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Why is my new dog whining?

Hi! I have a feeling I’m just being paranoid and overly worried, but I’d love some advice. My husband and I just adopted Zelda (3 year old Shepherd mix) from our local SPCA on 1/20/19. She joins Tyrion (6 year old French Bulldog mix) and Barkley (10 year old Chihuahua/Pomeranian). Tyrion and Barkley are used to having a third dog in the house as we recently lost Arwen, our beloved 11 year old husky/lab mix, to cancer.

The trio seems to be getting on great! They first met at the SPCA, then in a neutral spot near our house, then we walked everyone around the yard and outside of our house, before walking everyone around the whole inside of the house. There have been a few growls/snarls initiated by Tyrion and returned by Zelda, typically regarding dropped food that they each go for. Otherwise the 3 run around together, lay on the couch together, and sleep on our bed together.

Yesterday, however, it seemed like Zelda’s anxiety seemed to kick in. If everyone (all 3 dogs, plus my husband and me) isn’t all laying in the same room, Zelda whines. She particularly follows Barkley around and gets very concerned when he wants to do his own things. She'll search for him in each room, smelling his booty when she finds him. If one of them jumps off our bed in the middle of the night, Zelda whines until they come back and get settled.

Is this just her herding nature or anxiety from all the recent changes she has endured? Is it normal for her to be primarily fixated on one dog? We want her to be happy, and I just hate seeing her stressed when everyone isn’t together. How can we make her feel more confident that it’s okay if the pack is separated? I know she’s gone through a lot lately, and I’m sure she’s confused and missing her old home, but how do we help her through this? Thanks so much for any advice!

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My dog has alot of energy and whines when she's bored. So besides walks we make time for thtowing tennis balls to wear her out. Even with other dogs in the house Zelda may not be getting enough exercise. Good luck, and thank you for rescuing.

4 Answers

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Adopted dogs can take several weeks before they consider you family and their new home, home. The pup may have gone through a lot of tramma before landing at the shelter and their living situation constanly changing over a short period of time. Love, patience and a little time to allow the pup to transition.

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Your dog may whine because he wants something or because he is excited. He may whine because he is apprehensive or anxious about something. A dog who is showing appeasement behavior may whine as part of his interaction with other dogs or people.

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Definitely ditto what Walt said! You could also look at finding a behaviorist if after a couple of months the whining continues. You can also talk to your vet as they often have great insight (my dog suffered from anxiety and depression when he was left alone so I understand how heartbreaking it can feel). You can also try natural anti-anxiety treats or OTC medications (I prefer to use essential oils and natural herbs like Valerian in small doses and there are quite a few natural calming aids) or even a thunder vest. But like Walt said, it will likely take some time for her to settle in to her new home, so just be patient. Good luck!

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Best thing to do is ignore the dog and relax. Your anxiousness transmits to the dog. Big adjustment shes settling down into a new pack of 6

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Agreed! It'll take time, and your anxiety/concern is picked up by them. Lots of exercise, basic training, and some structure should help too. I find that placing helps a lot with anxiety and teaches even the neediest dogs how to relax when not everyone is there.