Hmpf.... Vacuum Problem!!!!

luvmydogs

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#1
my Phoenix attacks the vacuum cleaner, and bites into it really hard, and tries to rip it in pieces. its driving me nuts. at first i thought it was funny, but now its a pain. i put him outside when i vacuum, but like tonite at 9 (was already dark out, so i didnt put him outside) i had to vacuum a spill, and he went ballistic again. anyone elses dog does that??? :confused:
 

Saje

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#2
Mine don't but they are seldom inside when I clean. I guess all you can do is keep putting him out when you can. Or a separate room?
 

Babyblue5290

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You can do the same thing they do with desensitizing aggressive dogs to other dogs.

You take the vacum out (making sure it's off) and have Phoenix sit and do a trick near the vaccumm (some distance he is still comfortable with and not reacting) and treat him for the trick. You just slowly move closer to the vacumm without him reacting.

Then when he is right next to the vaccum and not reacting to it you can just have some one move it a bit and give phoenix a treat when he doesn't react aggressively to it. At first just move it slightly, then later when he is comfortable you can have someone moving like they are vaccumming with it while you have phonix sit and treat him. (again the vacuum is still off)

The next step would be to turn the vaccuum on. You can have phonix at a distance for this one. Just turn the vacum on for a few second while you treat phoenix. and the treats stop when the vacuum is turned off. You slowly increase the time the vacumm is on. Then decrease the space between phonix and the vaccumm by moving towards it and still treating for non-aggressive reactions.

The final step would be moving the vaccuum while it's on and having phonix not react to it. It takes a LONG time (depending on if your dog only reacts when it's on). You also have to remember to move slow at your dogs own pace.
 

luvmydogs

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#4
thanks so much for that great advise. i will surely try it. hes overall nice and obedient, so he shouldnt have a prob with it at all. thank you!!!!!
 

Babyblue5290

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luvmydogs said:
thanks so much for that great advise. i will surely try it. hes overall nice and obedient, so he shouldnt have a prob with it at all. thank you!!!!!
Your welcome :) I try and help when I can ;)
 

champagne

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#6
my dog used to act that way to the vacuum also. I had him sit next to it and gave him treats, while I would "pet" the vacuum and tell him "nice". I also started to keep the vacuum out in the main part of the house so he would see it all the time and have to pass by it.

I think because he only saw it when I used it, he didnt like the sound and would nip at the corners.

I also found keeping me between the vacuum and him has helped when I am vacuuming.

He will sometimes react but not too much anymore.
 

sparks19

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#7
TEddy was the same way. The only thing he would ever bark at was the vaccum. I have left it out in the path of where we play fetch in the house so everytime i throw the ball he has to run by it. Now he is still nervous when i have it on but he doesn't chase and bark at it anymore.
 

bubbatd

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#9
Sorry i'm laughing !!! This was one of my tests with litters to get them used to things in their new homes. Had forgotten about that. It was a riot to see reactions and how they accepted. This has to be done before the fearful week ( 8 wks) so it was before they went to their new homes.
 

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