A puppy can be prone to whining, barking and, in particular, chewing its way around the house as it explores the world around it and wants to learn what tastes nice and what does not.
The whining, barking and chewing is going to happen. Make no mistake.
Though by training your puppy in the right way from the outset, you can take positive action to train away the whining, barking and chewing to a large extent.
Bear in mind that every puppy is different and will lean right and wrong at different rates. Patience is the key with the time and effort you put in also helping to build that unbreakable bond between puppy and owner.
The barking and whining is entirely normal. It’s how dogs communicate. However if the barking and whining becomes regular and prolonged it can quickly become an issue and difficult to do anything about. So start to build in to your puppy training routine steps aimed to cut down on unnecessary barking and whining.
There are a number of steps you can try here. For example:
The whining could be a sign that your puppy wants to toilet. Learn to recognise the signs and take puppy to their toilet spot.
It could be that puppy is hungry, thirsty or otherwise distressed. Again – learn to read the signs and act accordingly. Puppy should always have access to fresh, clean water and be fed regularly. If distressed, look for indications of illness and think about a trip to the vet if necessary.
It could be boredom and attention seeking. Make sure puppy has toys to play with and of course give them attention yourself.
If puppy is whining or barking just to be “naughty” then that’s not what you want. I’d suggest not giving in to such behaviour and instead teaching puppy that it’s not a good idea to try it on by taking them to their bed to sit and stew for a while or simply ignoring them. Yes, I know it’s hard but a bit of “tough love” is necessary from time to time.
When it comes to chewing stuff up – it’s going to happen. Puppies are inquisitive things and they explore with their mouths. Hmmmm, I wonder what that tastes like?” they say to themselves when eyeing up your favourite pair of shoes or favourite chair.
Unless you do something about it, that puppy will grow in to a dog which will keep chewing your stuff up because they think it’s OK. It’s not…
When you do find your favourite shoes destroyed, do not punish puppy. Clear up the mess and act normally. No fuss. Of course if you see puppy shaping up to take a bite out of anything, divert them on to something else before it happens.
Distract by giving them their favourite chew toy for example. And make a big fuss of them for doing the “right” thing. Teach them that when they are “good” they get a rewarded by with your affection.
Also look around your home and try to anticipate what puppy might fancy getting their teeth around and put those things out of puppy’s reach.
The simple steps outlined may seem straightforward – and they are – however they are also effective in puppy training to help with reducing their tendency to whine and chew.
