using to get what he wants. If you are responding to the whining you are creating the problem. If the dog whines to get out of thee kennel and you let the dog out he learned that this is an effective strategy. The more you respond the more consistent repetition the dog is getting so the dog will keep on doing this. This vocalization is no different than barking or any other unwanted behavior that the dog will use as a strategy.When the dog whines notify the dog with a no and correct the dog.When I am helping others train there dogs this drives me crazy. I will drop what i am doing and go back to there vehicle and throw a bonker at the kennel every time the dog vocalizes . After a few consistent repetitions the dog will learn that the whining does not get them out of the kennel it just gets a correction. When you extinguish the behavior you have to be careful to never respond possitively to the whining or the behavior will come back. Dogs thrive on consistency so stick to your guns and the dog will learn to give this up as a strategy.

[birddogger]

In this case though, the whining is caused from, as Don said, anticipation. These dogs are just so driven that when you have them sitting still in a hunting scenario, they are ready to explode.

Charlie

[ezzy333]

In this case though, the whining is caused from, as Don said, anticipation. These dogs are just so driven that when you have them sitting still in a hunting scenario, they are ready to explode.

Charlie

Yep an I am sure sometimes the dog doesn't even know it is doing it. Just a display of excitement much like slobbering. I don't think a dog slobbering is a strategy to get out of the car or the crate. For a matter of fact I don't think a dog is capable of forming strategies since they are not thinkers but use their instincts and training in what they do and how they act. When a dog barks in the crate he may be telling you he isn't happy in there and not that he wants out. If you let him out then you are training it to bark to get out. Same with the whining. Just a normal type response to excitement or anticipation of what it has been trained to anticipate.

Ezzy

[Ruffshooter]

+1:
Seems to me like my GSP do it more than the Britts. But I do think it is both a desire thing, not controllable all the time for them and a communication thing. I have not found that I can keep it completely out of the duck blind, it is more like a under their breath kind of whine. Which is better than it used to be.

Also, I will be running for President too.

[birddog1968]

This always comes up in discussions in the Lab world and alot of folks believe its hereditary, breed whiners you get whiners....it surely is anticipation but its also how a dog deals with that anticipation. Ive seen super high drive labs that whined and others with same or more drive that did not whine....I believe there certainly is a hereditary component to it.

Fixing it is a tough proposition.....

[4dabirds]

Sounds like a lot of talk and no solutions. If you can create a mechanism to make the dog understand that quiet is a strategy you can train for it . This is very basic dog training nothing difficult about it. Clicker training is a way of dooming this but most people think it does not work those people put up with whining and barking.

[Ruffshooter]

Still a lot of talk and no solutions.
How about you let us in on the strategy for clicker training silence in the duck blind for hours. I am for sure interested.

The lab trainers have a way to do it as well. Perhaps one of them could chime in.

My way to keep the dog quiet is not what you would do I am sure. First, as they are pups they get nothing when excited or whining.(Of course one needs to be patient and consistent with this part, which I am not) the other way is make them lie down, me with attitude and giving a correction as needed. Don't know if this is the correct way and involves no clicker but. I do not put up with whining, on occasion it still comes through. Some dogs just don't seem to be able to help them selves.

[birddog1968]

Find you a couple whining labs on long island 4dabirds, im sure that's doable, then make a video fixing them with clicker training....lot of people would like to see that....

[adogslife]

Whinning is an obedience issue.
You need patience and a strategy to fix it.

[Chukar12]

Ritalin...

Methylphenidate is used as part of a treatment program to control symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; more difficulty focusing, controlling actions, and remaining still or quiet

Of course...short of that I believe it is a discipline issue as well. I do not believe that all issues in dogs anymore than all issues with humans can be eliminated with positive associations. They can be avoided early on...sometimes, and then at others it just comes down to the fur flying. For something actionable I would try the following two methods. First I would use a Huntsmith figure eight mouth control...see their website for information and secondly I would get a spray bottle with water and the second I heard a peep I would squirt in the face and say nothing. In the duck blind this will take approximately 1,367 repititions and it will stop...

Joe

[quackaddict]

My springer pup is a whiner...I've never had a dog that whined much, and they were fairly easy fixes. She will whine sometimes when she is just laying on her bed or on the couch. She isn't picking up on the fixes very well, but its getting a little better.

[4dabirds]

Is possible to get a dog to stop whining , although I don't know if it possible to get some of the people on gdf to stop.

[birddogger]

squirt in the face and say nothing. In the duck blind this will take approximately 1,367 repititions and it will stop...

That's pretty close.

Is possible to get a dog to stop whining , although I don't know if it possible to get some of the people on gdf to stop.

Really? I haven't noticed anybody whining, just stating the facts.

Charlie

[Chukar12]

I guarantee the dog whining would pale in comparison to my whining in the duck blind...

[birddog1968]

Dunno what you fellas think but in my mind there is a difference between a dog whining in the house ,car, or in its crate because it wants something, and a dog incessantly whining in a duck blind......

I like the squirt bottle idea, used that often, although for the amount of reps stated you may want to put gutters on the duck blind draining into 55 gallon drums to have enough water might want to forgo the squirt bottle and just repeatedly dunk said pooch until whining stops waterboarding works !!

Chukar12 I think your thong is too tight, removed from unmentionable area and your whining may cease


4dabirds- I was sincere in my post, please tell us how to fix whining with a clicker? and how many dogs you've known this to be successful on ?

[adogslife]

Let us know if the squirt bottle works.

[Ruffshooter]

4d I am waiting.

Really I am, I am sitting here waiting.

Well that does it, no patience, I want a beer, wife won't get it for me guess I will just wait for her to.

Chuck 12: You are right about the figure 8, I forgot about that one. My Ruby on the chaingain was whining, barking and such, we put the figure 8 onthere that I learned from Rick Flair, no it wasn't Rick Flair it was Rick Smith. It worked well while it was on and would keep her quiet for a while after taken off but would have to put it back on. However, we stopped the barking on the Chain gain with a nice jolt after half the day with the Figrue 8. That fixed for about twice as long as the Figure 8.

Anyway, I would like to hear other ways, including the clicker thing.

Rick

[birddogger]

As '68 pointed out, this whining is different than whining in the house, crate, etc. It may be possible to stop it but I think it will take some tough measures and I don't think any type of positive reinforcement will do it. You are fighting against all the built up tension and excitement in the dog and it is different than barking. Of course, as all of us know, a lot of it depends on the individual dog and with one dog, it may not be that hard to control and with another dog, it may be practically impossible without extreme measures. Note that I said controlling and not stopping. As always, this is JMO.

Charlie

[DogNewbie]

Chukar12 I think your thong is too tight, removed from unmentionable area and your whining may cease

haha he's really starting to regret reveling his secrets to the forum...

[Sharon]

clicker : You would condition the dog at home to know how to get a little dog cookie , using something he know like sits. No words. Dog sits, you click on that second ,and give a biscuit.

In the blind timing is everything. Dog is quiet , you click , give a biscuit.( Very important to click exactly when dog is obeying command. ( similiar to an e-collar.
Dog is not quiet , you ignore.
As the dog learns , the biscuit become after longer time periods of quiet so you can shoot some ducks.

PS When I was teaching mine to lie down , I made the mistake of clicking before she was all the way down. She thought that bowing got you a treat and does it to this day.

It is excellent for a behaviour/ movement that is complicated.