If your dog whines in the vehicle, he may have a love-hate connection with the car, determined mainly by what occurs when he rides in it. Whining in dogs in vehicles might be prompted by the expectation of something that the dog dislikes or something he is looking forward to. Yes, since stress may be either beneficial or harmful. Dogs, unlike humans, do not participate in self-talk; thus, they are saved from the frequently unreasonable "what ifs" that we humans load ourselves with when anticipating something threatening.