My 2 year old lab is driving me insane!!! For the past couple of weeks, he's been following me around all day long, whining. I go to the laundry room, he follows, watches me put the clothes in, and whines. I go to the washroom or have a bath, he comes with me and whines. I go to the kitchen to cook, he whines. I watch TV, he whines. He's sitting here by the computer with me right now, and was whining until I told him to be quiet and lay down...

He wasn't quite so bad when we had company over the holidays, but now that it's just me, the cat and him in the house all day he is insufferable!! He has a doggy door, and so he can go outside to the back yard whenever he wants. He gets a big hour-long run in the dog park with me, first thing in the morning, every morning. Sometimes he gets a second walk during the day, if the weather is nice and I feel like it. He also gets to come to the studio with me when I'm working. And he gets another long walk with my fiance later on in the evening.

I took him to the vet on Monday for a checkup and mentioned the whining, but the vet said he's fine and that I should just tell him to be quiet. I do tell him to be quiet, but he still does it. Interestingly enough, he only whines at me, not my fiance or anyone else. Someone said in another thread (I think it was labman) that dogs know you're pregnant, and I am 13 weeks pregnant right now. Could this be why he's whining? Ugh I hope I don't have to put up with this for the next 6 months!!

Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

labman

I don't know how they know, but they do. Hormones, emotions, etc.? It is possible as the novelty wears off, he will settle down. For now, the upraised hand in front of his face and ''His name, quiet!'' may be the best you can do. If you and your finance are not firmly established as top dogs, you have 26 weeks to obedience train him. As I keep saying: The dogs see all the
people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in
the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members
outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by
reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class
or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with
a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/.

If you have the right relationship with him, he should take a big brother attitude to the baby. Of course, you wouldn't leave a 2 year old big brother alone with the baby either. Eventually, they should be great pals.

orange

Thanks so much labman. Ugh I was afraid it was the pregnancy. I start obedience training with him next week, so hopefully that will help some!

mrs.pennell

If you are looking for an excellent book about understanding dogs, I recommend "How to Speak Dog" by Dr. Stanley Coren. I found it very informative.

labman

When does the heartbeat start? Could the dogs be hearing it?

orange

My midwife told me that you can start hearing the heartbeat at 8-10 weeks. I am 14 weeks now, so it's possibility that he could hear it, given that dogs have so much keener hearing than humans. He might also be sensing my body changes, though. Dogs smell things better than humans too, right? And pregnant women give off different pheromones than regular women do. I'm also stressed a bit, worrying about losing the baby, so he could be sensing my emotional state.

Tulka2

Dogs often do not put it together that whinning is voluntary. It's like hic-ups or sneezing as far as the dogs are concerned. When the dogs feel a certain way "whinning happens". The dogs do not understand they could be in control. In such cases just saying "Be quiet" doesn't work because the bad vibe just makes the dog more anxious.

Before you even think about the whinning...? Ask yourself these questions: Is my dog on a regular exercise routine? Do we go at the same times every day? A two year-old lab has a tremendous amount of energy. Don't even think about the whinning. Just get the dog on a regular twice a day work-out, ignore the whinning (esp. do not make eye-contact) and i pretty much promise the dog will not be whinning in two weeks.