LOL He barks, jumps, whines and bites at the vacuum while I am using it(and with a black GSD I do have to use it alot!!). Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get him used to this? When he was a puppy it did not bother him at all but as he got older, the minute it comes out of the closet he starts whining and barking at it. I have tried telling him NO as I vacuum and he will stop for a 1/2 a minute and watch it but it seems that as I am moving it back and forth across the rug he just can't help himself and he's on it again. I have tried distracting him with toys and cookies to no avail. Short of putting him outside (or in a closet JK) I don't know what to do. Anyone else who had this problem (or not) and may have some help?
Without some pretty strong detterent for that behavior its not going to go away. I have had to go to a citronella or even shock collar to break other dogs of their instinct to attack a vacuum cleaner. Its clearly a fight or flight reaction. The dog doesnt know exactly what it is but its making a lot of noise and moving in an aggressive fashion. He probably thinks hes protecting you from some crazy animal or something. For know the easiest thing is going to simply be to put him in another room. If you are okay with using a shock collar or other physical method than you can interrupt the process by making him sit and introduce the entire experience to him in stages not allowing any unwanted behavior throughout. So first with a cold water spray bottle you have him sit then bring out the vacuum. Then if he goes for it you spray him. if that works to snap him out of it then you have your training tool. SImply use the spray bottle to pre emptively strike before he acts out but after he startys growling. I hope this helps
I dislike vacuum cleaners intensely too. The noise really gets on my nerves and I would bite it if I could! Shut the dog in a different room, a crate, outdoors, or in the car if not sunny. Arrange to have a high value treat to distract the dog with so he sees the vaccuum cleaner as the start of something nice.
My GSD loved playing with the vacuum cleaner and it has the scratches and bite marks to prove it. and now that my APBT is 1 1/2 she likes chasing and barking at it too. I don't think my dog s are afraid of the vacuum they just think of it as fun game.
He sees the vacuum as a threat to him and to you. You need to put him somewhere else where he can't hear the vacuum. No, I don't recommend the closet, but if you have a secure area outside, that would work extremely well. Outside that, a behavioral dog trainer would be your next option. Papaw
Banshee, I have 2 GSDs, and, both of them, (one is a Female, other a Male) both act silly when I have my vacuum going also. One will bark at it, and, jump around also. The other wants to hang around and watch it thus not moving out of the way......he even will paw at it, and, defy it. My (F) Rottweiler just moves, and, stays clear, so, I guess GSDs in our case see a Vacuum as some form of invader or something. I just deal with it. My female is almost 9 y/o now, and my male is almost 6 y/o. I don't even try to change their behavior. I guess I'm glad they don't go running away and whining. I'd rather see them rather macho unlike my cats whom head to cover when they see me plug it in.
