Give Your Puppy Plenty Of Exercise
To stop your puppy from whining in the crate, dont underestimate the power of playtime.
Make sure your puppy is getting lots of exercise and attention outside of the crate, says Dr. Coates. If this is the case, chances are good that your pup will be ready for a nap when crated.
Schade suggests adding interactive or dog treat toys;to your puppys crate to help keep your puppy busy and reduce boredom. Give your dog a safe, hard, rubber busy toy stuffed with a little peanut butter or a few treats whenever you crate him, she says. With consistency, this delicious ritual might help your puppy get excited to go into the crate.
Pet parents can try a KONG puppy dog toy, but Schade recommends testing toys with your puppy prior to giving them to him to make sure he can’t rip pieces off.
Offer Your Puppy Another Option When They Begin Jumping On You For Attention
Jumping on other dogs might be fine for play, but its not safe when a large, powerful German Shepherd jumps on people!
When your dog tries to get your attention by jumping on you, its best to either ignore them or better give them another option that you DO want.
Think about what your puppy is trying to get when engaging in jumping and bad behavior to determine when to ignore them.
When your pup jumps on you when you come home, they probably want your attention. Withholding your attention when they are acting out shows them they need to act differently to get your approval .
Instead, offer them pets and praise when they have all 4 paws on the floor. You can also place them behind a puppy gate until they learn not to jump in order to avoid them scratching or nipping house guests when they arrive.
After you teach them their basic obedience, ask them for a competing behavior like a sit or down when they begin to jump. Always remember to reward the behavior you want to see again!
Ultimately, your puppy learns that good behavior earns your affection and attention more quickly. Your dog soon understands that they get nothing from you when they act badly.
Your German Shepherd Is Bored
The German Shepherd is a very energetic dog that needs to be played with and get plenty of exercise on a regular basis. A bored dog is surely going to whine because he isnt able to get his energy out, which can ultimately lead to disruptive behavior.
Solution: If your GSD is whining and becoming destructive, it may be a simple matter of not getting enough exercise and fun into his life. The best thing to do to help a German Shepherd in this situation is to provide them with enough exercise and playtime on a regular basis.
A German Shepherd should have a large enough space in the backyard to run around, but that doesnt mean he should be left to his own devices. Here are simple ways to bond with your pet :
- Take him for a walk or run
- Hop in and take your GSD for a swim
- Go on a dog park tour in your town or surrounding areas
- Play tug-of-war or other games
- A simple game of catch with a Frisbee or fetch with a ball
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How To Stop Appeasement Whining
As explained before, you need to increase your dogs self-confidence to stop appeasement whining.
There are many ways to increase your dogs self-confidence. Two of the most popular ways are enrolling your dog in a reward-based obedience class and playing fun, interactive games.
No matter which way that you choose, remember to never physically and verbally punish your dog.
Physical and verbal punishment only serve to decrease your dogs self-confidence and eventually increase his appeasement-whining.
Your German Shepherd Just Likes To Be Around You And Wants Attention
You might find your German Shepherds clinginess to be a bit annoying. But, how would you feel if we told you that your German Shepherd wont leave you alone purely because he loves you and craves your attention? After all, a German Shepherd cant have two masters and he has chosen you!
Well, why wouldnt he? Youre the one that feeds him, pets him, cuddles him, takes him for long walks, gets him his favorite toys, and spends hours a week playing with him!;
When German Shepherds feel that theyre not getting enough attention, they tend to do whatever it takes to;get that attention from you;as found in a recent study.
During this;study;of three dog breeds, researchers found German Shepherds as one of the breeds to have become needier during a feeding experiment. They displayed high levels of human-gazing defined as where a dog looks to its owner for encouragement, comfort, and support, which is connected with dependency and clinginess.
You might find it a little extreme that your German Shepherd wont even give you a few minutes alone, but hes not necessarily doing it to be annoying. He just wants to spend more time with you as thats just his nature.
Tip! Never let your German Shepherd sleep on your bed with you, as this may encourage even more clingy behavior! Heres my thought-proving article on whether you should let your German Shepherd sleep with you.
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Use Desensitization And Counterconditioning
Certain things trigger your dogs separation anxiety.
For example, putting on your shoes and grabbing your bag means youre about to leave.
You can use this to slowly desensitize your dog to these actions. The goal is to make these actions irrelevant.
Heres a suggestion:
Put on your shoes, grab your bag, then go sit on the couch. Do this a few times.
Counterconditioning, on the other hand, also works wonders. Its showing your dog that positive things happen when you do the actions.
Try putting on your shoes, then give your dog a tasty treat. Immediately leave for a few seconds.
Repeat a few times. Then lengthen the time that youre gone.
