If you recently got a German shorthaired pointer, your new companion is undoubtedly captivating. However, you’ve discovered that they have this annoying tendency to whine for every conceivable thing that happens or is going to happen, and it’s getting on your nerves. How do you get your GSP to stop whining?
To stop a GSP’s whining, ensure that you meet their needs, particularly for exercise and mental stimulation. Train them to prevent separation anxiety. Use obedience training with positive reinforcement to tell them that whining is unacceptable. GSPs are a vocal breed and can whine for many reasons.
GSPs are talkative, energetic, playful, and intelligent and make excellent family pets for those who are dedicated to providing the kind of home environment and exercise regimen that this breed needs. However, the vocal nature of GSPs may be a bit much for you, and you’d like to curb this tendency to whine. Let’s see how to do so.
To Stop Your GSP From Whining, Understand Why It’s Happening
GSPs are vocal dogs and often default to a whine as their means of communicating. Your GSP could be whining for any number of reasons.
To stop your GSP from whining (or at least, to reduce how much they whine to an amount you can live with), you will need to figure out why they are whining and address the behavior’s root cause.
Your GSP might be whining for the following reasons:
- They are asking for something (such as food, water, or a toilet break)
- They are anticipating something (such as a walk or exercise session)
- They are in distress
- They are nervous or anxious
- They are bored
Whining is your dog’s way of telling you something. Knowing why they are whining helps you address your dog’s needs and will stop them from whining.
However, if you do not figure out the correct reason (or reasons) why your dog is whining, you are unlikely to hit upon the right solution to the problem.
Meeting Your GSP’s Needs To Prevent Whining
Prevention is often better than cure; heading off whining before it starts by meeting your dog’s needs is the correct answer.
Establish a clear routine for feeding, watering, and toilet breaks that ensures that you meet your GSP’s needs, and then do not let your dog manipulate you with whining. Giving in to demands to be let out when you have been letting them out enough will create problems for you, as they will repeat the behavior.
Ask yourself whether your dog is in a comfortable situation: they will whine if they are overheating, for example. If your GSP is usually reasonably settled, and they start whining, try checking whether they have injured themselves or whether skin allergies or ear mites may be causing issues.
Anxiety As A Cause Of Whining In GSPs
If they are young puppies recently separated from their mothers, GSPs will probably whine a lot, very loudly, to communicate their anxiety and distress. Do not leave young puppies alone for any length of time. Gradually get them used to seeing you disappear and reappear while communicating calmly with them to prevent separation anxiety from developing.
GSPs are highly loyal dogs and can get anxious about family members disappearing. Don’t leave them shut away from the family, or they will whine. Train your GSP to get used to seeing family members disappear and reappear to reduce separation anxiety.
Loneliness causes stress and anxiety and may result in chronic whining. Give your GSP a toy or a companion to keep them from getting lonely.
As dogs age, they experience cognitive decline and may experience anxiety that leads to whining. If your GSP is getting old and starts whining, comfort them and stroke them to calm them down.
Exercise And Stimulation Stop GSPs From Whining
GSPs are highly energetic and intelligent dogs, and you must provide them with enough physical and mental stimulation.
If you have not been exercising them enough (and GSPs require a lot of exercise!), they will probably whine to say they are bored. If you can’t provide enough exercise (at least 2 hours of vigorous exercise daily), enroll them in doggy daycare to play with other dogs.
Ensure that they have enough mental stimulation in the form of toys and training such as scent training or agility. Play fetch with them or allow them to run around a field tracking smells.
Obedience Training Helps To Stop GSPs From Whining
Training is the foundation you will use to correct undesirable behaviors such as whining in your GSP. Begin training while they are young, and practice plenty of positive reinforcement to encourage the desired behavior.
Get your dog to recognize and obey the 5 basic one-word commands, namely, “Come,” “Heel,” “Sit,” “Down,” and “Stay.” Ensure that you also use a single word to tell your GSP to stop a particular behavior (such as “Stop” or “Cease”) and use it in conjunction with a hand gesture whenever you wish to inform your dog that a behavior is unacceptable.
Ensure that everyone in the family uses the same commands and that your dog knows their place in the pack. Be kind but firm with them.
If you have a pre-owned dog, they may not have been trained correctly, and you will find that it takes a while to get them to exhibit the behaviors you want. But don’t be discouraged, GSPs are intelligent dogs eager to please you, and you will be able to train your pre-owned dog.
Obedience Training To Stop Your GSP From Whining
When your GSP starts whining, identify the trigger, and use obedience training to modify their behavior.
For example, if they are whining because they see you holding food, put down the food bowl but do not release your dog to eat it. Instead, use the “Stop” command to tell your GSP that the behavior is undesirable. When they stop whining (or if it decreases significantly), release them to eat.
Praise and reward your GSP for good behavior, and consistently use your “Stop” command and gesture when your dog is doing something undesirable, such as whining.
Do not be discouraged when your GSP does not stop whining overnight. It will take time to build appropriate behavior in them. Continue with consistent, kindly training.
A Very Important Aspect Of Training A GSP
When you are training a GSP (or any other kind of dog), it is imperative that you stick to positive reinforcement to get your message across. In other words, when your dog exhibits the behavior you want, praise them for it. You can also give them a treat.
Doing so reinforces the positive behavior and encourages a healthy and happy relationship between you and your dog.
Don’t use negative reinforcement to stop your GSP from whining. Your dog is not naughty when they whine; they are trying to communicate with you.
Slapping them for attempting to communicate their needs, putting an e-collar on them, or locking them in a crate when they need attention or exercise is cruel and will damage your relationship with your dog. Your dog will end up fearful and may well whine more. Keep training your dog with kindness and be consistent.
Conclusion
If you are frustrated by your GSP’s whining, figure out what is causing the problem to begin fixing it. Ensure that you meet their basic needs, including plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. Do not let them manipulate you with whining, and use obedience training with positive reinforcement.
Attending to your GSP’s needs and consistent, kindly training will stop them from whining much. Then, if they whine, you will know that something is up and be able to identify what to do. Remember that they are a vocal breed, and you will never completely stop the whining.
References
https://www.quora.com/Why-do-German-Shorthaired-Pointer-puppies-whine-so-much
https://www.reddit.com/r/GSP/comments/h7b7fp/my_gsp_whines_all_the_time/
https://forum.gon.com/threads/does-your-gsp-dog-whine.670856/
https://wagwalking.com/breed/german-shorthaired-pointer
https://canna-pet.com/articles/german-shorthaired-pointer-temperament-personality/
