My dog is great.....mostly! Only trouble is, she is a whiner. If I am eating, she sits at my feet and whines and whines and whines. Usually I get so frustrated that I just give her some of what I am eating so she will be quiet! This is probably the exact opposite of what I should be doing, but telling her to stop makes no difference! What do I do??
The important thing with whining is not to inadvertently encourage it, which (I hate to say it) is exactly what you have been doing in feeding your dog treats from your plate when she whines. However, all is not lost....you can still re-train your dog! There are a couple of methods that I will explain, and it will be up to you to determine which is the most suitable for your situation.
1. Try ignoring your dog. If she whines, do not give her any attention at all. This will possibly be a little annoying for a while, but if you are consistent, your dog should start to figure out that her whining is not working any more! Please note that this method does not apply to when your dog whines to go outside to relieve herself.
2. Teach her the "Hush" command. To do this you will need to create a situation in which you know that she would normally whine. When she does start to whine say "hush" and immediately give her a food treat. Wait for her to whine again, and repeat. Gradually make your dog wait longer and longer for the treat, until you get to the point when she will wait as long you like. Cut back the amount of times you give her treats, though perhaps give her a few every now and again to keep her motivated.
