I have a 5 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback, he sleeps downstairs with a stair gate closed. He settles at night when we go to bed, but starts to whine at about half six in the morning. He settles again after a little attention or is let up stairs. Its not as if he needs to be let out as we have a dog flap which he uses quite willingly. He also whines throughout the day for no apparent reason as he's regularly walked and played with. The whinning is getting a bit annoying now as I would love an occasional lie in. Has anybody got any advise.

As long as he has no physical problems you might be better off ignoring him when he makes the whining noise and praise him when he is lying down quietly.

Melody

He is training you to do what he wants when he wants it. He has worked out that when he whines someone comes and pays him attention and so this is why he is doing it - clever pup!
This pattern is set to continue and if you really don't want it to then you can start by being in control of when the pup gets his walks and play - and that is NOT when he whines for it. Totally ignore him when he starts - don't speak to him or try and get him to be quiet. Don't even try to distract him just ignore!
Only pay him attention when he is in a quiet moment. I don't mean wake him up when he is sleeping but when he is not whining. This will teach him that he is not in control of your movements and his play. He already knows that his walks and his play/attention comes from you, but must learn that whining will not make them happen any faster.
This won't happen overnight but persevere and the penny should drop.
Bet he's gorgeous :)

I do so love to hear that other people have the same problems as me! My 18 month old dobe is always doing this behind his dog gate - it's purely an attention seeking thing, I can assure you. I've got two dogs and yet I find the dobe will whine when he thinks it is:
a) time to go for a walk
b) time to be let out for a wee
c) time to be fed
d) time to allowed into the lounge to play
e) bored of beating up the beagle and fancies a fight with me instead
f) sees my cats getting attention
g) hears a dog passing outside
h) can't think of anything better to do

And that's nothing in comparison to the racket he makes in the car when we're off for a walk! He'll happily whine away, gradually getting noisier and noisier, practically singing along with the radio!

My vet tells me there's all sorts of ways to train them out of this but apparently, removing the voice box just isn't acceptable these days! He obviously doesn't understand - I offered him good money, he just muttered something about ringing the RSPCA...

Good luck!

Lady G

Hi
We have the same problem with Amber, our 13 week Yellow Lab, but unfortunately, we give in! OK, I know we're not supposed to, but we do so as to make sure she doesn't wake up the boys.
We don't go straight down to her, but if we let her carry on, she ends up barking instead of whining.
Not much help am I! LOL
Lisa

As we have found out to our cost ...DON'T GIVE IN! :) Really ..do NOT give in ..let her bark ...just ignore her completely until she shuts up . Otherwise you will end up with a 1 year old making three times as much noise and NOT stopping ;)

Melody

Mel, I can deal with this in dogs but how do you deal with it in cats?

Sharon,
You do exactly what they want very quickly. You can establish ground rules with a dog, you come to an understanding with cats.
Anne ;-)

Anne, thanks but its mostly food Sunny yells for and she is becoming a complete butterball. I haven't looked at her since lunch time because if she bursts I don't want to see it happen ! Any ideas ?

Sharon,
Ear plugs???
Anne :-)

Do I get the feeling that you aren't taking my Fat Cat problem seriously Ann :D?

Water pistol works Sharon ;)

Trust me on this :D

Mel

Sorry Sharon, my Cali was like this would have eaten all day, never gave in, but that didn't stop him trying. I don't think cats can be trained like a dog. Lot of help aren't I
Anne ;-)

But can they be dieted Ann? I'm ashamed of my ignorance on felines but its making me more humble about the 'uninformed' dog questions here.

Yes, well I think so, but I don't know that much in depth about cats except that they are true carnivores and need meat. Why not find a cat forum/ list and see what they say. I know what you mean about being "uninformed", I never really thought much about my cats and they both lived into their teens so can't have done too much wrong. Dumb luck maybe :-D
Anne

Sharon ...have a look at This

For more info ..go to Google.com and type in Cat+Overweight+UK

HTH

Melody

did you know that there is a google.co.uk? I didn't until a few weeks ago.

Helen

"Butterball"????
Sure she's not pregnant? :O :P :D

Sara, quite sure :).

I have had quite a good chuckle at all the comments - yes - I've got one as well!!!!

If I ignore it she climbs up on the window ledge walks along to the cat's perch (which is about 3' 6" high and about 18" square) and sits on it so that she can look over the gate to see whats going on!! By the way she is a golden retriever a bit big.

Ignore it and when you do go down don't make a fuss walk right past him and don't speak otherwise he thinks he has won.