5 Reasons Your Goldendoodle Is Whining and How to Make It Stop!

5 Reasons Your Goldendoodle Is Whining and How to Make It Stop! by Dr. Sara Ochoa

Is your Goldendoodle constantly whining?  There are many different reasons that your Goldendoodle may be whining. Sometimes your dog is whining to get your attention, and sometimes they are trying to let you know that they are hurt or need to go out for a potty break. 

By paying attention to these noises, you can learn what they are trying to tell you.  This article will cover the reasons that your Goldendoodle may be whining and what you can do to train them to stop whining.

5 Common Reasons that your Goldendoodle may be whining?

1. Your dog is in pain
2. Your dog is scared or anxious
3. They want attention
4. They are excited to see you
5. They want something

Once you figure out what is causing your Goldendoodle to whine, you can start training them to not whine.  Most of this time, this takes some time and training, but you can teach your do to not whine.

Your Goldendoodle Is In Pain

If your dog is in pain, they will be whining.  This whining could be an indication that your Goldendoodle is in physical pain.

If they whine every time they try to go up the stairs or jump off the couch, they may have joint pain because of arthritis. You will often see your Goldendoodle limping if they are in pain. 

If your Goldendoodle is whining and seems to be a little painful, you should take your dog to the vet to get them checked out.

Your Goldendoodle Is Scared Or Anxious

Whining can be your Goldendoodle’s way of saying that they are scared or anxious. If your Goldendoodle is also pacing, trembling, or panting while whining, it is very likely fearful or anxious about something.

This could be a new guest or new person living in the house, making your dog nervous, or maybe they are worried because someone is missing. Some does also get scared during fireworks or thunderstorms. 

If your Goldendoodle is whining anxiously right before you leave your house, this could be a sign of separation anxiety. Dogs who suffer from separation anxiety often have very destructive behaviors when you are gone.

Your Goldendoodle Wants Attention

Sometimes Goldendoodle’s whine just because no one is paying attention to them. This is like how little kids whine when they are bored with what is going on and just want to play. Your Goldendoodle may be whining just because they want someone to play with or need something to occupy them.

Make sure you are giving your Goldendoodle enough exercise and other mental stimulation every day. Boredom does not just lead to your Goldendoodle whining; it can also cause your dog to be very destructive.

Goldendoodle’s who are bored have been known to chew on the furniture and digging hole in the yard.

Your Goldendoodle Is Excited To See You

Some Goldendoodles will whine when you first come home or when they first meet new people. This kind of whining is usually motivated by excitement and may only be seen with new dogs or people.  

If your Goldendoodle starts to whine every time you come home, it is best to not get them overly excited every time that you come home, or a new person comes to visit. 

Your Goldendoodle Is Asking For Something

The most obvious reason your Goldendoodle may be whining is that they need or want something from you.  They may be looking for their next serving of food, their water bowl may be empty, or they want to go for a walk.

Maybe their favorite toy is stuck under the couch, or the cat is sleeping in their bed. The whining will usually stop once you figure out the problem and fix it.

If your Goldendoodle is whining for more food after you just fed them, this is a problem that needs to be fixed. Start by making sure that no one else in the family is giving your pup an extra helping, and never feed your dog from the table.

If you give your Goldendoodle more food in response to the whining, you are only rewarding this behavior, and the whining will usually only get worse.

If you just took your Goldendoodle for a walk and they are now whining for another walk, this could mean that they have a bladder problem or a digestive problem. If your dog wants to go outside to potty as soon as they come back inside, you should take them to the vet.

How To Stop Your Goldendoodle From Whining

If your Goldendoodle is whining excessively, it is best to try and figure out the reason before you try to fix the behavior.

Some people do not mind a little whining every now and then, where others will barely tolerate whining and consider any amount to be excessive and annoying.

The great news is that you can teach your dog to whine less or not to whine at all. These are some tips that you can try to help teach your Goldendoodle not to whine.

• Pay Attention: Pay very close attention to the sounds of your Goldendoodle’s whining and any other behaviors that also happen when they are whining. Over time, you may notice a different pitch and volume of their whining, meaning something different. You may learn the difference between the “I want something,” and “I am bored” whines. When you hear a whine that is different from these whines, you will be able to determine that this is something different such as stress or pain.

• Be Gentle: If your Goldendoodle’s whining seems to be due to stress or pain, approach your dog carefully and be very gentle with them. Sometimes the whining can get worse and even turn into aggression.

• Figure out why: Look at why your Goldendoodle is whining and figure out the potential reasons for why your dog whining before you decide how to proceed. Never punish or yell at your Goldendoodle for whining as this may make them fearful or anxious or even lead to aggressive behavior.

• Look for stress or fears: If your Goldendoodle acts fearful, anxious, or stressed out, try to find the main source of the problem. There are many fears, and phobias can affect dogs. If you can figure out the reason, you may be able to work on training and desensitizing your Goldendoodle to overcome its fear.

• Take them out to potty: Give your Goldendoodle what they want under certain circumstances. If your Goldendoodle is whining to go outside for a potty break, it’s better to take them out for a walk or let them out in the backyard rather than allow them to potty in the house.

• DO NOT encourage whining: Avoid encouraging your Goldendoodle to whine. If you are quite certain your Goldendoodle wants something like attention or food, try to redirect it to another behavior before just giving in. Ideally, get your Goldendoodle to sit or lie down quietly; then reward them with attention and praise or a tasty treat.

• Do not give in: Giving in to your Goldendoodle’s wants immediately is training your Goldendoodle to whine about everything. Giving in immediately is the most common reason that your Goldendoodle is whining. They have learned that just a little whining and they will get their way. Yes, it is very hard to resist your whining Goldendoodle, but if you give in to your dog every time, you will end up with a very whiny adult.

• Have plenty of toys: Enrich your Goldendoodle’s environment. Make sure they have a lot of toys and get a lot of exercises. If your Goldendoodle has pent up physical or emotional energy, they are more likely to whine. Puzzle toys are great to help keep an active Goldendoodle entertained. Here are a couple of my favorites in order from easiest for beginners to hardest for advanced:

• Reward when they are quiet: Respond selectively to your Goldendoodle’s whining. If you are sure there is no real need, it is best to ignore them. Once you notice that they are no longer whining, offer praise, a tasty treat, or a reward. If you are not responding to their whining many times, they will stop.

Prevention really is the best. If you meet all your Goldendoodle’s needs each and every day, you will have prevented almost all of your Goldendoodle’s problems, including whining included.

If you are more relaxed to start, and now you have a Goldendoodle that whines all the time, it is not too late to start teaching them to not whine.  It will take a lot of time and some consistency, but you can teach your Goldendoodle not to whine.

Caring For A Whiny Goldendoodle

Many times, these whines are your Goldendoodle’s way of communicating with you.  They will have different pitches and lengths of their whining that will mean something different. 

By learning these whines, you will quickly learn what your Goldendoodle is trying to tell you. 

If you have met all of your Goldendoodle’s needs and they are still whining, schedule an appointment with your vet to make sure that your Goldendoodle is completely healthy.