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We adopted our female pocket-sized (40 lbs) boxer 3 years ago. She is now 10 years old, in excellent health and full of energy. We also have her fur brother, a 30 lb. male Boston Terrier. Until recently, I typically had one or 2 foster dogs in the house as well. I had an accident 3 weeks ago walking dogs and broke my ankle badly. I have a steel plate w/10 screws in my leg and am hobbling around with a walker and cannot put weight on my damaged foot. It will be this way for another 12 weeks and probably much longer before I can take my dogs out alone for our daily walks. My dogs used to get a 2 mile walk daily. I have a small yard with a doggie door. Since my injury, my husband walks them on weekends and I have hired a dog walker to come M,W,& F (costs me $100/week) so they are walked every other day now.
Problem: If I leave my bed my boxer follows me around whining the whole time. She has always been very alert to the schedule. If I went a minute past 10 am and the walk hadn't happened, she reminded me by whining. She always lets us know when its time for her meals. I swear she can read the clock. But the constant whining is torturing me....sometimes drives me to tears. I have tried yelling at her, calmly petting her and also ignoring her. I have checked her thoroughly for any possible health issues, carefully looked in her mouth, at her feet, in her ears, etc. Her appetite is great. The whining just rarely stops. I give her chew bones and treats...ANYTHING... to make it stop. I have actually considered (for 2 brief seconds) surrendering her back to the rescue. No, I won't do that. But her whining is making my life just miserable. Its tough enough dealing with my pain and loss of mobility but the worst part of this long recovery is her whining all day long. Suggestions to make it stop???
First of all, SORRY about your ankle. Ow!!
She probably is trying to nag you into walking her. I know how hard it is to ignore it, but you really have to, even if you resort to earplugs or putting her in a crate with a kong for awhile when you just can't take it. When you are able to walk them again, I'd leave one day a week when they don't get walked. I started doing that this summer with my 3 year olds, knowing there are days in the winter when walking them isn't a good idea (although this winter has turned out to be incredibly mild so far, with only a couple of days like that). My thinking was that it would help them accept that no, it's not the law that we have to walk every day, and they'd be less stir-crazy and anxious on days when it's icy outside, or snowing too hard to walk safely.
I also don't walk them at the same time every day. I think it helps that the internal clock isn't going off.
Another option, do you own a treadmill? If so, your husband could train her to use it. It would take two weeks or less and she would LOVE it!!! Actually get on it and want to use it. The first couple of weeks are psychological...after that it is burning energy! Once she's been trained, you can train the terrier and they can walk together. Once you feel good enough to sit in a chair, you can supervise the walks.
If you don't own one and think they are too expensive, you can check thrift stores, garage sales, etc., just have them plug it in before you buy. It does not need to be a top of the line model...it is for the dogs.
If you need help with training, direct message me and I will give you step by step instructions.
Also, I love the idea of giving her a kong toy when she starts to whine.
You are right about their internal clocks, when they get on a schedule, they can tell time by it!
Keep in mind, her whining also might have something to do with your condition. She is very sensitive to you. When you hurt or struggle, she knows buts can't help. She knows something is not right and she can't fix it. The pack is off kelter...what's a girl to do but whine (fret).
Will think about the treadmill idea. I am in tremendous pain and spend most of the time with my leg propped up. When I hobble anywhere in the house I am very exhausted so until I am further along, don't see how I can be involved in getting her on a treadmill. DH is doing all the cleaning, cooking, laundry, and working plus running so many of my errands related to my business. He barely sits down before 8 pm. Doubt he would be willing to shop for a treadmill and then train the dogs to use it. Since we live in Texas, but for my injury, outside walks are doable daily. Just DH works long hours plus all the other demands makes it super hard for him to walk dogs on weekdays.....
I play the "find it" game with our dog all the time but it does require for you to get up to hide
whatever it is you want her to find.
how about retrieving? doggie push up's?
check google for indoor dog games and perhaps start a game at the excact time you usually would take a walk?
also, I am so sorry about your ankle.
^^ That reminds me, occasionally when it's bad outside and I feel like they need to run around a little, I'll throw treats down the stairs for them (one dog at a time, one treat at a time), call them back up, throw another one down etc. They like it.
Try screeching when your dog whines incessantly. It works when they are biting as babies to get them to stop., wonder if it would work now. Worth a try. I like the kong idea, the fetch idea...you could be sitting. P-nut butter in the kong. Is there something that makes her hide, I used to say "bath" and my boxer would slink away quietly.....lol Boxers worry about us, She is partly worried, partly wanting her walk....If your leg was better enough to allow her to see the injury you could tell her, ler her get her nose on it, and she would probably settle down. Course, is she part boston terrier?? Isn't that breed a little more noisy??
My boxer would listen to me, if I talked to him, be it a lecture, or a good cry...they are so loving, almost human in they emotions for their family. Sorry about your leg, feel better soon.
Try screeching when your dog whines incessantly. It works when they are biting as babies to get them to stop., wonder if it would work now. Worth a try. I like the kong idea, the fetch idea...you could be sitting. P-nut butter in the kong. Is there something that makes her hide, I used to say "bath" and my boxer would slink away quietly.....lol Boxers worry about us, She is partly worried, partly wanting her walk....If your leg was better enough to allow her to see the injury you could tell her, ler her get her nose on it, and she would probably settle down. Course, is she part boston terrier?? Isn't that breed a little more noisy??
My boxer would listen to me, if I talked to him, be it a lecture, or a good cry...they are so loving, almost human in they emotions for their family. Sorry about your leg, feel better soon.
LOL! I will try screeching..... She's a pb boxer, in her former life she was a backyard breeder's puppy machine and she's always wonderful with any foster puppies. Tonight I will have my DH ready up a couple of kongs w/pb & put them in the freezer......
Thanks all. Today is going to be a nagging day, she was walked over the weekend and my student comes M,W,F so T&Th are the worst (tho she nags until my student comes later in the day).
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I have tried yelling at her, calmly petting her and also ignoring her. I have checked her thoroughly for any possible health issues, carefully looked in her mouth, at her feet, in her ears, etc. Her appetite is great. The whining just rarely stops. I give her chew bones and treats...ANYTHING... to make it stop. I have actually considered (for 2 brief seconds) surrendering her back to the rescue. No, I won't do that. 
But her whining is making my life just miserable. Its tough enough dealing with my pain and loss of mobility but the worst part of this long recovery is her whining all day long. Suggestions to make it stop??? 
