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11 Reasons Why Whippets Whine & Cry + How To Reduce It

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A whippet whining & crying is hard to ignore. Especially when this becomes a habit and you find your whippet is whining over everything.

It can get to the point where you start to wonder why on earth they’re whining so much. Is this a normal habit for whippets to whine and cry so much?

Why Do Whippets Whine & Cry:

A whippet whines & cries primarily due to owners unknowingly reinforcing this behavior. Other reasons to cause whippet whining are injury, fear, anxiety, excitement, and boredom. In addition, whippets are shy and timid by nature and those lacking in confidence may whine & cry more than other breeds.

In this post you’ll discover:

  • 11 reasons why whippets whine & cry
  • 5 tips to get your whippet to stop whining so much (Tip #4 is especially important for whippets)
  • Why whippets cry at night and how to stop it
  • And much more

Let’s dive in…

why do whippets whine & cry

The 11 Causes Of Your Whippets Whining & Crying

1) Communicating Something

Any vocal sounds or expressions are ways for your pup to communicate.

This means when your whippet is whining they’re almost always trying to tell you something.

This could be letting you know they need to potty, they’re hungry/thirsty, they want to play, etc.

Next time your pup is whining, take a look around to see if you can find what they might be trying to communicate to you.

[Nothing brings peace of mind quite like speaking with a vet – click here to chat with a vet online now]

2) Craving Attention

The most likely reason for whippet crying is because they want your attention.

This habit usually starts by accident when unknowingly you reinforce the behavior.

It’s hard to ignore our little babies crying but anytime we respond they get what they want.

And if you give them what they want, they now it works and will continue to do it.

The more often this happens, the more the habit solidifies.

3) They Like Being Vocal

Some whippets are just more vocal than others.

Normally whippets tend to be on the quieter side compared to most dog breeds but there are always exceptions.

Some whippets can develop habits of whining to express themselves and it just sticks.

It can even become a habit they enjoy which just leads to more whining.

This is mostly true for whippets that were not trained that whining was not okay unless something was important.

4) Over Stimulated & Excited

This is a common reason for unwanted dog behavior especially in younger pups.

When a whippet is over stimulated they may whine in excitement.

5) They’re Scared 

This is probably the most obvious reason for whippet crying. You can easily tell when a dog is scared and fearful.

They usually whine and have a drastic change in their body language.

For example, dogs scared of thunder will often hide, shake & tremble, whine, or try to curl up in your arms.

Whippets that were not properly socialized at a young age can become easily scared by people, other dogs, etc.

Whippets are one of the most shy and timid breeds so make sure to socialize them as much as you can.

6) You Whippet Is Injured

Depending on the severity of injury a dog receives could result in different levels of whining.

An intense and acute injury will cause a whippet to whine loud and intensely. A more delayed onset of pain or less severe injury will cause a more quiet whimper.

For example, if your dog breaks a bone, or gets bitten by another dog, they will whine loud and intensely.

In contrast, if your dog steps on salt, has hip discomfort/pain, they will whine in a more drawn out fashion

Older whippets can develop arthritis, hip & elbow dysplasia, and other health conditions that may lead them to whimper and whine.

7) They Sense Your Emotions

This might seem a little strange but studies show that dogs are actually able to smell an owner’s emotions.

If you may have been feeling down or stressed the past few days, it could be causing your whippet to whine more.

Your dog could be feeling the emotions you are feeling, thus making them whine.

Related Reading: 7 Unexplainable Things Dogs Can Sense Before They Happen

8) Your Whippet Is Cold

Whippets are lean dogs with very little fat on them (in most cases). This makes it harder for their bodies to withstand cold temperatures.

A whippet’s short coat and low body fat makes them feel cold easy then other dogs. Thus, resulting in cold temperatures to cause whippet whining and crying because they need warming up.

9) Your Whippet Has Anxiety

If your whippet is whining leading up to when you leave the house, they may have separation anxiety.

If you leave the house at the same time everyday your whippet likely knows you are going to leave.

This can cause them to feel anxious leading up to this moment which may make them whine & cry.

Related Reading: Is Separation Anxiety Common In Whippets? The Truth + Tips

10) Your Whippet Is Bored

Whippets are a dog breed that need more stimulation than most. This can lead them to becoming bored more often than you’d think.

