Why Doesnt My German Shepherd Bark
If your German Shepherd doesnt bark and youve had them from puppyhood, it could just be because they are naturally quiet. Different dogs have different personalities, and even if your dog is a typically excitable or noisy breed, they could just be naturally shy or reserved.
Alternatively, if your German Shepherd is a rescue dog, it could be related to something in their past. Some rescue dogs dont make much noise because, in their previous life, they were punished for doing so.
Why Is My Puppy Whining For No Reason
1. He Needs/Wants Something. The most obvious reason your dog may be whining is that he needs or wants something from you, like food, water, or a walk. Additionally, if your dog is whining for another walk after you just took him out, this could indicate a bladder problem or a digestive problem.
Common German Shepherd Behavioral Problems And Personality Traits
Over the years working as a dog trainer, Ive probably worked with as many German shepherd dogs as any other breed.
Most often, they are an incredibly loyal breed, are devoted to their owners, and have really sweet and fun personalities. And so, to those of you who love the breed and wouldnt consider anything but a German shepherd in the future, I understand!
Yet, some people are terrified of them and feel they are dangerous dogs to own.
To those of you that are wary of German shepherds, I understand where you are coming from, too! First off, they are very large dogs and can come off very intimidating.
Second, their instinct to protect their family or property is strong and can lead untrained German shepherds to becoming very protective, aggressive, and scary dogs.
The keyword here is untrained, as any untrained dogregardless of breedcan have the same problems.
Over the last decade I really feel like Ive come to understand German shepherds and have personally fallen in love with this breed. Ive also realized that theyre so misunderstood due to poorly trained German shepherds often ending up in the news and how they are portrayed on TV and in the media.
For this reason, I wanted to write todays post in hopes that, if you are someone who fears this breed, are looking for help and direction with your dog, or you know someone who is wary of German shepherds, then this honest truth about this lovely breed might change your mind.
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Why Are German Shepherds So Vocal
This brings us to one of the reasons why your German Shepherd is very vocal he smells people and animals from afar and barks to warn you and to keep them off. His loud voice is his weapon and it works very well to keep away intruders. It is also possible that your German Shepherd is vocalizing because he is bored.
Create A Special Place
If your German Shepherd is so clingy that hes the type to follow you all around the house constantly, you can use your German Shepherds bed, a mat, or crate as his special place.
You do this by training him to go there for a while by using positive reinforcement. Ensure you add either a special treat or his favorite toy as an incentive to make him stay there.
Stuffed KONG toys such as the KONG Classic from Amazon are ideal for this as they will provide your German Shepherd with tons of both healthy mental and physical stimulation that will keep him busy for ages. You can stuff them with kibble, treats, or even peanut butter .
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Why Your German Shepherd Whines A Lot
Each of the different reasons why your German Shepherd whines a lot will likely come with a number of clues in the way that it does it.
Below, I will mention a number of reasons why your German Shepherd might whine a lot and the clues to look for.
It is ill or injured
The reason why your German Shepherd whines a lot could be that it is ill or injured.
This would be more likely if it only started to whine recently and if something recently happened that might have caused it to become ill or injured. For example, it might recently have eaten something it shouldnt have or gotten hit by something.
If you think that it might be whining due to being ill or injured then the best option for you would be to take it to a vet.
Boredom
Another reason that it tends to whine could be that it is bored.
This would be more likely if it tends to whine more when it is not doing anything and if it tends to whine at around the time that it usually gets to do something.
German Shepherds are meant to be very active dogs and it is generally recommended that they get at least an hour of exercise per day. If your German Shepherd is not getting an hour of exercise per day then making sure that it does would likely be a good start.
It wants attention
It could be the case that it whines a lot because it wants to get attention from you.
It wants something
If this is the case then it would be more likely that it would only whine in specific situations where it would normally get something.
Stress
Fear
Theyre Always Happy To See You
Most dogs youve formed a bond with will show excitement when seeing you after a while of being apart. German Shepherds are especially known for this.
They may jump up at you, lick your face, and run around aimlessly at your presence. They may even whine from their inability to contain their excitement. No matter the temperament of your GSD, theyll surely have their own way of telling you how happy they are to see you, even if youve only been away for a few minutes.
