* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
If you love a dog, then you’re probably familiar with their range of canine vocalizations: barking, growling, and of course whining. If you’ve ever heard your dog crying and wondered what they’re trying to tell you — or felt overwhelmed because you can’t seem to get them to quiet down — this article is for you.
Let’s break down everything you need to know about your dog’s cries. Is whining normal? What causes your pet to cry? And what can you do about it to reduce the noise?
First things first: Whining is a normal dog behavior.
Whining is most commonly seen in young canines, but because domestic dogs are neotenized compared to their wolf ancestors (a fancy word to say they retain juvenile traits into adulthood) it’s normal for our pets of all ages to whine on occasion. Adult animals can have a good cry too!
Dogs don’t regularly shed emotional tears (either happy tears or those from emotional distress) through canine tear ducts like humans do. In fact, if your dog has eye discharge, it's probably cause to consult with your local vet to rule out the possibility of an eye infection or similar problem affecting their natural tear volume.
When we talk about our pups crying, we're primarily referring to their vocalizations. Typical domestic dog whining can take many forms from intense cries to soft whimpers.
While the exact display is different—wet tears of emotion versus sounds of emotion—dogs do cry and whine for a similar variety of reasons as humans do. Our pets can also experience feelings of sadness, frustration, and related emotions.
There are many things your dog might be trying to communicate when they whine!
Many dogs whine when they’re in a state of arousal, especially during high energy greetings — like when you walk through the door after being gone for a full work day. These cries are often accompanied by loose, excited body language like a widely wagging tail. Your dog will probably also make eye contact with you — and if you look right at them back, it can encourage them to keep saying hello until you come all the way over.
You can read more about interpreting your dog’s body language in this article.
Some dogs whine as an appeasement signal when they interact with people or other dogs. They’re essentially trying to say that they aren’t a threat — they feel uncomfortable and want to dispel potential conflict before it starts.
Appeasement displays are usually accompanied by a submissive posture, with head down, tail tucked, and ears back.
Dogs also whine as an attention-seeking behavior. Many of our pets have learned that humans attend to their cries! Some professionals believe that dogs actually whine more to communicate with people than they do to communicate with other dogs.
Attention or boredom whining might also be correlated with destructive behaviors, like chewing your furniture.
Consistent whining can also be a sign that your dog isn't getting enough fulfillment: opportunities to express natural canine instincts and behaviors. Regular exercise, at-home enrichment activities, social interaction, and physical contact with you as their pet owner can help your pup feel satisfied and calm.
It’s normal for dogs to whine in response to stressful situations. This type of crying often seems involuntary — your dog isn’t doing it to get your attention (and certainly not to drive you crazy) but rather because it’s a natural response to feeling anxious. Whining is one of the most common nervous behaviors our pets exhibit.
Anxious whining is perhaps most common when dogs struggle with separation distress. If your dog routinely cries when you leave them alone in their crate, the culprit is probably some form of isolation or separation anxiety.
Remember that dogs are social, sensitive animals. They naturally want to be with their family members and friends! It’s normal for them to feel distressed about spending time alone, especially if they’re new to your home or you’ve recently changed your routine — but it’s also important they can handle those situations when they do have to happen.
Some dogs might also cry in their crates because they don’t enjoy the sensation of being confined. Appropriate crate training, where you make sure the kennel is the right size and work to build a positive association, can go a long way.
You can read more about crate training here.
Canines might cry when they’re in pain, not unlike the way we humans whimper or moan when we get hurt. It’s especially important to consider the possibility of physical discomfort if your dog suddenly goes from whining very little to crying often. New vocalizations can be an indicator of illness or injury atop other physical symptoms (which are often hard to notice in stoic dogs).
A common cause of whining due to pain is joint issues, which are common in a range of breeds — especially large dogs — as our pets get older. Our pups can also experience internal discomfort from things as complicated as undiagnosed medical conditions and as temporary as accidentally consuming expired food ingredients.
It’s also important to note that just because a dog isn’t whining doesn’t mean they feel one hundred percent. Canines can be incredibly reserved in displaying discomfort. While crying certainly is one symptom of physical distress, it’s not the only thing to consider.
If your dog cries in their sleep, they are probably reacting to a dream. Yes, dogs dream, just like humans do! Their dreams probably involve versions of their daily lives or recreations of that day’s activities. When they are dreaming, their legs may twitch (almost like they’re trying to run), their mouth may move, and they might even start tail wagging (to often adorable effect).
It may be tempting to wake your dog if they start to whimper in their sleep — but as the saying goes, it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie. Waking a dog from a dream will actually disturb their sleep cycle, which can lead to more waking problems down the line. You also run the risk of startling your companion, which can cause them to react to your presence in a way they usually wouldn’t. Unless something appears to be seriously wrong (like the onset of a medical issue such as seizures as opposed to just an intense dream) let your dog sleep even through their sad-sounding noises.
