If you have a Pomeranian chances are they are the center of your universe. Their unconditional love and affection is what we live for. When they look at us with those puppy dog eyes we melt and are ready to give them whatever their heart desires.
But when does our attention and willingness to always give in go too far?
If you have noticed your Pomeranian has started whining and crying a lot then you may have your answer.
Pomeranians whine or cry when they are trying to get your attention or communicate something to you such as hunger, excitement, pain, separation anxiety or they want to play. Their whining may also indicate something is wrong. Their crying may be reinforced by your constant attention.
If your Pomeranian is whining and crying a lot it’s because he is trying to communicate something to you or it’s a learned and reinforced behavior.
Pomeranians can be bossy and easily take up whining as a way to get something, especially when she’s been unintentionally trained to do so.
If you are like the other Pomeranian owners that I’ve talked with then your dog is whining all the time you might be wondering why and what you can do about it.
Or if you are thinking of getting a Pomeranian and want to know how to train it not to whinekeep reading for some deeper insight, and to find out some interesting reasons Pomeranian owners gave for why their dogs whine.
Here is a Quick Solution Guide to Solve Your Pomeranian’s Problematic Whining (Find more details below)
Reasons for Whining | Quick Solutions |
|---|---|
Stress | Find and reduce Stressors |
Excitement | Remain Calm, Praise for quiet behavior |
Attention | Ignore unwanted attempts for attention |
Separation Anxiety | |
Fear | |
Boredom | |
Pain |
(Amazon Affiliate links above)
Why is My Pomeranian Crying and What to Do About It
If you love your Pomeranian, then there’s nothing more heartbreaking than listening to its forlorn cries get louder and louder. It can be really hard and frustrating not knowing what your dog is trying to communicate to you and how to correctly handle your dog’s whining to get it to stop and help them be happy and healthy.
Here are 7 reasons your Pomeranian might be whining.
1.Your Pomeranian is Stressed
Learning to read your dog’s body language will be a very important step in understanding their crying. Knowing what they are trying to communicate to you will help you know how to proceed.
When you are looking for signs of stress look to see if your dog is doing any of these things as well. They will likely not be showing all of these signs at the same time.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. We only recommend high-quality products that are used and recommended by real owners. If you use these links to buy something we earn a small commission.
How to Tell:
- Barking
- Growling
- Licking lips
- Yawning
- Raised hackles
- Pacing
- Whale eyes (when they show the whites of their eyes)
- Freezing or very stiff and tense body. Be very careful if this is the case, it’s most likely that your dog has gotten to the point he is so stressed his next move will be to bite.
Ask yourself:
Is your Pomeranian overwhelmed, or in a new situation?
Is he not understanding you or something you are trying to teach or communicate?
Did this come on suddenly, when someone or something came close?
Can you figure out a way to remove the stimuli that are causing him stress in order to help him calm down?
What to do:
Try and change the environment.
Be calm and reassuring.
Avoid too much stimulus.
Make sure that you are clear with training and giving commands.
Don’t use harsh punishment.
Try to figure out the trigger and avoid it, or work on training to tolerate it better.
2.Your Pomeranian is Excited
Pomeranians are very sensitive dogs which makes them wonderful companions because they are always extremely perceptive to your needs and ready and willing to please, but it can also mean that they pick up on every mood and emotion around them.
At times they can also be high energy that can be perceived as excitement.
How to Tell:
Tail is wagging, running in circles, jumping up and down,barking.
Displaying zoomies (a sudden release of energy when your dog seems to go wild and is running around at high speed).
Ask Yourself:
What is your energy level?
Have you just come home from work and they want to greet you?
Maybe your Pomeranian is meeting someone new or wanting to play. If you are feeling high stress or excitement your dog will feed off your emotion and most likely be showing that behavior as well.
What to do:
You can redirect his energy by taking him for a run, playing a game of fetch with a toy.
Get him to burn some energy then reward him when he’s calm.
Make sure that you have calm energy about yourself.
Dim lights, or use some of thistherapeutic aromatherapy sprayfrom Amazon(Affiliate link)to help calm her down.
3.Your Pomeranian Wants Attention
This is the #1 reason other Pomeranian owners give for why their dog cries or whines.
Raising and caring for a puppy is no easy task. Pomeranians can sometimes be even more challenging since they can build such strong attachments to their owners and because they are so smart they know how to tug at your heartstrings with their adorable little whimpers!
How to tell:
Similar to excitement, but more direct eye contact with you with intentions of trying to get something.
Ask yourself:
Has your dog had enough exercise and mental stimulation today?
Most Pomeranians need at least 60 minutes of exercise a day as well as plenty of mental stimulation.
What is he trying to get your attention for?
Is it worth giving the attention or not?
Is your Pomeranian whining to get food? (Check outthis article I wrote to see why your Pomeranian eats weird stuff!)
