whining

Question
Our Alex is 13.5yrs old.  He's been in an outdoor kennel since a pup so it's nothing new.  Over the years he's whined at loud noises (like fireworks) so we've worked around it.  Lately he whines all the time.  Even when we bring him in the house or give him extra attention, he'll howl right at us.  We're at our wit's end.  He's been with us since 8wks old and we've never had this problem.  We tried using a spray water bottle to deter him but he turned it into a game.  We're thinking about using a dog whistle but aren't sure if that's the best response or if there's something else we can do.  Part of me/us thinks it's just old age/crochety-ness, but it's still not right!  Any advice would be much appreciated.

Answer
Does this dog have arthritis? The start of Dysphasia (you can't always tell just by looking I've seen some seemingly sound dogs get bad OFA grades)? Ear infections? Something could be making your dog physically uncomfortable. You should consult your vet to see what is happening.