If you are relaxing on the couch and your whippet is whining at you they could be bored.

Dogs can become bored with the toys and things fairly quickly so keep this in mind.

It’s usually best to curb boredom by stimulating your dog by playing with them.

Toys will not always fix their boredom; they need a combination of time with you and solo play time.

11) Your Whippets Jealous Or Frustrated

Just like humans get jealous, whippets may get this way as well. If they see another dog getting love and attention from their owner this may cause whining.

Maybe they see you with another human and this makes them jealous also.

There are a number of ways some dogs may become jealous.

Similarly to jealousy, when a whippet is frustrated about something they may whine as well.

For example, if you are restricting your dog from greeting someone they want to say hello to, they may whine in frustration. 

5 Ways To Get Your Whippet To Stop Whining

1) Give The Cold Shoulder

It’s tough to ignore our adorable furry family members, however, it’s important for their overall development as a well behaved pup.

If you always give your dog attention when they whine this reinforces the behavior for them to whine at you.

This is why it’s important to ignore them.

For example, when crate training a whippet, there will be a phase of constant whining that you must ignore.

If you do not, your whippet will always cry when in the crate.

Once your whippet stops whining, then and only then should you give them attention.

There are always exceptions to this rule like if they get hurt or need to potty.

Important reasons for their whining should not be ignored. Just make sure for the majority of their whining, you only give them attention once they are silent.

2) Teach Them “Quiet”

Whenever training a whippet you’ll want to have commands you use to indicate what you want them to do.

If your whippet is whining, say a command like “quiet” then wait for them to be silent.

As soon as they are silent, reward them.

When you can train them what “quiet” means they’ll quickly learn when whining is okay and when it’s not.

3) Reduce Emotions From Greetings & Goodbyes

Greetings and goodbyes can be common events that may make a dog whine with excitement & sadness.

This up and down of emotions makes things far worse for our pups when trying to control them.

When you have a predictable ‘I’m about to leave’ routine and you make your pup feel extra special when you come home, this can cause your pup to feel extreme emotions.

In order to help with this you can start to make leaving and coming home less of a big deal.

First, try not to get crazy excited when you come home, and not overly sad when you have to leave.

When you get home, walk in the door, hang up your jacket, go to the washroom, change, and then look to give your whippet love and affection.

Avoid immediately getting home and drowning them in love.

Vice versa when you leave, try to make it more unexpected, give them a kiss, say bye, and head out.

All the extra stuff you do when you say goodbye makes it more sad for them.

Overall, reducing the emotions of leaving and returning home can help to reduce their whining and crying.

4)  Build Your Whippets Confidence

If you can identify what is causing your whippets whining, desensitizing them to it may help.

If you know your whippet whines in fear of other dogs or people, introducing them to more people and dogs can help.

Increasing their social skills can help in more areas than one.

The more experience in different situations the more confident they will become.

This will in turn reduce any whining from fear related things simply because they are more confident.

Timid and shy whippets that whine will see tremendous improvement from simply building their confidence.

5) Get Your Vets Help

If you still are unsure why your whippet is crying and nothing seems to be helping reduce the behavior, it’s always best to check with your vet.

There might be something medical going on that is unnoticeable.  

If your whippet randomly started whining more then usual and there is no obvious reason, check in with the professionals. 

[Nothing brings peace of mind quite like speaking with a vet – click here to chat with a vet online now]

Why Do Whippets Cry At Night?

Whippets cry at night primarily because of a lack of training. They may have learned they can whine to get their way. In addition, whippets whine at night due to boredom, anxiety, needing to potty, or from pain. Whippets also cry at night because they are cold and want to cuddle up with you. 

Other posts you may find interesting:

11 Reasons Why Whippets Bark So Much + 7 Tips To Stop It

14 Reasons Whippets Shake, Shiver & Tremble (Check #5)

9 Reasons Why Your Whippet Is Always Nervous + 3 Tips

Citations

Reasons Why Your Dog Whines and How to Stop It
Why Is My Dog Whining?
5 Reasons Your Dog Is Whining
Smarter Than You Think: Renowned Canine Researcher Puts Dogs’ Intelligence on Par with 2-Year-Old Human
Long-term stress levels are synchronized in dogs and their owners
Dogs Smell Your Emotional State and It Affects Their Mood