fear of the vaccuum

[coot-coot]

Hey everyone,
Cooter has had a fear to the vaccuum ener since he was a pup. He has gotten better with it overtime when I pull it out and its just sitting in the middle of the floor but when I turn it on he goes crazy barking at it and he has even tried to nip at it a few times. I have always been careful with trying not to have him in the room when I am vaccuuming but thats not always the case. I am just looking for any advise on what to do to help hikm get over this fear. All suggestions are welcome. Thanks again in advance.
Shonda

[TrinaJ]

Hi Shonda,

Fear of the vacuume is quite common in dogs and cats. The way i overcame it with my dogs was to pretend to vacuum - vacuum the floor without it being switched on - and pet my dog at the same time.

Once he was no longer afraid of the actual vacuum stick moving along the floor, i put a leash on him and had my DH switch it on and vacuum. While he was vacuuming I was praising my dog in a soothing voice and at the same time patting him. Eventually I was the one vacuuming the floor and holding my dog at the same time.

After a while it got to the stage where he would just look up when he heard the vacuum coming and then go back to sleep.

[moz205]

Buddy doesn't like the vacuum or the hairdryer. He doesn't bark just keeps a watchful eye out in case it attacks him! Rommel on the other hand loved getting vacuumed, not sure how I aacomplished that though. I had to keep him out of the room I was doing because he would constantly get in my way so I would vacuum him. Mindy, well she would attack as soon as turned on. That vacuum had so many bite wounds!

[Shelby427]

Shelby is terrified of the vacuum, she doesn't bark at it, but like moz's dog, she just watches very intently, staying nearby, but not too close! Hudson has NO fear of anything i think, he goes right up to the vacuum while I'm using it and he has gotten some of his jowels sucked up when he got too close to the tube thing when I was vacuuming the couch.

[kclinch]

Try feeding her on the vacuum. Then she associates vacuums with good things, rather than this mythical creature who smells funny and makes weird growling noises and trys to attack her owners and other things in the house....

[wamack]

Shiva hides on the couch, where apparently vacuums can't get her. She watches it closely though. When my shepherd was a pup he killed a cord once, learned how to unplug it, and more than once lifted his leg on it immediately after vacuuming. Now at 7 y/o he does nothing at all. He doesn't even move. I guess he figures after all this time it still hasn't eaten him. I think TrinaJ had a good suggestion and will try this in a few weeks when my hubby gets home.

[coot-coot]

Thanks for all the ideas. I am starting to work with Cooter on TrinaJ's idea of holding him on the leash. He is fine until it comes near us. Its gonna take some time I think. Thanks again for all the help.
Shonda