aussie whining

Question
Can you please give me some suggestions on how to stop my one year old aussie from whining.  I have never seen an aussie not whine so I got used to it but it is driving my wife nuts now that we own one.  Thanks

Answer
Some noise making is a normal part of owning dogs and it must be taken into account when bringing a dog into the home. Whining is a species wide trait, not just limited to Aussies. Dogs whine for a variety of reasons, usually when under stress, excited or when it wants to solicit some attention.

The first step in stopping unwanted whining or any noise making is this is to provide a regular schedule of feeding, play and exercise. When the dog knows to expect these routinely scheduled periods of attention, he will stop whining through out the day. He may continue to whine briefly just before he knows he is supposed to go outside or be fed, but will eventually end the random and unassociated whining.

Do not react when the dog is randomly whining, even a simply "Hush" is positive reinforcement and attention, thus rewarding his behavior. When the dog demands attention by whining, pawing or barking, you must ignore the dog. When the dog remains quiet for a few seconds or minutes, immediately reward it with a bit of play, a pat or food.