Beagle Puppy Whining: Solved

Owning a Beagle puppy can be a wonderful thing; they’re beautiful and affectionate companions … and then they start to whine.

Beagles are highly sociable dogs, a reason why they are great with other pets and children in the house. But that comes at a cost – they can often feel strongly about being with you at all times. And when they’re not, out comes the crying, and howling, and whining.

Beagles are known to be very vocal, and their name most likely comes from the French word, beguile, translating to open throat.

Unlike a lot of dogs, Beagles are able to make an array of noises. And as puppies this is when they learn what noises get them what they need. They’re experimenting and if they realize that their whine is what gets the attention, then you might be stuck with it for a long time.

But fear not Beagle puppy owner! This article will help you get your Beagle puppy back on the right track when it comes to their voice box.

How to Stop Beagle Puppies from Whining

To stop a beagle crying and whining, use the “ignore” technique. Beagles will continue to whine as long as you are reacting to it.

You will need patience and to remain calm as you work through this nuisance whining period.

It’s understandable and completely normal that when you’re trying to sleep, and your pup just won’t stop crying, that you can become frustrated. But it’s important that you take a breath and realize that yelling at them will only make the situation worse.

Why Do Beagles Whine?

For the most part, Beagles whine when they want something. Here is a list of possibilities that induce whining:

• For attention
• To play
• To go for a walk
• They’re hungry
• They need to go outside for potty
• They’re upset
• They’re sore
• They’re stressed

So, What Should You Do?

Take a lesson from other dogs. Puppies will only nuisance whine to humans. Why? Because other dogs will ignore it. Humans on the other hand can quite mistakenly react to whining or crying and once you’ve done it, then it’s hard to undo.

Starting now, completely ignore it. Use grand gestures to show your lack of interest. If your puppy is whining, do not make eye-contact. Fold your arms and obviously turn your back on them. Walk away and do something completely different.

They may follow you and whine louder or change to a new voice as they try and work out which key opens the lock, so to speak. Ignore them all until they are quiet, and then praise.

You absolutely need to reward them when they are quiet. Praise them with treats, cuddles, and happy words.

The moment they begin whining again, go back to ignoring them in the most obvious way you can. Any eye-contact will be seen as a reward to their whining.

And as soon as they are quiet again, praise them.

This part of the process is important to teaching them the correct behavior, and so seek them out when you realize they’re being quiet and well behaved.

You want them to understand that silence is what gets them attention, not whining.

But They Whine Constantly!

When it comes to whining, the difficulty is that you still need to address your puppy’s needs. So how do you address your puppy’s needs, and ignore their whining at the same time?

This is the difficulty in treating problem whining. There’s no way around it, you must see to your puppy’s needs. The important thing here is to never give in immediately to their whines.

The best way is if you can, beat them to their whining. Address their needs before they become an issue for your puppy.

Be sure to regularly take them outside for potty and play time.

Feed them before they become too hungry, or hungry at all. A supply of good behavior treats will help.

Give them cuddles and attention when they’re quiet.

If they are never quiet, then do your best to address all their needs, then repeat the “Ignore” technique. Any whining after their needs have been met must be ignored at all costs.

If they are whining because they are hungry, then attempt to distract them before feeding them.

Number one rule: Never feed your Beagle puppy during whining.

If you feed your puppy as they are whining, they will quickly learn that one leads to the other.

If you can’t find a good distraction to interrupt the whining, then you should introduce them to a rattle can.

A rattle can is a coffee tin, or empty can of Coke, which you can fill with pennies, or other metal objects.

If they are whining, but you know they need something, such as potty or a meal, then give the rattle can a good shake. It will stun them enough to stop their whining, and once it has stopped, then fulfill their needs.

Once they have eaten, and they are settled and quiet, give them lots of attention.

Why No Yelling?

Yelling will not make them stop and if it does, it’s because they’re scared of you, which will only make matters worse in the long run as they continue to whine.

If they don’t become fearful of you, then they will consider your reaction as exactly that, a reaction to their whining. Which will mean only more whining and crying and howling.

Even looking at them as you yell, “No!” while they’re whining will give them the impression that they got your attention, and to them, that would most likely be better than being ignored.

Toys

If your puppy whines because they’re bored, then it’s important that you provide them with enough dog toys and enrichment toys to keep them busy.

If you are ignoring their bored cries, then they will eventually entertain themselves. And if they do, then you should join in on play time to encourage their initiative.

Night-Time Whining

If your Beagle puppy is a night crier, then you should have them close to you, not in another room of the house. They may be experiencing separation anxiety, and this will only increase the nuisance crying.

If they’re not already crate trained, or you haven’t thought of doing it, then you definitely should give it a go. Crate training has so many advantages to your puppy and ultimately, to yourself.

If they’re close by your bed in their crate at night, and their needs have been met, then eventually they will stop crying. It might take some time, but they will learn.

This doesn’t need to be a permanent arrangement and over time you can slowly move their crate further and further away until they’re in the desired position.

Be sure to get up through the night to let your puppy relieve themselves. Ultimately you want to do this before they wake up needing to go. This is because you want to beat them to the whine.

Here is a chart on how long a puppy can hold their wee for:

Crate Training for Whining

Beagles can be difficult to crate train as they want nothing more than to be with you everywhere you go.

Be sure to take your time with the training, showing them what a wonderful place it is to be.

Here are a few things to try when crate training a Beagle puppy:

• Put a piece of your clothing in there with them
• Leave the door open during the day and place treats inside
• Have play time with your pup in and around their crate, throwing toys inside
• Feed them their meals inside the crate, right in the back corner
• Try and get them napping inside their crate through the day

A crate can go a long way in helping your puppy throughout their first year, giving them a secure place that’s their own.

If done right, when your Beagle pup is feeling anxious because you’re not around, they will go to their crate for comfort.

Teaching a Beagle Puppy to be Home Alone

You can’t always be home for your puppy. Sometimes you will need to leave them alone in the house, and your neighbors might start getting upset if your pup won’t stop whining or howling.

As you make progress with ignoring their whining, you can begin to teach them independence.

When they cry, try leaving them in a room without you, or shut yourself in another room of the house. Wait for them to be quiet, and as soon as they do, exit the room and praise them.

Repeat this step often, and for longer and longer periods of time. Only come out once they stop whining with yummy treats.

If you’re puppy is also a barker, then be sure to read our post on How to Stop Beagle Puppy Barking.

How Long Will It Take?

Depending how bad the problem is, you may never overcome the whining altogether. However, there’s no doubt that you can reduce it dramatically, if not altogether.

The secret is to be consistent with your plan of dealing with it. If you ignore the whining effectively using the advice in this article, you can see dramatic results within days.

If your pup is particularly stubborn, it can take weeks. In this instance, it’s important to have lots of patience and stick to the plan.

Final Word

It can be difficult to ignore a puppy crying and whining for you. They’re just so darn cute and you want nothing more than to be there for them.

But by following through with the techniques laid out in this article, you are giving them a better understanding of what is appropriate behavior.

And by giving them the tools to please you they will be pleasing themselves, and ultimately, they will become happier dogs for it.

If your Beagle puppy barks too much, then you should read this: How to Stop Your Beagle Puppy From Barking