Need advice

[Fools Motto]

So, as many of you lovely lot know, I not only own a mature whippetX, (whom I adore), but also own a now 8 month old springer. Life with the springer didn't start off so well... my heart wasn't in it. It took a few months to 'get her'. I had just started a new job, eldest child had just started at new school, and dealing with a puppy, particularly an active breed pup, was NOT my idea of fun. Then came the dreaded house training.... swear I've never had a pup so bad at it! I resorted to crating, which I have never done before, and OH swore blind he didn't want her to be crated... even he came round!
She has chewed the wall, demolished many toys, the floor (there was an inviting hole in it anyway - she just added her bit!) followed by a 'left in the wrong place right trainer!, helped her self to an unguarded, too close to the edge plate of dinner scraps.... and done numerous accidents in the house. But, she has excellent recall, (when there are no birds!!!) great on the lead, brilliant in the car, polite with other dogs, well mannered around horses, and has showed no interest in sheep or chickens??
Roll on months, and yes, Rosie IS a lovely young, well behaved (most of the time!!) dog. She IS a member of the family, and we all do adore her. Her house training is 95% clean, the crate is long gone, she has a lovely bed - it isn't chewed yet!

I take her to work with me most days. She has a short early walk at home, then car ride to work. (I work with riding school ponies!) I have to crate her at work - I can't risk her either getting out or chewing tack. She is crated while I catch in, then out for a long run about while I poo pick, check fences ect... She is then crated again while I do odd yard jobs/get ponies ready for lessons, followed by another let out in my lunch hour. Back in the crate til a lovely long walk when I'm finished (my shift ends at 5).

Trouble is, she whines. Whines A LOT. Today it almost turned in to a howl! She has chews, sees people, has water. What can I do to stop her? I swear she just wants attention... I've ignored her, shouted at her, growled at her, stayed with her while I clean tack (I teach too, so not always possible)... and still we whine/howl.

I feel I'm doing something very wrong.
She whines a bit at home when we leave the kitchen/office, but not to the extent of at work.
Any ideas? Is she just spoilt and wants 'me-me time!'

Help.

 

[11bluewolf]

I would just to make sure that she is getting enough exercise as possible to try and tire her out, although it sounds like you are already doing that! and just ignore it and hopefully she should realise that whining isn't going to be rewarded (to get her attention) as ultimately that is what she wants! I would also try and do some more crate training so she associates the crate with something amazing! perhaps start by giving her treats at home in it and feeding her in it. hopefully she will start choosing to go into the crate and settle. also when she is in the crate either at home or at work and she is calm, reward this behaviour either by just giving her affection of treats/toy. Hope that helps

 

[Possum]

Maybe seeing people is the issue? At her age I'm not sure you'd want to up the exercise, could you find a quieter place for her crate and/or cover it to encourage her to sleep rather than look at all the exciting things she could be doing?

ETA - I wouldn't give her a reaction for doing it, not least because dogs don't always realise they are whining so she probably doesn't have a clue what she's being told off for!

 

[11bluewolf]

^^^^ Yes i agree, have just re read and have seen the age so yes enough exercise. maybe more mental stimulation instead

 

[twiggy2]

well you are giving mixed messages by changing your response all the time, if any is going to work it is going to be the ignoring her one.
There is however a school of thought that whingey dogs do not know they are doing it the noise just happens when they are stimulated in a certain way, excitement for example.
How routine is your day at work, is the dog warm in the crate and how often is the dog fed?

 

[Dry Rot]

Amongst the working/trialing fraternity, whining is considered a serious fault -- and I'm inclined to think it is both genetic and incurable!

A little breath of spring, aren't I? Sorry!

 

[twiggy2]

Amongst the working/trialing fraternity, whining is considered a serious fault -- and I'm inclined to think it is both genetic and incurable!

A little breath of spring, aren't I? Sorry!

I agree it can be, there are some cases where it is not and my current lurcher is one, she comes to work with me and is crated on reception (cos she is a thief when I am not there!), she whinges if she is a,cold b,hungry c,thirsty d,needs to pee or poop-sort those issues out ans she sleeps my whole shift

 

[Luci07]

Might be way out here, but what about covering the crate when you need her to settle? Mine wouldn't settle if there were things going on, but put a towel over the crate when she was having her down time and she would snooze quickly.

 

[Maesfen]

Providing it's not hot and is in a safe place on the yard, can you not put her crate in the car; windows down or back up to keep air flowing? Plenty of her bedding and her chew/toys; water reachable and she should have no excuse so you could just ignore her.

 

[fredders]

My dog comes to work with me and I have a crate to put him in when it is not possible for him to be out with me or being walked. His is in a quiet corner and I put a blanket over the cageand he sleeps or chews his chews. If he is where people are in and out and can see stuff going on he wants to come out and whines quite a lot.So maybe she would be better In a quieter spot?

 

[Alec Swan]

Amongst the working/trialing fraternity, whining is considered a serious fault -- and I'm inclined to think it is both genetic and incurable!

……..

I'm not so sure that it's genetic, except that those dogs which are 'bred' to be dogs with a serious level of 'drive' would certainly be more prone to whining, and possibly through a level of frustration brought on by mismanagement. No disrespect intended F_M as you weren't to know. Once whining is established though, it is as D_R says, incurable, in my opinion. I believe that I can stop a dog from doing just about anything, except for whining, and whatever the level of 'verbals' that we dish out, I'm honestly of the view that they don't know that they're doing it.

Whining can also be 'contagious' in that a dog sitting at a peg and whining can also set off others nearby. Any sound emitting from a dog at a trial will have the dog put out, immediately, and rightly so.

The only thing that I can suggest F_M is that perhaps giving her a job to do will occupy her mind and with the next or impending exercise she may prefer to focus on that. Driven Springers often love seek and search work. Simply having a rolled up sock which is 'hers' and extending the exercises and making them ever more complex, starting off behind the cushions on a sofa, for instance, and then if she has access to the whole house, hiding the toy in a cupboard draw, or even up on top of a curtain pelmet (you'll be surprised at how good they get at it), 'may' help.

Alec.