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It’s a struggle over time – dog versus vacuum. Are you at a point where you are afraid of vacuuming? Or do you only schedule vacuuming when your dog is not at home? If you’re involved with either, it’s time to teach your dog that vacuums are not their sworn enemy. After all, what is it with a vacuum?
The main problem is the noise. Vacuum cleaners are very loud and some even have a high pitch. This can bother your dog’s ears, and if your dog is sensitive to noise from other items in the house (doorbells, handlers, etc.), a vacuum cleaner is no exception.
Movement is also a concern. For some dogs, the movement of the vacuum can make them want to attack. For example, my biggest Sheltie will completely ignore the vacuum until I lift or move it. Even if it doesn’t turn on, she will chase it like she wants to kill it.
Your dog may not like a vacuum cleaner for one or both of these reasons, but you can make your dog less susceptible to both. You may not know why your dog is vacuuming — it could be fear, aggression, herding instinct, sensitivity to noise, or a combination of things. Fortunately, you don’t have to know “why” to help your dog.
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Break it
To help your dog get out, you should work on movement and noise separately, then combine the two together.
TIP: It’s MUCH easier to do this with two people, but not impossible with one.
Move
First, pull out the vacuum and turn it off. Then bring your dog into the room.
Remote start. As soon as your dog sees the vacuum cleaner, start giving them a treat (show your dog that a vacuum is equivalent to food). Do this for a few minutes every day for a week.
Move the vacuum closer as your dog calms down. If your dog’s behavior toward the vacuum changes over the weekend (looking for food, showing signs of “happy,” etc.), your dog has successfully incorporated the vacuum-feeding formula and you can move on. .
Second, (this is where two people are helpful) you can feed the dog while moving the vacuum (it’s OFF!). Start your dog at a good distance with slow motion.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Don’t have your dog tied up. Give them the option to flee if necessary.
- At first, only move the vacuum a few inches and then give the dog a rest.
- When the leg does not move, stop the bonus.
Do this until your dog seems comfortable with the movement. You will be able to gradually work closer and closer to the vacuum as it moves and also move it for longer periods of time.
TIP: If your dog lunges at the vacuum cleaner (you got too close too soon or moved it too long), don’t stop moving the vacuum cleaner! Stopping movement can teach your dog that if they attack it, they will “kill it”/stop it from moving, which can increase unwanted behavior. Instead, have a second person calmly and quietly move your dog away (without correction) until they are far enough away to relax again. After that, you can stop moving the vacuum cleaner and give the dog a rest. When you try again, do it from a longer distance or for a shorter time.
Sound
Next is the noise of the vacuum cleaner. Again, this is easier with two people. Start with your dog in another room with the door closed (so the noise is muffled.)
- Have someone run the vacuum for just a few seconds while you’re feeding the dog the whole time.
- Continue this until your dog doesn’t seem to respond to the noise anymore. Then, make the sound louder by bringing the dog closer and/or opening the door slightly.
- Repeat and slowly open the door more and/or bring the dog closer each time they succeed.
After you are in the room and you can turn the vacuum cleaner on and off (without movement) for a few seconds without your dog responding, you can gradually increase the duration until you can turn the vacuum on for a few seconds. minutes without any problems.
TIP: While doing this, continue to work exclusively on movement. So maybe your morning lesson is with movement and your afternoon lesson is with noise.
Combining motion and sound
In the end, you have to combine the two. If you’ve done both of these things properly, it shouldn’t be too difficult.
To start, start by alternating the two. For example:
- Make noise for a minute and then turn off the vacuum cleaner.
- Give your dog a break.
- Then move the vacuum with it turned off.
- Give your dog a break.
- Repeat those steps.
Start with your dog at a distance they are comfortable with and then gradually increase to bring them closer. Remember to let your dog loose so that if they feel the need to run, they can run. If you don’t allow flying, your dog can turn around and “fight” the vacuum instead.
Then, remotely, turn on the vacuum cleaner and move it slowly, just a little bit. Remember to reward whenever the vacuum is turned on and/or move and not reward when it is off and stationary. This teaches your dog that the scary sound of moving is a good thing because it means junk food!
Keep working in time until you can vacuum the entire room without a break, then twice, etc.
Always give your dog an outlet. It’s okay if your dog would rather sit still in another room while you vacuum. At least they won’t bark or attack the air. Again, this is an ideal place for two as someone else may be rewarding your dog in another room while you turn the vacuum on and off and move it around.
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