Just yesterday I was talking on the phone to a friend and Dracko (GSD) was doing his high pitched "talking" to me saying he wanted my attention. The friend asked if there was some animal caught in a trap or something.
Yes he will bark loud and deep at strangers but when he talks to me it's always the whinning. I should video it sometime and post it.
My vet tells me it's a common GSD thing and hers is like that, too.