Crying to get attention

[Ali]

My Spike is a very vocal dog. He even talks back to me when I tell him to go to his bed and he doesn't want to. That doesn't bother me, but when he's crying to get my attention, it drives me crazy. He and his sister Bunny are like my children since I don't have any kids. They are spoiled, I admit, but sometimes they are a little too wild and I need to put them in their bed for a few minutes. Like when we have company and we're eating dinner. They love to jump up at my guests at the table. This is really anoying so we put them in their bed. They have full view of us from their bed. Bunny never cries. I don't think I've ever heard her even wimper in the 8 months that we've had her. But Spike can go on for hours. We tell him "hush", but that doesn't work. We've also held his mouth shut and said "hush". We've even placed their cage in another room so he can't see us, but he just cries louder and eventually barks. This turns out to be more anoying than the jumping up! We were told to ignore him and he would eventually stop. We've tried ignoring him for long spans of time when he's like this, but we eventually give in and let him out because he's driving us insane! The worst is when he wakes up at 3 am and wants our attention. I'll take him out to do his business, but he doesn't want to go back to sleep! Sometimes he just wants our attention and he doesn't have to go to the bathroom. What do I do to make him stop crying? Ignoring and/or repremanding doesn't seem to work.

[Rusty's mom]

When he barks give him a quick spray of vinegar/water mixture and say "no bark". Dogs normally don' t like vinegar and do that every time he barks. Shouldn't take him long to stop barking.

Kathy - mom to Rusty, Duffer, Hobbs

[Ali]

I've been trying the vinegar/water spray for a couple of weeks now and it doesn't seem to be working. He just licks his mouth and continues to cry. At least five days a week Spike wakes us up around 3 am with his crying. We take him out and let him do his business, but he doesn't have to go. After being outside for 10-15 minutes, we bring him back in and put him back in his crate. A minute later he resumes his crying. He continues to cry until we have to get up for work. Ignoring him doesn't make him stop. Even shutting our bedroom door so he can't see us doesn't work. We are exhausted everyday because he doesn't let us sleep.

A dog trainer told me he's trying to challenge me to be in control. If he doesn't get his way, he cries. I admit, he and his sister are spoiled rotten, but his sister never cries about anything. She's a little angel. I've pulled him out of the cage and growled and said "No" in a very stern voice, but he goes right back to crying. He will only stop if he comes out of the crate. We can't have that if we can't monitor him constantly. He will chew the house up and he has reverted on his housebreaking (he's only 9 months old).

[Otto'sMom]

Just giving in to his every whim? It's worked for me. Maybe he really really really really wants to be with you all the time. I guess in polite society it is not good to eat with a dachshund firmly planted on your lap. (and my mother wonders why I live alone) Have you tried babying him, letting him sleep with you when he wakes up all lonely?:afraid: Give in to your doxie's demands, use one of those baby carriers so he's with you at all times. *please note that I may be under the influence of wienerdog mind control*:dizzy: :help: :nuts:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


Sorry, no real help here, just thought you could use a smile.:circle:

[Juneysmom]

Also, have you checked that his health is okay? I had a friend whose dog started crying alot at night and it turned out that he was waking up in pain.

[Ali]

Spike is in excellent health according to the vet. Everytime I bring him and his sister in for whatever reason, the people that work in the vet's office say my dogs are very well taken care of. I guess that's because they are totally pampered! The second I let Spike out of the cage he runs around and wants to play. I know he's not in any pain.

Whenever I'm not at work or asleep, the dogs are right there with me. They go almost everywhere with us. We're big on picnics now since restaurants don't allow dogs. The dogs are allowed everywhere in the house except the bed. My husband won't allow it. Besides, Spike isn't completely housebroken yet and he chews everything including his toys. I would hate to wake up in the morning to find my home a disaster area. When he wakes up and cries, it's not because he's lonely. His sister is right next to him. He just doesn't want to be behind bars. Even tons of exercise before bed doesn't work.

Is there anything I can buy to put in his crate to entertain him during the day so he won't sleep all day? It's got to be easy to clean since he frequently uses his crate as a bathroom. I've tried several things, but nothing works.

[Dapple Dandy]

You can give him a large Kong or Wolf size nylabone to play with. He'll have a difficult time destroying them and they are easily disinfected. I throw mine right in the dishwasher with a few tablespoons of bleach in the wash cycle. I use the large size toys because they last longer.

It sounds like you have them crated together. In my opinion that's a mistake, they need their own space. I don't know that it will have an effect on his whinning, but it can't hurt.

I can identify with him driving you insame. My husband's German Shorthair has now come to live with us full time. The guy who co-owned him is raising only Brittneys now and gave us full ownership. Oh joy.........NOT. Gunner has the same habit of whinning when he doesn't get his way. It is the most irritating sound on earth, but for some strange reason it doesn't bother him, he can go on for hours! The only thing that makes him stop is to give him the attention he wants, then he settles down.

My problem is small compared to yours, after I give in, Gunner settles right down. I'm going to keep working on a solution. If I come up with anything I'll let you know.

[My baby Angus]

How about trying a "time out". Every time he acts up you put him on the leash and either tie him or put him in a room where he can't see you, keep him there for 30 seconds, any longer than that and they don't understand why they're in time out. :confused: They don't like being along and soon will pick up why they are being kept away from you. Be persistent!!