Top 5 Reasons Why Your Labrador Whines

You would probably ask why your Labrador Retriever whines in random situations or even oftentimes. Well, for starters, dogs’ actions speak louder as this is a way for them to communicate with others, may it be with you as their owner or even with their fellows.

There are always multiple reasons behind their every action. And for sure, there are several different reasons as to why your Labrador Retriever whines.

If your Lab whines a lot, you can actually train them to whine less; however, how you do that usually depends on the reason as to why they do. Through this article, we will be discussing the top five reasons why Labs whine.

This is a great help for owners to understand why their dogs do so and the possible ways to help them with whatever they are trying to communicate with us.

But Why Do Labrador Whine?

Knowing the basics, dogs whine to communicate with their owners and at the same time with their fellows. Remember that barking and whining are actually two ways of vocalization that dogs use most often.

This is mainly because these two are both very effective when it comes to getting someone their attention and are very challenging to ignore. However, whining entails different reasons why dogs are doing them. Here are the top five reasons as to why you Labrador Retrievers and all dogs whines.

1. Your dog is experiencing pain.

Are you aware that dogs can pretend that they are not in pain? Dogs can conceal an awful feeling of pain and discomfort.

Remembering their great ancestors, showing vulnerability back then would be very bad for your survival as others may deem you weak and target you as their prey. So their canine ancestors need to pretend that they are not hurting for the sake of survival.

This trait was somehow inherited by modern dogs today, so looking after your fur baby for signs of pain can help them deal with this stressful feeling.

However, they might whine to show how intense the pain has become if they experience a severe injury or a chronic health issue that is too much to deal with. If your dog continuously whines without you knowing the reason why, coordinate with your local vet immediately to resolve the root cause of whining.

2. Your dog is very much excited to greet you.

Some dogs can’t contain the hype and excitement that they feel, and they whine as a result. It can be because of meeting other people or their fellows.

They are basically just really excited to say hello and enthusiastic in meeting others that they release noises. Imagine the feeling of being able to meet someone that you have longed for or meeting someone that you had an exceptional bond with for a long time.

Seeing them would immediately boost your energy, and sometimes because you can’t contain the feeling, you’d rush over the person with little screams and welcome them. The same goes for dogs; it’s like finding your other pack members after being a lone wolf.

You can usually observe this type of whining when your Lab sees a friend, fellow, or someone they had a special bond with.

When they finally see their friend, you can see their tails wagging nonstop, jumping because of the overwhelming excitement, and of course, the whining that screams how they missed the person or the fellow or them trying to say how glad they are to see them.

3. Your dog wants to keep peace.

On the other hand, you would often see how dogs whine during their social encounters with others. This is because they may perceive the other party, whether they are their fellows or not, as a potential threat to them, their territory, or you.

This type of whining is also called appeasement whining. During these situations, appeasement whining is a way for your dogs to say that they will not cause any trouble.

Usually, dogs use this type of whining if they lack confidence and get intimidated by their other party. Apart from wanting to protect whatever they want to protect, these dogs usually want to keep the peace and not fight with someone. While dogs can be stubborn and confident at times, they know when to keep the peace and make the situation lighter.

4. Your dog wants attention.

We know that whining and barking are two ways dogs try to communicate with their owners or their fellows because, for one, it is very challenging to ignore.

A dog whining is very similar to a baby crying that we are universally programmed to respond to immediately. Once our dog whines, we instinctively look into the source of the whining, and even when we try our best to ignore them for a while, there will eventually come a time that we would give up and give our attention.

Giving attention to our Labs when they whine is a very powerful enforcer. Whatever is inside their mind when the first time they whine, and we give our attention instantly, they would eventually use the same behavior to get our attention once they find themselves in the same situation.

Of course, it is safe to say that it is not bad for dogs to want our attention every now and then. At the end of the day, our dogs have different needs that we ought to meet.

5. Your dog may be anxious, worried, and afraid.

Finally, the very common reason why Labrador Retrievers whine is to communicate what they are feeling. Dogs that whine may feel very stressed, distressed, anxious, worried, and afraid.

A very classic example that triggers this behavior is when dogs suffer from separation anxiety. Their excessive vocalization, such as whining, barking, and howling, are the most common signs of separation anxiety. Bear in mind that not all dogs who whine when their owners leave them suffer from separation anxiety but yes, most dogs with separation anxiety do whine.

To know the difference, observe for other signs that your Lab is experiencing abnormal discomfort and distress whenever you leave them. They may be pacing and panting as you prepare to leave.

The key to knowing and understanding what your Labrador Retriever or any dog is trying to communicate with you through their whining is to be very mindful of their body language as well.