I generally get home from work about 10am (I leave at 5.30am), my dobe is at home with my husband.  When I get in I generally have a cup of tea and a sit down.  Then I feed my dobe, sometimes I do a bit of housework, washing etc.  Then when I am ready we go for a walk - generally we walk about 4 miles or thereabouts.  Whenever we have been out and then come into the house my dobe immediately starts whining!  I went away for a few days the other week and my dobe stayed at home with my husband and my husband said he drove him mad - whining and whinging.  I have done the ignorning etc.  When I sit down in the evening in the front room with my husband and boys, he then brings his blanket in, or he picks up his bed off the front room floor and throws it around.  Also I have two pictures on stands in my fireplace, and he will go over and knock them over.  He is 5 1/2 now, but he seems to be getting worse!!!

sounds like a lot of attention seeking to me. my boxer will do it sometimes when he's bored.
could you split his walks up so he gets out the house more and do more training type exercise so he uses his brain. this will use a lot more energy than just running around.
i would also start to first ignore the whining but if it continues then remove him from the room but say nothing. try putting him to bed until he's calm and then let him out again but say nothing.
to be honest any attention he gets from you when he whines be it you telling him off or being nice is all he's after.
changing his routine may also help, if you go walking at about the same time each day and he knows whats happening he may get bored so maybe throw a spanner in the works and get your husband to walk him in the morning and then you walk him in the evening.
i'd also try getting some new toys ie kong or bone, something to distract him and break the whining habbit.

Thank you for your reply.  I have done all these things.  I am around most of the time, he is probably left for about an hour a day when I go shopping.  I wonder if that is the problem, that I am around too much.   During the day I do a bit of training with him, I also hide a toy and he will find it, but to be honest he would have you play and have your attention all day, and fuss around him.  My husband did start occasionally walking him, but my dobe will still whine around me as if waiting to go out.  I was also told not to take him out for a few days - I tried that, my husband took him but he was still the same.  I couldn't walk him for a week this year (I had to rest for a week), my husband took him out.  I have tried taking him out at different times.  He is now 5 1/2, and I have tried lots of things with him.  I have also tried splitting up his walking.  My husband generally takes him for a quick walk late at night.  How much time do you generally think you should spend to try and alleviate this? 

i don't think you can judge time on this but will just have to try and give him plenty of brain work as well as walks.
it may be worth finding a good training class for older dogs so you can build up his confidence to be calm and not demand attention, also this will tire him out.
if you get good control over him he should learn to listen to you when he's told to be quiet or go to his bed and leave you alone.
i would also try not to give too much attention to him but make it more on your terms but you need to be consistant so he learns that there's no point bothering you unless he asked to. sounds a bit harsh but it works with my boxer as he gets really silly if he has too much attention and by that i don't mean he's ignored all the time, he still gets walks, played with etc but i want let him push me when i'm sat down as he'll not settle.
to be honest i think it's like children, if you respond every time they keep whining at you they now that eventually you will give in. so you must stick to your guns and if you say no then thats what you mean.
at this age it will take longer as it's become habit but that doesn't mean you can't sort it out and yes i would start leaving him a bit more for short amounts of time and ignoring before you go out and when you come back until he's calm and then you can call him and give attention.

I don't know if this could help or not; but, could you try training him to be quiet and/or alone in 'baby steps'?  Perhaps if you treat it as a new game, trick or whatever but especially as a super new thing to do with lots of praise etc, he may start to respond.  It is better, I think, if you choose one small goal to achieve and ignore all else - it could totally drive you mad otherwise.  Perhaps, keep him on the lead for a few moments when you get back from your walk.  Mybe think of your attitude too.  Are you thinking 'I've just taken you out so can't you be quiet for a little while?'  or 'I've got to ; get tea ready; pick the kids up; do the washing ..some such [been there done that]
I also know, through children and dogs and cats and students and rabbits and partners and horses and family .. that it can be so much easier to deal with situations as they arise, rather than planning  ahead and choosing which behaviours to deal with; but planning and dealing with one small issue at a time can really work and it won't be long before you're seeing a real difference in all your interactions.  For the significant other [in this case your dog] even negative attention is a reward - they love you to bits and so want your attention - no matter what form it takes.  Don't forget some 'me time' too.   We often get so bogged down with looking after all our commitments that we forget ourselves and this can lead to frustration and, eventually, inability to cope with all the demands on us,; mentally, physically and emotionally.