# Excessive whining, please help!



## Tongyuen (Dec 3, 2015)

Hi,

I'm a new Maltese mom, my furbabe name is TongYuen. He's a cute, active 12 weeks old puppy. I picked him up from the breeder on Saturday. He loves sitting on my lap and I love him to pieces :wub: But oh boy he is a whiner! He whines as soon as I put him in his play pen, even when I'm in the room with him, he does settle down in about 10-20 mins, but as soon as I step out of the room, he whines and howls again for a good 30-45 mins. I put a Kong down filled with his kibbles and peanut butter when I left the room but he doesn't pay any attention to that at all and whines as soon as I'm out of sight...what should I do to curb his whining? It breaks my heart to hear him like that.:smilie_tischkante: Any advise is much appreciated!


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## Bulina (Jun 18, 2015)

Tongyuen said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm a new Maltese mom, my furbabe name is TongYuen. He's a cute, active 12 weeks old puppy. I picked him up from the breeder on Saturday. He loves sitting on my lap and I love him to pieces :wub: But oh boy he is a whiner! He whines as soon as I put him in his play pen, even when I'm in the room with him, he does settle down in about 10-20 mins, but as soon as I step out of the room, he whines and howls again for a good 30-45 mins. I put a Kong down filled with his kibbles and peanut butter when I left the room but he doesn't pay any attention to that at all and whines as soon as I'm out of sight...what should I do to curb his whining? It breaks my heart to hear him like that.:smilie_tischkante: Any advise is much appreciated!


This is what my maltese did as a puppy! Whenever I left the house or was out of sight she would whine. I learned the hard way that we should just let them figure it out on their own, of course always making it a good experience and not something terrifying.

I wasn't working the first 2 months when I got her and she was used to me being around all the time. Then, I started working (8 hours/day) and it was a big change for her. The first week she whined at the door whenever I left but after a week or so, she learned that I always come back and she doesn't whine anymore. Soo, she figured this out on her own. 

If you need to be out of sight let him whine and come back only when he is calm as this will teach him with time (don't expect immediate result) that when he's calm you will come back. He is still veery young so don't expect for him to be the perfect puppy because changes happen overtime and with patience. Just try to enjoy the time while he's a puppy because they grow so fast you won't even remember them ever being that tiny...

Just toughen up and enjoy your baby <3


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## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

Congrats on your new addition. That is VERY normal behavior for a puppy!  Do a search on separation anxiety on the forum...lots of great training tips here. Good luck and hope you post some pics!


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## Tongyuen (Dec 3, 2015)

Thanks for the advise! Knowing this is normal helps. Really doesn't want this to become separation anxiety! He settles after 20mins or so but starts again if he hears any noise. Hopes he'll grow out of it!


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## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

I'd recommend watching this video: http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/54-maltese-training/226137-helping-your-dog-separation-anxiety.html

It's a good idea to start this type of training with me now so he doesn't develop any further separation anxiety. Like I said, this is totally normal for puppies...and you just got him, so he's just getting used to you and your home. Once he settles in and gets used to your routine, it will get better!! Best of luck with him!


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## Miyuki1.. (Dec 30, 2015)

Hi! Congrats on your new pup! You can try to leave him alone for short periods of time at first, which I read somewhere and it worked! We left her for a few minutes, came back to let her know someone will always come back after they leave, then gradually 5mins, 10mins, half an hour. Good luck!


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## Tongyuen (Dec 3, 2015)

I started the separation anxiety training with him for 2 days and the conditional seems to have gotten worse  he did fine during the training but, he whined for 3 hours this morning when we're in the room with him. I know 2 days is still too early to tell, but I'm a little discouraged that the situation seems to have gotten worse :'(


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## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

I'm no expert but was he confined and whining while you were in the same room? Why not play with him for short periods or longer to tire him out ? or say if you are working on a computer move him close to you? not sure, but he is young, so I am guessing that some hard playing will tire him, then you can go about doing work etc.