German Shepherd Barking At Night Heres Why
When your dog starts tobark loudly at night, it can cause a lot of problems. Everyone in your homestarts to struggle with sleeping well. And if the barking is loud enough, yourneighbors may start to get annoyed as well. Learning what causes your dog to bark,and how to prevent these late-night outbursts, will help make everyone a littlehappier.
When your German Shepherd barks at night, there are manyreasons. They may have separation anxiety, feeling lonely, or they hearsomething outside the window. Moving your dog to a new room, giving them plentyof exercises to wear them out, and setting up a routine can make the barkingstop.
This article willexplore a few of the most common reasons your dog is barking in the first placebefore we start looking at a few of the steps you can take to prevent barkingat night.
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Things That Will Never Get German Shepherd Barking Under Control
Punishing your dog by hitting, kicking or a raised hand in the ready to smack’ position. This will scare your dog and cause mistrust.
And in the case of attention-seeking barking, it will only reinforce the behavior.
Shouting at your dog will make him think you’re joining in with the barking. Shouting will not make your dog stop barking.
In most cases, your dog will turn a deaf ear and continue barking.
Using a bark collar. This will cause your dog considerable pain and discomfort. It is not a proven method to stop barking.
It will also cause negative feelings in your dog. These feelings can be associated with a person or animal present when the shock is applied. This equals aggression.
They Are Feeling Anxious
Have you moved to a new city? Have you introduced a new family member? Or have storms been tormenting your place all day? These things can cause stress and anxiety to your pooch, so he may start whining as a coping mechanism. German Shepherds are sensitive dogs and can react to a lot of stimuli. Thus, they tend to whine when something is making them uneasy and anxious.
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German Shepherds Are Sensitive Working Dogs
The German Shepherd dog breed is a true working dog breed.
While today there are two distinct German Shepherd breeding lines the show line and the working line the original GSDs were working the dog through and through.
And in fact, as Wildhaus Kennels points out, there are actually three distinct breed lines today: the American show line, the German show line, and the European working line.
There are also several sub-sections of each of these three major umbrella breed lines. But if you trace your dogs lineage back far enough, you are likely to run into a pair of working dog ancestors, which means work ethic runs through your dogs veins.
And working dogs will develop personality and temperament traits that are very specific to the type of jobs they are bred to perform.
German Shepherds have always been bred to perform people-centric work. Here are just some of the many jobs German Shepherds are in high demand to perform:
- Guarding and protection.
- Search and rescue and nose work.
- Hunting and tracking.
- Canine athletics such as agility and dock diving.
In each one of these job descriptions, you can visualize two partners: a human partner paired with a canine partner.
Any working dog breed that has been developed and bred specifically to work closely with a human partner is going to be intelligent, perceptive, and extremely sensitive. German Shepherds fit this description perfectly.
Finally They Are Asking For An Apology
Dogs can do bad things, like trashing the house or chewing the sofa. Oftentimes, a scolding is an appropriate response. German Shepherds, like many dogs, know when their owners are angry. Thats why they whine to their owners. Whining is a sign of submission. Its their way of saying sorry. Whether dogs feel guilt or shame is still up for debate, but surely, they dont want their owners to be angry forever.
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They Were Bred That Way
German Shepherds belong to a herding group of dogs. They were bred to help farmers herd sheep and animals.
These dogs are also famous for being protective of their owners.
These are the reasons why German Shepherds always look to you for guidance. They follow you around, ready to do your bidding.
So dont be surprised to have them on your heels wherever you go. After all, how can they protect you if youre not together all the time?
Howling In Response To A Sound
You may have found that your GSD often howls in response to another sound. While it is amusing to watch and listen to, you dog isnt doing this just to be cute.
You know how it goes with German Shepherds they will begin with their famous head tilt, followed by that look in their eyes, you will then notice their lips began to quiver a bit and you know whats coming next!
While you do is indeed enjoying himself, there are actually reasons why your dog will howl. Lets take a look at a few below.
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Keeping Your Pup From Nipping And Chewing
Puppies have sharp teeth, especially German Shepherd puppies!
Puppies are energetic and must learn their limits for playing too rough . When your dog nips you, say ouch immediately and do your normal noise when something hurts.
Dont immediately jerk your hand back or punish your puppy physically.
Puppies view you jerking your hand back quickly as part of a game and could also tear your skin. And physical punishment should never be given!
Increase Their Daily Activities And Exercises
German Shepherds require a lot of mental stimulation throughout the day. This stimulation allows the dog to deplete all its pent up energy. By increasing the number of activities or exercise, the German Shepherd burns up its energy and whines less frequently. It also gives room for the dog to enjoy a myriad of activities that keep it busy and occupied.;
This can be achieved by giving the dog multiple walks throughout the day. Also, you can dress the dog in a weighted vest when going out for walks so that it burns up energy faster, but seek prior consultation from a veterinarian.
