How Long Do Puppies Whine After Leaving Their Pack?

You waited a long time to bring home your beautiful puppy, and the day finally comes. You welcome your new family member with new dishes, a soft bed and a sparkling leash and collar. You can hardly contain your excitement, but your puppy is less than enthusiastic; he searches for his littermates and whines into the night.

  1. Why Puppies Whine

    • Your new puppy will explore your home and get to know your family.

      Leaving his littermates and adjusting to new people and new places can be overwhelming for a young puppy. Losing the security of familiar surroundings and a warm mom to snuggle with is significant, and whining is the puppy's way of expressing his fears and frustrations. But the whining will stop as the puppy becomes more secure. Try to make the puppy's bed as familiar as possible; a towel or blanket from his original home may help, or a ticking clock near his bed may help to soothe him.

    Develop Confidence

    • Friends and family should help the puppy gain confidence.

      To prevent whining, build your puppy's confidence with pleasant experiences in your home. Avoid overwhelming the puppy with groups of noisy people fussing over him on his first day, but make sure that your family members make a good impression. Greeting the puppy softly and delivering a tasty treat will help him form pleasant associations with people and with his new home. This will ultimately reduce stress and reduce the whining behaviors. The pup's new confidence will also help with obedience training and forming bonds with your family.

    Reasons for Whining

    • Is your puppy seeking attention by whining?

      Reasons that puppies whine might include physical needs, such as the need to go outside for elimination, hunger or pain. A dog may whine because he needs to use up energy, or he might be bored. Dogs are very clever, and puppies quickly learn that whining usually results in attention. This can cause a behavior pattern where puppies whine, owners respond, puppies are thereby rewarded for whining, and they repeat the whining whenever they want attention. Don't fall into this pattern. Unless you suspect that your dog has a legitimate need, don't give into whining. Ignore this demand for your attention, and allow the puppy to quiet himself.

    Whining and Crate Training

    • Your chosen puppy will quickly adapt to your family, if you help him develop confidence.

      Introducing your puppy to his crate is very important, but the process may initially result in protests expressed as whining. Approach crate training with a calm and confident attitude that your puppy will see as a cue for his own behavior. A crate is a wonderful tool that will serve the dog throughout his life, and its important to introduce the puppy by confining him in the crate for a short time -- just a few minutes. Build up time with successive experiences in the crate, and give him a treat every time he enters the crate. Do not release the dog if he whines; simply ignore the whining. Despite any initial protests, the crate will soon be a place that your puppy seeks for security, quiet and relaxation.