Pitbulls are strong and powerful dogs but have a tender and nurturing side too. Anyone who has owned a pitbull knows they can be needy sometimes, which can translate into whining and pleading.
Pitbulls love human attention, crave physical affection, and can be pretty immature when it comes to whining. Pitbulls will cry and whine about things just like any other dog.
This behavior can become challenging to deal with regularly. In this article, we look at why your pitbull might be whining and what you can do to resolve this issue.
Why Dogs Whine
Dogs, including pit bulls, can whine for several reasons. Some whining is because of physical or emotional pain, while others’ pleading and whining are due to excitement and giddiness.
You will not train a dog in the same way if they are too excited as you will if your pet is in emotional or physical pain. You must know how your dog is feeling before you start training.
Stress and Fear
Pitbulls are tough dogs. They will not think twice about standing their ground or taking on a physically challenging task. However, this doesn’t mean they are immune to stress, anxiety, and fear. Pitbulls, like other dogs, can fear everyday things around the house and their environment.
For instance, things like a blender, a vacuum cleaner, a TV, or even a mirror reflection can scare your dog. Look out for signs of fear, such as the tail being tucked between the legs, the ears being lowered, not making eye contact, and pacing back and forth.
Attention
Pitbulls love attention from their family. They especially like being petted, love cuddles, and enjoy most other physical displays of affection.
And they are susceptible to how much attention they get. If they feel like they are being ignored, they will not waste a second to let people know that they feel left out.
Whining can also indicate that your dog is not getting enough physical stimulation. Pitbulls are large dogs; a 15-minute walk around the block will rarely be enough to use up all their energy stores.
They need both physical and mental stimulation to stay happy and healthy. If your dog is whining and trying to get close to you, it is likely just asking for more attention and wants your company.
Excitement
Whining doesn’t always mean a negative emotion. Sometimes it can be a sign of excitement, especially when the dog sees their favorite person or can smell their favorite snack being prepared.
Whining is a way for them to express their emotion, and to understand why your dog is whining, you need to look at the context.
The sound of whining is uncomfortable for many pet parents. You don’t want your pet to whine even when your dog is excited. We will look at how you can address this issue later.
Threats
Your pitbull might sense a threat. They might smell something they don’t like, and maybe they can see something you aren’t picking up or hear something scaring them.
Pitbulls, in particular, are scared of snow, rain, and thunder. While you might enjoy the rain outside, your pitbull can feel threatened and scared.
Whining is a sign that your dog feels intimidated. This can be due to a person, an object, or something else in the environment.
Pain
Whining is a classic way for dogs to express physical pain. It can be a sign that your dog is injured, is experiencing some kind of medical problem that is causing them pain, or just isn’t feeling well.
Whining due to pain is usually accompanied by other signs such as laying down, being lethargic, or smelling and licking the area where they feel the pain. You might even see tears due to the pain. Again, in this case, the best strategy is to try and diagnose the problem and get help.
Anxiety
Like many other dogs, pit bulls can also experience mental discomfort. They might be missing their home, they can miss a certain person, they could have had problems sleeping, or they might be experiencing depression and anxiety. This is very common with pit bulls that aren’t getting enough exercise.
These large dogs need a lot of activity to keep themselves mentally and physically fit. If your dog is feeling anxious, this might also be accompanied by behavior such as scratching and digging or withdrawing into a corner of the home or the room.
How to Stop Whining
It’s not difficult to change this behavior and remove the tendency to whine. However, teaching the dog how to express themselves without whining takes time and practice.
Find the Root Cause
Finding the problem will be the most important step in changing this behavior. For instance, if the dog is scared of the vacuum cleaner, you can train the dog not to fear the appliance. You can slowly socialize the dog with the appliance and teach it that just because it makes a strange sound doesn’t mean it is a threat.
Similarly, if the dog is scared of a place or a natural phenomenon like rain, you can slowly teach the dog not to be surprised by this event. By slowly motivating the dog to explore the object/event and using positive reinforcement, you can familiarize the dog with whatever makes it uncomfortable.
Evaluate Behavior
Whining for a treat is very different from whining due to pain from a serious injury. Too many pet owners make the mistake of discounting the severity of the situation. They assume their dog is at it again and whining for no reason.
Sometimes, there can be a real and dangerous threat that needs to be addressed. If your dog is whining, you must take it seriously and evaluate the situation before reaching any conclusion. Look at the broader picture and try to understand what the animal is trying to tell you.
Devise a Solution
If you are on the path to training your dog to stop whining, it isn’t going to happen overnight. You must know how to handle the situation effectively during the transition phase.
This is crucial because you want to relieve the dog of any kind of stress it might be in and because you don’t want to do something that will promote this behavior in the future. If you don’t know how to respond, there is no harm in seeking guidance from a professional.
Final Thoughts
With consistent training and the right strategy for changing this behavior, you can help your pitbull stop, or at least reduce, whining behavior. Like anything you teach your dog, teaching them not to whine will take time and practice.
You must also teach the dog an alternative and show them how you want them to behave. Teaching your dog how to act will take time, but the benefits far outweigh the time put in, especially when you stop whining behavior.
