Do Whippets Cry A Lot?

In this post we are going to answer, do whippets cry a lot?

To help you better understand what the possible causes of your whippet crying could be, and what you can do to prevent it going forward.

Hearing your furry friend constantly crying isn’t a pleasant experience, but most of the time it’s for attention or to get what he wants.

Whippets aren’t typically a vocal breed, they rarely bark and usually only do so if they are threatened or in fear.

However, they can be known to whine a lot, especially if they know it’s going to grab your attention.

This can be a problem for not only you but your neighbours too, as constantly hearing a whining dog next door can lead to complaints and a bad reputation.

Not only that but if your whippet is whining whilst you’re at home, this can get extremely annoying for you and your family.

So, let’s take a closer look and help you understand what you can do about it…

Table of Contents

Reasons Why Your Whippet May Cry A Lot

There are many reasons why you may be finding your whippet crying a lot, here are some of the most common reasons why your whippet is crying;

Attention

Usually, the most common reason why your whippet is crying is because he wants attention.

This is usually easy to identify as your whippet will give you those puppy dog eyes and a couple of cries here and there.

If this is the type of crying your whippet is doing, it’s most likely for attention.

do whippets cry a lot? — Image: Echothewhippet

The easiest way to combat this is to spend more time with your whippet, give him mental stimulation as well as exercise, as it’s more than likely boredom that’s causing him to crave your attention.

Injury or Illness

If your whippet is crying loudly and a lot, then it’s a good idea to give him a good check over to look for any injuries that may be causing him pain.

Check over his paws to make sure he has not stood in any glass whilst on a walk, and be sure to check his under-belly too.

Whippets have incredibly thin skin, making them incredibly susceptible to cuts, scrapes and small injuries that could cause them pain.

If you do locate an injury then depending on the severity it may be best to consult a veterinarian to find the best course of treatment.

Boredom

Whippets tend to whine and cry a lot when they are bored, my whippet Bonnie is known for this.

The best way to combat this is again to ensure you’re stimulating your whippet with toys, as well as training so you can keep their mind busy.

You should also ensure that you’re giving your whippet enough exercise throughout the day, maybe break their exercise up into smaller chunks so that they can go outside more frequently.

Stress

Whippets are incredibly emotionally sensitive dogs that like us can come under stress from time to time.

Maybe you’ve moved house recently and it’s the change of environment or a family member has recently moved out of your home and they’re not spending as much time with your whippet as they were previously.

These are all things that can cause your whippet stress, so be sure to keep him busy and work through it with him, he’ll be forever grateful.

Fear

This type of cry is the worst in all dogs, it’s the cry when your pet is in fear.

An example of this would be if there is a loud thunderstorm outside or there are fireworks being let off nearby.

This is when you’ll really need to be there for your whippet and comfort him, as going through this alone can be an incredibly traumatic experience for your whippet.

Excitement

On a lighter note, whippets regularly whine and cry with excitement, which is beautiful to see.

If you’ve been away for a couple of days and then come home, your whippet will be so excited that he starts to whine and cry out of pure joy.

How To Get Your Whippet To Stop Crying

The way to stop your whippet from crying largely depends on the reason behind why it is crying in the first place.

In most cases, your whippet will be crying for attention from you, which can be stopped a multiple of ways.

One of my favourites and what I’ve found works best is when you calmly enter the room of your whining whippet, maybe it’s after a long day at work or if you’ve been out for a long period.

It’s best to put everything down, take off your coat, shoes etc and then calmly greet your whippet.

Every time you run over and get your whippet all excited when he’s whining it’s only reinforcing this behaviour.

Greeting your whippet needs to be done in a calm, controlled manner, and he will start to realise that his whining won’t result in you running over to him giving him lots of attention.

Another highly effective way to get your whippet to stop crying is to give him a lot of exercise, usually, whippets cry when they are bored. This is a sign that they need more mental stimulation and exercise.

Try leaving treats around your home for him to sniff out, or take him for walks with other dogs so that he can socialise.

This is a great way to stop your whippet from crying as he’ll be more tired when he’s back at home and won’t be bored.

Here are other ways to stop your whippet crying which you may want to consider;

Positive reinforcement training
Avoid reinforcing whining or crying
Give him calm, controlled attention for a very short period
Take him to a vet if it’s related to pain or he won’t stop
Give him new toys to play with

What NOT To Do If You’re Whippet Is Crying A Lot

If you’ve got a whippet that won’t stop crying then there are some crucial things that you absolutely do NOT want to do.

The first is to give him a lot of attention, the more attention you give your whippet the more reliant he will become on it.

This means that he will quickly learn that the more he whines the more attention you’ll give him, this can result in a dog that constantly whines and craves your attention, and it’s very hard to undo this behaviour once it has been done.

You also should not reinforce this behaviour by giving him treats to keep him quiet, or giving him other rewards, as he may also become more reliant on these and expect that you reward him when he whines.

Punishing a whining whippet is also a very bad idea, most of the time there is a rational reason why your whippet is crying.

Nine times out of ten it’s because he is either incredibly bored, or he wants your attention.

Whippets are emotionally sensitive dogs that are very sensitive, you can ruin your whippet in a matter in regards to training and relationship in a matter of minutes by shouting at him or physically harming him.

This is a big no-no and should never ever be done, your whippet will become fearful of you and you’ll have tarnished the relationship between you and him for life, he may never trust you again if you punish him for whining.

Things to Consider About Whippet Crying

As mentioned, whippets usually cry for a reason, but there are some things you’ll want to take into consideration before assuming the reason for his crying.

How old your whippet is

If your whippet is still a puppy, then chances are he’s going to cry a lot more than when he matures.

Although whippets are not vocal dogs, it’s much more likely for puppies to cry than adult whippets.

When he gets older, around the age of between 1 and 2 years old, he will start to calm down and his crying will more than likely stop.

If he’s older and already matured, then he’s probably crying for one of the reasons set out above.

Where your whippet cries and when

It’s wise to consider the timing and positioning of your whippet crying, if it’s at a certain time of day when a family member is due back from work, then this would explain his crying and it’s probably down to excitement more than anything else.

However, if he’s crying when you’re leaving home this could be more of a separation anxiety issue.

If he’s crying when he’s in the crate then you know you need to establish a better relationship between him and the crate, and take up more crate training with him.

When the crying started

If your whippet has suddenly started crying a lot and usually don’t, then this could be related to an injury, so it’s a good idea to have a good check over his body and paws to see if he has any physical injuries which could cause his whining.

This could also be related to getting less attention, a change in his diet among others.

Final Thoughts

So do whippets cry a lot? No, they rarely cry and are not a very vocal breed of dog.

Like all dogs, some will cry more than others, but this needs to be looked at on an individual basis and there’s usually a reason behind why a whippet is crying.

For the most part, your whippet will be very quiet, and only cry or whine if he’s seeking attention or bored.

As a whole, whippets aren’t big whiners, they can whine if left alone for long periods or when they are in pain, so it’s wise to check over your whippet for any injuries that may have occurred if he’s suddenly started crying out of nowhere.

Hopefully, this post has helped you establish why you may have a crying whippet and what you can do to prevent this going forward.