Border collies don’t make many different sounds, but they all mean something. If your dog is whining, then he must be in need of something, whining for attention or because he misses you or some other pet that maybe died or ran away from home. Whining is considered a major problem by dog owners. This is mainly because stopping him is one of the hardest things to do when it comes to training a dog. Training can be effective if started early, but older dogs can also be trained on this subject. To deal with a border collie whining problem, the first thing you need to do is understand the reason for the whining. Once this mystery is cleared up, more can be done to fix the problem.
Dogs whine because they want to show what is bothering them. Just like people cry, border collies moan. They might try to say that they are upset, in pain, or perhaps scared. Usually this is a behavioral response to feeling upset or abandoned by the pack. However, since your border collie has probably never been part of a pack, hasn’t whined before, and suddenly started doing this, he’s probably sick, hurt, or upset about something you’ve done. If you notice that your dog is hurt in any way and isn’t acting like he used to, take him to the vet, and the whining will stop as soon as his health problem is resolved. However, if you see your border collie whining even when he’s not hurt, then his problem must be related to a sense of abandonment or fear, in which case the whining works as a rescue alarm. Don’t punish him to curb his behavior, as this will only add to his anxious feelings. In return, try to train both him and yourself. This will have a greater effect than punishment could have.
Whining can also occur in cases where the border collie is not looking at you. If this is the case, teach him to accept short periods of time with you away. Increase these periods of time until your dog gets used to the idea that he will occasionally be home alone. Begin this training procedure by accustoming the dog to the area where it will be left alone. After playing with him, leave him alone for a few moments to see how he reacts. If he starts whining, this sound will probably hurt you. Therefore, this is a great challenge for you too. Do not enter the room again under any circumstances, because if you do your dog will watch how he can emotionally blackmail you, and his whining will never stop.
You have to work hard not only where your beloved border collie is concerned, but also where it concerns you. When training the dog, if the whining does not stop within a few minutes, then you should go into the room in which you left it. This way you will let him know that you are the boss and that you will return when you want and not when he asks you to. If he still whines even after you’ve returned to the room, you should keep playing with him some more until he stops. After a couple of times of doing this, you will notice how the whining subsides. If not, look directly into your border collie’s eyes and say a straight “no.” Praise him if he listens to you and continue the process until the whining stops for good. However, if the whining happens when you’re in the house with him, it means he’s looking for attention or because he wants to play.