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Its Excited To See You
Whenever you first get home, your German Shepherd is likely to whine because it is excited to see you. Simply view this whine as an enthusiastic greeting and give the dog tons of attention since it is just excited to see its best friend.
Clues To Look For:
- You havent seen the dog in a while
- Other excited body language
What To Do About It:
- Return the dogs affection and excitement
You dont have to worry about teaching your German Shepherd bad habits by letting it whine when you first come home. This is just a natural response that shows your dog is excited to see you. Pet your dog and give it all the attention it deserves.
By Step Training Process
This training helps focus a German Shepherds attention on you and away from distractions. It is also a great way to control your GSD when you are outside for a walk or at the dog park.
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Your Dog Age Can Also Be A Factor
If yur Germn Sheherd is still uy, it is likely tht he will strt t ry less s he gets lder. Hwever, it wuld be helful t ignre him when he ries t night unless yu think he needs t g t the bthrm.
If yur Germn Sheherd is lder, it wuld be helful t nsider the tw things belw. Hwever, it my be tht he ries t night beuse he is sik, s it my be helful fr yu t shw him t the vet, eseilly if he is shwing ther signs f illness.
Why Your German Shepherd Puppy Cries So Much
Each of the different reasons that your German Shepherd puppy cries so much will likely come with a number of clues.
Below, Ill mention a number of reasons why your German Shepherd puppy might be doing it and the signs to look for.
Illness
The reason that your German Shepherd puppy has been crying a lot could be that it is ill or injured.
This would be more likely if it has started to cry a lot suddenly and it didnt use to cry so much in the past. It would also be more likely if something recently happened that might have caused it to become ill or injured.
If you think that illness or injury might be the cause then the best option for you would be to take it to a vet.
Fear
The reason that your German Shepherd puppy has been crying a lot could be that it gets frightened. This would be more likely if it only seems to be crying when things happen that might frighten it. Examples could be when a bigger dog comes near it, when someone it doesnt know enters the room or when there are loud noises outside.
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It wants attention
It could be the case that your German Shepherd puppy cries a lot because it wants to get attention from you.
This would be more likely if it only seems to start crying when you have not given it much attention for a while and it doesnt cry when you are giving it attention.
Its hungry
Boredom
Another reason that it cries a lot could be that it is bored.
Excitement
Examples could be:
Nature
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Why Do German Shepherds Cry A Lot
German Shepherds cry because they feel uncomfortable about a certain situation, whether it be pain, separation anxiety, or hunger. When they feel uncomfortable, their natural reaction can be to cry. They can also cry when they find or discover something they think is important and needs your attention.
Reasons German Shepherds Cry So Much 2021
German Shepherd undergoes many unusual behaviors. These behaviors may cause trouble for the owners. Crying is also one of those behaviors. But the question is why do German shepherds cry so much:
Why do German shepherds cry so much? The German Shepherd cries because of the discomfort due to several reasons, like isolation for a long time, disease, fear, new surroundings, attention-seeking, hunger, boredom, excitement, nature, stress, unusual happenings, starvation, and pain.
This is a thing to get worried about. This should be taken into consideration by the dog owners. It can lead to serious physical and psychological disorders.
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How To Stop Your German Shepherd Whining
Fortunately, there are LOADS of different things you can do to help your german shepherd stop whining. But, you do need to remember that some of these methods will only work for some problems.
Here are the best ways to get your german shepherd to stop whining.
Give Them More Exercise
This is one of the best methods as its kind of one size fits all. Unless theyre in pain or sick, giving your german shepherd a lot more exercise should decrease their whining.
Once theyre tired, theyre not going to want to whine as much. As well as this, its all going to help keep their mind entertained so theyre not going to get bored either.
If youre only walking your german shepherd for half an hour, increase it to an hour. Give them multiple walks a day, or if thats not possible, take some time out in the evening to play with them.
Give Them A Thunder Shirt
A thunder shirt is a shirt you wrap tightly around your german shepherd to make them feel safe.
It may sound like they wont like it, but in fact, dogs feel safer when theyre wrapped tightly in something. We use them when there are fireworks to keep are dog calm.