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## Tongyuen (Dec 3, 2015)

Thanks Brenda. I did play with him for an hour before putting him into the pen. Maybe that's not enough for his energy level. He's confined to the pen while we sit on the couch that's 5 steps away while we work on the computer. He still whined for 3 hours. I love that he loves us but do want to teach him that he doesn't need to be on our lap all the time.

Thanks again for all the advise. Please keep them coming


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Tongyuen said:


> I started the separation anxiety training with him for 2 days and the conditional seems to have gotten worse  he did fine during the training but, he whined for 3 hours this morning when we're in the room with him. I know 2 days is still too early to tell, but I'm a little discouraged that the situation seems to have gotten worse :'(


Congrats on your puppy!
Tongyuen needs to learn to trust you. I would recommend not making a big deal when leaving and start at one minute intervals for training. Leave and then return in one minute. Do not make eye contact when you return into the room and only acknowledge him when he is quiet. Add a minute or two each day. You will be surprised...in a month he will have learned to trust you and trust that you will return home.
This worked great for my malt Lacie who literally would self mutilate herself when I left. She would chew her body until she bled. 
It takes lots of patience and training but in time your fluff will be fine.


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## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

Tongyuen said:


> Thanks Brenda. I did play with him for an hour before putting him into the pen. Maybe that's not enough for his energy level. He's confined to the pen while we sit on the couch that's 5 steps away while we work on the computer. He still whined for 3 hours. I love that he loves us but do want to teach him that he doesn't need to be on our lap all the time.
> 
> Thanks again for all the advise. Please keep them coming



Maybe he needs breaks to play even while you are working. That's how it goes when they are this young, especially if they are in the same room they want a lot of attention. Can he be confined to an area rather than a pen? I understand what you are saying though because my dog would not stay confined in the kitchen (out of sight of me but he could still hear me, he would whine or bark). If he could run up and down the hall and still see you would that be better? Putting a gate on the hall? I have a feeling that playing with another pup would really tire him out but that is not usually possible as a daily routine.


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## Smtf773 (Apr 8, 2015)

I must say I never really had Edward in his kennel very much during the day while I was home unless he appeared super tired or I couldn't keep a keen eye on him. Normally when I was working on the computer I switched to the kitchen so he could roam around and play. I put his kennel in the kitchen so when he was tired he would sleep there with it open. Then he would associate good things with his kennel. I also fed him in his kennel. When it was time to go to bed I brought it upstairs and he slept by the bed in it. He cried the first few nights but after we got in a routine he was all good! Then as he got older he slept on my pillow lol

So make sure puppy knows good things happen around the kennel.


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## Tongyuen (Dec 3, 2015)

Smtf773 said:


> I must say I never really had Edward in his kennel very much during the day while I was home unless he appeared super tired or I couldn't keep a keen eye on him. Normally when I was working on the computer I switched to the kitchen so he could roam around and play. I put his kennel in the kitchen so when he was tired he would sleep there with it open. Then he would associate good things with his kennel. I also fed him in his kennel. When it was time to go to bed I brought it upstairs and he slept by the bed in it. He cried the first few nights but after we got in a routine he was all good! Then as he got older he slept on my pillow lol
> 
> So make sure puppy knows good things happen around the kennel.


Thanks Stacy. I put him into the pen only when I can't keep an eye on him as he's not house broken yet, where I have his crate, pee pad, water and toys. I'm training him to go on pee pad as he still hasn't had all the shots and the vet does not recommend him going out even in our own backyard since our area do have raccoons. I leave the pen open and let him roam in the room when I can watch him like a hawk and only put him in when I can't. And trust me the one second that I'm not watching him, he'd pee/poop on the floor...that's why I put him in the pen, and I sit right across his pen where he could see me, but he still cries and barks. I fear that this is an extreme case of separation anxiety...I'm lost as to what I can do...Should I just let him cry it out? Will he get better as he gets older?


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