Do you have a new pet, person, or situation in your family? Perhapsyour Pomeranian is jealous?
What to do:
Your first task is to make sure they’ve had enough exercise and mental stimulation.
Trying out a fun training program together likethis widely popular programBrain Training for Dogs can help unlock your dog’s hidden potential and help them learn how to avoid problem behaviors.
Rememberyou only want to reinforce behaviors you would like to see repeated. If she’s whining because she needs to go outside to go to the bathroom, then yes you should respond.
If she’s whining to get you to share your dinner then don’t reinforce that behavior.
Even telling your dog “it’s ok”, or to “calm down” in a loving voice is giving them the attention they are wanting. To truly get this behavior under control you need to completely ignore them.
4.Your Pomeranian HasSeparation Anxiety
For little dogs like our Pomeranians, they can easily get used to going everywhere with us. I don’t find that to be a big deal, except for when it comes to a time that for some reason we can’t take them and they have to stay home alone.
If your Pomeranian is not prepared to handle the separation from you the crying can become extreme!
How to Tell:
Constantly jumps and whines for you to touch them pet them or cuddle them. Cries or howls when you leave them alone destroys things when you are gone, is overly excited when you return.
Ask Yourself:
How much exercise has my dog had today. How long have I been gone? Have I trained my dog to be ok without being near me every hour of the day?
What to do:
You need to teach your dog that it’s not a big deal when you leave. When you leave, make it subtle and no fussing or kisses goodbye. Make your return no big deal and ignore your pup until they are calm.
When they are puppies it’s best to start with small increments of absence like 5 minutes at a time until they learn to stop crying then move to longer times.
I always say a tired dog is a well-behaved dog. Giving them something to do while you are gone likethis chew toyorthis puzzle toyfrom Amazon(affiliate link)can help a lot.
Try not to leave your dog alone too long if you can manage it. If you need to be away for more than 3-4 hours and your dog does not do well then it’s a good idea to find someone that can come and let them out and give them some attention and exercise during your absence.
5.Your Pomeranian is Fearful
Puppies are very impressionable and teaching them and socializing them starts in the very beginning stages of their life. Because of this, it’s important to only support reputable breeders who take good care of their puppies.
Unfortunately, there aremany people that run puppy mills(link to information on how to stop puppy mills)that are breeding Pomeranians purely for the money and do not take very good care of them when they are young.
When a puppy starts their life in this type of environment it can be very damaging and set them up for a lifetime of fear or aggression. Thankfully there are things that you can do to help if you do end up with a puppy that has been treated this way, it will just be more difficult to get them feeling and behaving confidently.
How to tell:
Tucked tail,shaking, lowered ears and or head, trying to hide behind you or something else.
Ask yourself:
How was your Pomeranian treated as a puppy? Is your Pomeranian a rescue? Was your dog properly socialized when they were young?
Does your dog get frightened when they hear a loud unrecognizable noise?
What to do:
If your dog seems overly fearful of many things and you suspect that your Pomeranian is whining or crying a lot because of this, you will need to work very hard at building a solid foundation of trust between you and your dog.
Once this foundation of trust is established it will be easier for you to teach your dog that the rest of the world is not as fearful as they suspect it may be.
DO NOT use any coercive methods of training or yell or be too firmwith your Pomeranian.
You may also need help from a professional dog trainer or behaviorist who has experience working with fearful dogs. They will help you come up with and implement a training plan.
If you think their fear is a one-time circ*mstance that has been brought on by something unexpected in his environment, like sudden fireworks or the sound of a car misfiring, then you can isolate that particular thing and work towards training them to tolerate it.
I always encourage my students (check out my classes) to play sound recordings of fireworks starting quietly in the background and working up to very loud and life-like in order to prepare their dogs for coming celebrations like New Year’s Eve or the Fourth of July.
You could also try something likethis anxiety wrapfrom Amazon (affiliate link) that has been useful for dogs afraid of loud noises like thunder.
6.Your Pomeranian is Bored
When our dog Bear (a Maltese Chihuahua mix) gets playful he lets us know bybarking and whiningand begging us to play. Most dogs will let you know when they are tired of laying around not doing a whole lot.
Pomeranians in particular love to be entertained and challenged. They were originally bred to hunt foxes so they love to play a game of fetch or do some scent work.
How to tell:
Short high pitched whines, usually accompanied by a sigh, may seem lazy or disinterested in their favorite toys or games.
He could be digging in the yard, getting into things they shouldn’t like the trash, or chewing up your favorite things like shoes or furniture, orhiding and burring his food.
Ask Yourself:
Again you need to think about how much exercise and mental stimulation your Pomeranian is getting. Pomeranians do better when they have something to do to occupy their time. It helps if they are constantly learning new things.
When was the last time you taught your Pomeranian a new command, game, or trick?
What to do:
Provide your dog with some mental stimulation. Teach them some new tricks, work on training, or give them a fun new toy likethis fun crinkle toyfrom Amazon (affiliate link).
