Why Crying Occurs in Dogs
Your dog may cry when he is anxious or afraid of something like thunderstorms, other dogs or people, loud noises, and vacuum cleaners. In addition to crying, your dog may also show his anxiety and fear with other signs such as:
- Growling
- Flattening ears
- Backing away
- Barking
- Tucking his tail between his legs
- Lowering his head
- Panting
- Showing his teeth
- Running away
Attention
Dogs are like children; they test your boundaries constantly if you let them. If your dog figures out that whining and crying will get you to pay attention to him, he will continue to do it. For example, if you automatically pat your dog on the head and ask “what’s wrong” every time he cries, he is probably going to do that whenever he wants you to pay attention to him. If you know your dog is not in pain or sick, he may just want some attention. But you cannot continue to allow this unless you want to encourage that behavior.
Excitement
One of the most common reasons dogs whine is when they are excited. In fact, when you come home after what seems like forever to your dog (maybe only an hour or two), your dog may wag his tail and whine just to show how excited he is to see you. If this bothers you, or if he is doing it to guests when they come over as well, you should take steps to reduce this crying with obedience training.
Pain
If your dog’s crying is accompanied by other symptoms such as fever or vomiting, he may be in pain. Some of the most common causes of pain in dogs are injury, infection, intestinal blockages, bloat, and osteoarthritis. It can be from an injury or illness so it is best to take him to the veterinarian if you see any of the following symptoms:
- Limping
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Panting
- Restlessness
- Changes in behavior
- Sleeping more or less than usual
What to do if your Dog is Crying
During periods of anxiety or fear for your dog, you should speak softly and calmly, telling him it is okay. Try to remove him from the situation or distract him. Pet him and make eye contact while speaking softly to him, repeating his name several times. This is a normal occurrence when your dog is frightened or anxious, but if it becomes constant or severe, ask your veterinarian if he may need some anxiety medication.
If your dog is excited, give him the something else to focus on to get him to forget about the whining. Do not yell at him or discipline him in any way or you will reinforce the behavior.
When your dog is seeking attention, crying may be one of the easiest ways for him to get you to see him. Even if you just yell at him or tell him to be quiet, that is paying attention to him and will reinforce the behavior. Pretty soon he will be crying every time he gets bored or wants something. Your best bet is to ignore him when he does this but make sure you pay attention to him when he finally does decide to be quiet.
If you believe your dog may be in pain or sick, you should take him to see a veterinary professional as soon as possible.
Prevention of Crying
You can prevent most crying from anxiety by keeping your dog prepared for situations that you know cause him anxiety or fear. For example, if he cries from anxiety when there are thunderstorms, prepare him by keeping him busy playing a game of fetch or maybe turning the music or television up during the storm. If this does not work and the problem is severe, talk to your veterinarian about giving him a tranquilizer when storms are in the area.
Preventing your dog from crying for attention is as simple as ignoring him when he does it. Do not let him know that it bothers you. When he finally stops crying; you should praise him for being quiet.
Crying when excited is common and natural for dogs. This is how they show emotion, and as long as it is not constant or continues for a long time, you do not have to do anything to stop him.
Crying in pain is natural as well, and you need your dog to do this to let you know he needs you. It is his way of telling you he is sick or in pain.