Whining Border Collie

Hello everyone,

Some of you may already know the problem I have with Blackie and whining. I will give you some background info to help you understand the problem, here goes.

Blackie is 4 years old and never been on his own, he always stayed with my mum as she was disabled and never went out, however last November my mum past away and he missed her as did I. I was her carer at the time. He used lie beside her 24/7 apart from walks etc. Then after christmas 2003 I began to get problems with my feet (I have diabetes, which causes problems with blood supply etc) and I ended up having to go into hospital for a couple of weeks and Blackie was left alone with the neighbour popping in 4 or 5 times a day to feed and look after him,( I know it was not the best thing to do but at the time it was my only option as I have not family etc to ask.) Then I had to keep going back and forth for a couple a weeks at a time to have numerous toes taken off, finally ending in having my forfoot removed, so now I can not walk him (I have employed a dog walker who takes him for about 1 hour every morning) which he is pleased with. The problem is since he was a pup he has always whined, but, when you ask him what's the matter he just looks at you like a stuffed toy, with no response. Has anyone any suggestions of what I could do or try and do, it's driving me nuts!

Sorry that it's a long post, but it may help you to understand the situation better.

Ian

P.S. If I sit on the couch he if perfect, never hardly squeaks, but once I move that's it.

Thanks again

Oh Ian I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sorry I cant help you. But I hope someone can give you an advise.

Could it be he's afraid you're gonna leave him, when yoou get up? Just a theory.

Hi Bellaluna,

Thank you for your kind words, it just takes time to get over such a loss.

Yes I thought of that too, or maybe he knows that sometimes I am not ready for what I am doing, if you know what I mean

Ian

Hi Ian.

First I´m sorry to hear about your loss.
I lost my mother last january (a year ago now) and am still not completly "over that".

And on top of it all you have your own illness

It sounds as you´re holding up and just want to give you this: :smt023

About your dog.... I´m not sure I totally understand ops:

Not in any perticually situations?
What respons does he get?
Have you tried anything to correct him?
Can you feel a diffence from you got him/were away?

I´m just thinking it could be a number of reasons :smt017

Yes I know, and that is a very good possibility.

Hi Amts,

He does this any time of the day or night, which usually gets my attention either call him over to me and stroke him and talk, sometimes I will admit I get annoyed and shout (Makes me then feel guilty ). I usually tell him 'Quiet' sometimes it works other times it won't.

After the first time I had to go away (I've been away for at least 5 two week periods this year - in hospital) he became very very close, he will not go out side on his own, basically wherever I am he must be too, and this has grown stronger after each parting.

I hope this gives you a better picture, I will be honest I think that it may be that he is an active dog and he wants me to go with him wherever he wants to go.

Thanks

Ian

Maybe he's still pineing over the loss of your mum and then when you had to leave he proberbally felt you weren't comg back iether and he was losing another friend.

I cann't give any advice on how to make him stop but lots of love and cuddles cures alot of things.

Hello Ian,
I will try to help explain as I see it and tell you what I would do . Puppies whine for a number of reasons usually to communicate something with the owner,want out/want food etc. If you rewarded the whining puppy with a response the puppy learns whine = pats/food/out ok? So it has learnt that behaviour brings a reward .
In order to stop the behaviour you ignore the whines completely (if you are sure there is no requirement like going out or no pain of any kind ) and praise/pat/treat the dog only when he is being quiet.
Because you dog has displayed this behaviour since being a puppy it may take a long time to break the habbit

If Shadow Boxer comes on DW later she may have further advice

Hi again Ian.

As Mini already have said it can be coursed he´s has been allowed to do it all his life.
And is an act of getting you to notice him.

The "cure" is as Mini have written: completly ignore it.
Even saying "No" gives him the attention and any attention (good or bad) will keep him continue this behavior.

It can also be, as I see it, an act of insecurity and by making the sound he will get your attention and get "pretected".
Then exercises that will make him more independent could help.

Now I dont know if I have missed it, but I can´t see what breed he is (?), and I came to think; could it be that his function with your mother was to "watch her/look after her/pretect her"?

If it was, maybe he´s having trouble (all his life) to find peace and quiet. Now you (without telling him too) have gotten that role, and therefore keeps him restless and stressed.

Can you tell him to go to his "corner" (not sure of the right english term) and relax? Will he fall asleep or get restless?

Dogs who consider themself "at work" all the time, will often suffer from a kind of stress and will get use to being restless and very avake.

If thats the case, then you need to be more of a leader to him. Tell him when to work and when to relax and let you be in charge.
He tehn needs to know in a very direct and strongfull manner when to be "on" and when to be "off".

Regardless of the cause of the problem, I have to say that he is 4 years old and some things can be hard to change. And it will take time, patience and a lot of pratice.

My advice is to see how big of a problem the whining is, and make a decision about how much effect, time and money you want to give it in order to try and solve it.

I hope the best for you and your dog and are looking forward to hear more from you


After posting this I was told there´s a "few" mistakes in my post.
I´ve given up finding them all, but will use the excuse I´m from Denmark Hope its ok.

@ Amt
Ian I will PM you later regarding other not dog related things