Only recently, late at night, my dog has been whining. She isn't a puppy and she only does it when there is a bone in her mouth. She sleeps in my bed, so she'll eat her bone in there. She'll look at the bed with the bone in her mouth and whine very softly. I give her plenty of attention and she doesn't do this durning the day, so I'm not really worried about what it is, just curious. She's always had a habit of hiding her bones in my blankets and I think that may have something to do with it. I just don't know how to help her.
2007-07-12 05:53:42 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
Hi Jesse, for some reason, dogs have a natural desire to bury their bones - probably to store it for harder times that may lie ahead. The whining is the dog letting you now that it wants to bury the bone - sadly, hiding the bone is a poor alternative that the dog accepts grudgingly.
2007-07-16 05:22:29 · answer #1 · answered by Scoundy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There can be several issues.
You did not mention the dog's age. If she is older, jumping on the bed, seeing in the dim night light, sleeping next to you, etc., can suddenly be problematic. Arthritis, weaker bladder, and poor vision can hinder her. So you may have to be more gentle (lifting her onto the bed, for example).
Also, check your blankets? Is there a bone "buried" in there somewhere? She could be whining for that.
Are there other dogs or animals in the house? Do you ever take the bone away from her? If so, she could be whining fearing the bone will be removed.
But most likely, she wants to "bury" the bone somewhere. See if you can create a game where you hide her bone and she has to find it. There are many ways to teach her this game - including having her sit, scattering pieces of treats around the room and having her find them. Make some obvious, so she gets the game and then keep encouraging her to find the treats. Also, create folds in your bed for her to "bury" the bone in. You may also want to take her outside (in a yard or dog park or even for a walk) while she has her bone. This may allow her to have the sense of showing off her "toy" or even burying it if she wants.
The last alternative is to simply not give her a treat at night. Let her sleep on your bed and that's that (this is what I do).
Good luck!
2007-07-12 13:16:07 · answer #2 · answered by doctoru2 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe she has hidden a bone in your blanket and if you moved it she still smells it and thinks that it is still there.
Also If she is getting older (which my dog does this) at night she might not be able to see well and is whining because (1) she has to go to the bathroom and cannot see or (2) she is trying to get back onto the bed and can not make out the depth perception enough to time the jump just right.
Have your vet check her eyes and make sure that she is not getting cataracts to early in like, this could throw her vision off a bit.
2007-07-12 13:05:00 · answer #3 · answered by Apachejohn 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe your dog is whining because she wants to find a place to hide the bone, but she's stressed out because she's unable to find a good hiding place. Help her out. Put it somewhere that will have your scent, but at the same time, she'll find it the easier way instead of whining.
2007-07-12 13:02:04 · answer #4 · answered by ✩♥EE-LAY-NA♥✩ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my dog does this all the time, and he's almost 11! i think it's just because they like to bury things, and dont like it when there's no where to bury it. my dog will trot around the house from room to room, whining like a sick puppy with a bone in his mouth. when i let him outside, he goes under the porch and stops whining, just sits there with his bone between his two front paws, guarding his treasure. its so funny to watch him growl at the cat who walks by innocently, or the other dog that tries to steal it from him. once the other pets become disinterested, he finally eats it and puts it out of its misery. i think its just a funny quirk in some dogs, and maybe its just the way they are.
2007-07-12 13:04:26 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe she has cancer ( scary thought) of the mouth. I wouldnt be worried though, there would be signs like reduced appetite. She might also have arthritis (dogs can get too) and it hurts to chew. Arthritis does sometimes change with the weather. Anyways she might just have a loose tooth. My dog used to all the time. Just take her to the vet. GL
2007-07-12 13:12:23 · answer #6 · answered by Ben 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try not giving her a bone, I hope you mean a dog biscuit? Maybe if she is older her teeth bother her and she hurts when she eats the biscuit? Check her teeth. Maybe she has problems jumping on the bed?
2007-07-12 13:04:31 · answer #7 · answered by ginbark 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe she likes to hide her bones and she is whinning cause she cannot find a place to hide it . good luck .
2007-07-12 12:58:09 · answer #8 · answered by Kate T. 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