There is no research indicating that some breeds specifically cry more than others — but there are dog breeds that have a wider range of vocalization. Some tend to be more “talkative.”
For example, Basset Hounds and Bloodhounds are more likely to howl than other breeds, while Basenjis make a distinctive “yodel” loud noise. Many toy breeds like Shih Tzus are accused of whining more than others, but this perception is likely due more to training and lifestyle differences than any innate breed-specific tendency. Ultimately: If you have a more “talkative” breed, that may translate to more whining — but it also may not. Your dog may simply be talkative in other ways!
Every dog is a unique individual. Your companion’s breed can give you helpful background context, but it won’t provide any guarantees about how they’re going to behave.
It would be unfair to expect our dogs to never whine. Remember that your pet’s vocalizations are a normal part of their communication with you!
That said, whining is a common issue. Puppies will naturally cry more than adults — so if dogs age but continue to whine at a high frequency, you might be dealing with excessive crying behavior that indicates a larger underlying problem (either with their health, lifestyle, or enrichment). There is no official definition or way to calculate what counts as “excessive” whining. You’ll probably know it when you see (or rather, hear) it, though!
If your dog’s whining prevents either of you from sleeping properly, interferes with your ability to accomplish work or family tasks, or otherwise feels out of control, it’s a good idea to spend some time looking into the cause and treatment options.
Puppies, like human children, do tend to cry more than their adult counterparts. Younger puppies especially may need some time to adjust from being away from their mother and their littermates. It’s normal for them to whine during their initial adjustment period settling into your home!
In general, puppies cry for similar reasons to adult dogs. Their vocalizations may be more pronounced, though, for multiple reasons:
We say “reduce” instead of “stop” here for a reason — as mentioned above, it’s not reasonable to expect our pets to be quiet all of the time. It is fully possible to minimize their whining, though, especially if it’s due to a specific unmet need or anxiety.
First and foremost, check to see if the source of your dog’s whining is signs of illness or pain. If your dog is whining excessively — especially if this behavior is new — scheduling a vet visit to rule out the possibility of illness or pain should be your first priority.
Once you’ve determined that your companion is physically healthy, think about their basic needs and reflect on how well your current routine meets them. Are they getting enough nutrients through a healthy diet so they don’t regularly feel hungry? Are you providing ample time to sniff and investigate the world around them? How often do they get fulfilling physical exercise?
You can read more about enrichment — which is a way of saying “making your dog’s life better” — in this ultimate guide. Proper enrichment can reduce excessive barking and whining, among other problematic behaviors!
If your dog is healthy, reasonably fulfilled, and still whining excessively, it’s time to dive deeper into the potential cause of their vocalizations.
We can’t say it enough: We know crying can be frustrating and disruptive — but always keep in mind that it’s a form of communication. Your dog is not trying to give you a hard time. (We promise.) They’re trying to express something about their experience of the world.
By understanding the root cause of their cries, you’ll be able to address it — and make everyone happier. Here are some strategies to approach different types of whining.
If your dog whines for attention, you’ll need to teach them that being quiet is actually the better attention-getting behavior. Often we owners unintentionally reinforce attention-seeking behaviors by paying attention to them — even if we think it’s “negative” attention, like yelling or scolding (more on why you shouldn’t punish your dog later in this article).
Anxious whining is often one of the trickiest kinds of whining to eliminate. You have to get to the bottom of your dog’s anxiety and work with them at their own pace from there.
Never punish your dog for whining. We know it can feel annoying — sometimes you can experience a sort of sensory overload when you’re surrounded by too much noise — but remember that your companion is trying to tell you something.
What’s more: Punishing your dog for trying to communicate with you can have adverse effects on your relationship and their behavior. If your dog is whining out of appeasement, scolding them will likely make things worse. Even if they’re crying out of excitement, the last thing you want to do as an owner is be a source of fear in their life.
You might feel confident working through some moderate whining on your own with the help of online resources. That’s great!
Don’t hesitate to call in a professional force free trainer, though, if things feel out of hand. Experts have seen countless cases of dogs crying for many different reasons and will be able to help you develop an individualized treatment plan with their professional advice.
There is so much misinformation out there, we want to make sure we only provide the highest quality information to our community. We have all of our articles reviewed by qualified, positive-only trainers.
These are the trainers that reviewed this article on dog crying and whining:
Olivia Petersen, CCS
Owner - Sound Connection Dog Training
WSU Bachelors in Animal Science Business Management
Northwest School of Canine Studies (NWSCS) Certification
Separation Anxiety Pro Trainer
Family Dog Mediator
Shannon Finch
AnimalKind Training
M.Ed. Humane Education
Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner
Certified Tellington TTouch and TTEAM Practitioner
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