You can buy a thunder shirt of for a good price, however, if you want to try and do it yourself, you can try swaddling your dog in an old tee shirt.
Thunder Cap
If your dog is whining to alert you to danger, then thunder caps can be ideal. They work by covering your dogs eyes. While they can see, they cant see as well.
Give Them Lots Of Positive Reinforcement
They Need Or Want Something
Typically, if dogs whine because they want or need something, theyll make an effort to let you know exactly what that is.
For example, if they need to go out to potty, they might take their leash, stand by your front door, and whine until you let them out. If their toy is stuck somewhere and they cant get it out themselves, they could take you there and keep whining until you realize the problem and help them out.
Cases like this are normal dog behavior. It is simply a means for your dog to communicate with you. Nothing is wrong with this behavior, but you can also teach your dog alternative behaviors if you prefer.
For example, you can teach your dog to use a potty bell instead of whining whenever they want to be taken out.
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How Do You Cheer Up A Depressed Dog
Try to engage in fun activities with your dog, like games, fun tricks, and general training. Take some time to bond with your dog. You may also consider letting your dog play with other dogs or go to doggie daycare. Its natural that you will want to pay more attention to your dog when he is depressed.
Why Your German Shepherd Might Be Clingy
Whether you love it or hate it, your German Shepherd absolutely adores you but sometimes he takes this to the extreme. Honestly, why else would he be obsessed with remaining at your side for every minute of the day? Were going to take a deeper look at your German Shepherds clingy behavior and this is where it gets interesting.
Were going to examine just how common separation anxiety is in German Shepherds and how to distinguish whether your dog has separation anxiety or just likes to be around you. Then, well touch on just how in tune your German Shepherd might be with your own stress and anxiety.
Finally, we will look at how genetics plays a part and give some examples of your dogs learned behaviors whereby YOU may be to blame!
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Is It Normal For A German Shepherd To Be Stressed
German Shepherd Dogs are intelligent, sweet and loyal to their families. If you have one, you know this is true. You also know many of them suffer from stress. As a trainer, I see a lot of nervous German Shepherd Dogs that have a hard time focusing or relaxing in new places or around new people.
This is commonly due to arthritis or hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is more likely to occur the older your dog gets. Skin problems, such as cutaneous cysts are more likely as a German Shepherd ages. In addition to these issues, all previous health concerns also become more likely or are already present.
Why Does My Puppy Keep Whining
The most obvious reason your dog may be whining is that he needs or wants something from you, like food, water, or a walk. Additionally, if your dog is whining for another walk after you just took him out, this could indicate a bladder problem or a digestive problem.
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Theyre Not Feeling Well
Dogs dont usually complain a lot when they dont feel well but youll notice it in their behavior.
They might lose their appetite and display a lack of energy. In bad cases, they might lay and whine to communicate that theyre in pain or theres something wrong with how theyre feeling.
In cases when you can confidently determine the cause of their discomfort , you may simply try to comfort them until it passes. However, in any other case, its always safest to get them checked by a vet to rule out any serious medical condition.
How Do I Stop My Dog From Constantly Whining
Avoid speaking in excited, loud tones, and keep your movements slow and calm. Wait to pet and interact with your dog until shes less excited. It may also help to teach her to do something youd like her to do instead of whining, such as sitting or hand targeting when she greets you or other people.
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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.
Tips To Train German Shepherd Not To Cry So Much
Whenever you are dealing with a very smart dog breed that is highly attuned to their human carers, you can bet your dog will notice what gets your attention fastest.
Then your dog will do more of that. After all, your German Shepherd loves attention from you! Unlike you, your dogs whole world revolves around you. So anything your GSD can do to keep your attention on them is a good thing to do more of.
This means you will need to start paying more attention to the things your dog does that send you running to them. When your GSD starts whimpering, whining, or crying, for instance, you will have to stop yourself from immediately responding.
The earlier you can start to teach your dog that potential problem behaviors will not generate an instant response from you, the better.
In this section, we will look at specific tips to train your German Shepherd not to cry so much. We will look at tips for GSD puppies, adult dogs, and rescue dogs.
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