If this does not work, consider taking some time out in the evening to play with the dog and give it the much-needed attention.
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They Are Scared Of You
Dogs commit mistakes. Its normal.;
You may have experienced coming home to a dug-up yard. Or a broken vase.;
Now, who did this?, you said loudly.
You try to look for your dog everywhere. And then you heard a small, almost crying sound.;
Found you!, you exclaimed.
Dogs whine because they are scared of your reaction for something they have done wrong.;
Your German Shepherd Has Separation Anxiety
So, youve had your German Shepherd since he was only a few months old. You spend every single day with him. Youve trained him, fed him, took him for walks, and played with him.
Over the months and years, your German Shepherd started to build an unhealthy attachment to you. Since hes entirely dependent on you and doesnt spend all that much time away from you, he gets incredibly nervous when you leave and this usually occurs within the first 30 minutes.
This is known as and can be the result of real stress in your dog. Unfortunately, the German Shepherd is known as one of the breeds most likely to suffer from this condition.
So, whats the difference between a clingy GSD and one suffering from separation anxiety? Although these are very similar, clingy dogs want to be around you when youre at home whereas a German Shepherd with separation anxiety really panics when youre not around.
Not much is known about why dogs develop separation anxiety. However, here are some of the reasons believed to cause it:
- A major change in the dogs routine, e.g. moving house
- He may have been abandoned in the past or mistreated
- He suffers from his own stress and anxiety
- He really just doesnt like to be away from you
Your German Shepherd might be so clingy because hes afraid youll leave him and never come back!
Once he is alone he may display disruptive behavior such as chewing on your wooden furniture. These are all signs that your dog is suffering from real stress.
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Why Do German Shepherds Whine So Much
Dog Breeds List » Dog Breeds » Why do German Shepherds Whine so Much?
Why do German Shepherds whine? If you have noticed that your GSD has been incessantly whining lately, it can not only be annoying but concerning as well. A pet owner knows that whines are likely related to something going on with their dog, but its hard to pinpoint the exact reason behind it.
So, why do German Shepherds whine? There are 4 major reasons why your German Shepherd could be whining:
Being able to tell the different types of whines and how to help is key to stop your German Shepherd from whining. Were going to discuss the 4 major reasons why a German Shepherd might whine, and what you can do to solve the situation quickly.
The Most Critical Age To Learn Socialization
Socialization lesson must begin from the very first day your puppy arrives in front of your door.
According to research, the best time to socialize puppies is from birth to 16 weeks of age.
Why? Because during this period, a puppys mind works like a sponge for learning things. He will absorb and remember everything that you show him.
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They Are Bonded To You
German Shepherds follow the person they choose to latch onto.
However, it doesnt mean that they dont love the rest of the family. Its just that they gravitate to the person who is leader material.
This person is usually the one who feeds them, plays with them and spends the most time with them.
In turn, German Shepherds focus on this person. Kind of like their shepherd.
Are you the shepherd to your dog?
Then youve just become their favorite human. They like you so much that they follow you everywhere.
This is exactly the case of this one dog owner. She had shared her own experience on a forum.
She said that her dog sleeps on her own bed on the floor. But only if she could see her human.
And if she couldnt see her humans face, she would scoot closer to the bed.
She also waits for her outside the bathroom door. And if the owner disappears from her sight, she would immediately look for her.
Note:;This is proof that domesticated dogs became bonded with their humans. This is similar to the bond between a human parent and their child.
Why Does My German Shepherd Puppy Whine So Much
So, why does my German Shepherd whine a lot? Common reasons include illness or injury, boredom, stress, fear, excitement and inadvertently reinforcing the behavior. There are actually a number of reasons why your German Shepherd might whine a lot and there are a number of things that you can do about it.
Why is my German Shepherd whining? The German Shepherd whines because it has an overwhelming need to protect the pack member, but it cannot do so in their absence. Whining for a reward. Your German Shepherd whines when it associates the behavior with a reward. For many people, the only way to make your dog stop whining is by giving it what it wants.
Why does my Shepherd make a whining noise? This could be because of the sound of the engine or the smells coming out of the truck. It is also possible that your German Shepherd is vocalizing because he is bored. As mentioned, German Shepherds are active dogs so if you dont provide your dog enough exercise, he will make all sorts of sounds including groaning and sighing.
Why do dogs whine? Dogs whine to show you what they feel the most at the moment. These are some of the most common reasons why do dogs whines: To get attention. Feeling stress. Has low self-confidence. Feeling pain or sick. 1. Attention-Seeking Whining Being a social animal, dogs love to gain as much attention as they can from their dog owners.
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