Try not to leave all their toys available all the time. If you keep all but 2 or 3 put away and rotate them that will keep your Pomeranian from getting bored too easily.
You can also try this awesome program calledBrain Trainingthat can give you a huge boost in your training methods and plans.
If you are on Facebook I would suggest that you join a group like thisCanine Enrichment groupwhere you will find a plethora of great ideas from other dog owners. While you’re at it feel free tojoin our Dog Groupand follow me on myFacebook page at Paws and Learnfor fun ideas and new announcements.
You may think getting your Pomeranian another dog as a friend is a good idea, and it very well may help take the burden of entertainment off your shoulders, but before you decide to do that this article can help you think about the challenges versus benefits.
7.Your Pomeranian is in Pain
Pomeranians are generally a healthy breed and don’t usually have major health issues. If you have a rescue or your Pomeranian is agingthen pain or discomfort may be a reason your pup is whining.
How to tell:
Look for any kind of physical signs such as limping,constantly lickinga sore area, or yelps and whines when picked up or moved.
Ask Yourself:
How old is my Pomeranian? Has his energy been waning? Are there other red flags such as growling or biting when handled a certain way or untouched food?
Has your dog had a recent dental exam?Poor dental healthcan cause pain for your Pomeranian.
What to do:
If you suspect your dog is in pain take him to your vet right away. If you can’t figure out the cause of the whining and it doesn’t appear to be any of the above reasons then you will want your dog to have a complete checkup as soon as possible!
If your Pomeranian Puppy is Crying
Youcan expect Pomeranian puppies will whine more than adultPomeranians, but puppies, in general, may whine for different reasons than adult dogs. If you just brought a Pomeranian puppy home and he’s whining a lot, it’s most likely becausehe misses his mother and littermates.
Pomeranian puppies should not be brought home before they are at least 8 weeks old it’s even better if they are 10 to 12 weeks. The younger the puppy the more you can expect to deal with crying.
If you are trying to crate train a puppy and he whines a lot when he is in his crate it is most likely because he is lonely and scared. A crate all by himself is a scary dark place and if it’s new to him you can expect he’s going to have a hard time at first. When you first bring your puppy homelearning how to properlycrate trainis important, don’t give in to your dog’s cries if he’s just wanting attention.
How to Help Your Pomeranian Puppy Not Cry
Sense of smell is a powerful thing for dogs. Their sense of smell is 40 times better than ours and much more refined. We can use this power to our advantage in two ways.
Before it’s even time for your Pomeranian puppy to come home take a blanket or sweatshirt that smells like you and give it to your puppy’s breeder to put in your puppy’s bed, so they can get used to your smell and create positive associations.
The second way this will benefit your Pomeranian is it will allow the scent of his mother and littermates to get on the item so when you bring him home it will smell like them and help make the transition easier for him.
Another great tool to help your little puppy miss his family less is toget a stuffy likethis onefrom Amazon(affiliate link)that mimics the heartbeatof his mama. Having a comfort item like this can be extremely useful and can make a huge difference those first few weeks you have your new puppy.
It’s a new environment and it’s going to take time for him to get used to it.Make sure that he has a small area (Crate or Playpen) to stay in, this will help him feel more safe and secure.
Your puppy’s natural instinct is to find a den that will help him feel safe. This small area with a crate inside (about 8 sq feet for a small Pomeranian and 16 sq ft for a larger Pomeranian) will help your dog feel more safe and secure.
At night you can keep his crate near you so you are able to comfort him, it might make a few sleepless nights for you, but will go a long way in reassuring your puppy that he’s not alone.
It may be tempting to let your puppy sleep with you, but be sure that’s what you want before you go down that path. The following article may help you decide.
Pomeranian Complete Sleeping Guide (Timeline, Problems, Solutions)
When using the crate at night don’t take your puppy out just because he is whining, that will only reinforce the behavior. You can take him out for bathroom breaks, but when his bathroom break is over put him back in. If you get him out for a cuddle or let him sleep in bed with you, crate training is going to be a lot more difficult.
Most Pomeranian puppy owners said that they would let their puppy cry it out for 10-15 min. and if they didn’t stop after that they would take them out to get a drink or use the bathroom, but then promptly put them back in.
Final Thoughts
Whatever the reason for your Pomeranian whining the best thing you can do ismake sure that your dog knows you are in charge! That doesn’t mean yell at your dog or be mean, butbe firm and consistentin the ways that you respond, let them know that you expect them to be well behaved and they will.
If you continue to have problems with your Pomeranian crying please seek help from a professional dog behaviorist or a Vet.
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While we strive to give the most accurate and helpful information about your pet’s health that we can, this article is meant to be informational only and not medical advice. Never disregard, avoid or delay in obtaining medical advice from your veterinarian or other qualified veterinary health care provider regardless of what you have read on this site or elsewhere.
