Samantha J Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Holly is great but she hates the vacuum. She barks and attacks it really badly. She was fine when we got her at 7weeks old with it. Then all of a sudden started attacking it. Anyone got any suggestions? We have tried the lure of treats but she is so obsessed with it you carnt even touch it without her going into this noisy attacking vessel. Holly is not a bit agressive and when she goes for the vacuum its only directed at that. She also hates the lawnmower and brooms whilst you are sweeping. Thats a strange one I know Border Collies are known for being obsessive about certain things and i know she is not alone on the dislike of vacuums and lawnmowers however tips on improving this would be good please. She is 16months old now with no improvement so i want to get it better if i can before she gets much older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossie Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 My dog doesn't like the vacuum either. I put him in the next room, behind a babygate, while I vacuum. He is watchful but calm when I do that and I praise him for it. I also chuck treats to him over the gate when he relaxes during vacuum-time. I've also been trying to desensitize him by rolling the vacuum around while it is off; with him in the same room. He is still suspicious of the vacuum when it is off, but he is able to listen to me and sit and be calm (i.e. practice the right behavior) and get lots of praise and some treats. he's definitely improving. p.s. he also doesn't like the shovel or rake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Speedy will do the same thing unless he has a ball in his mouth. If he has a ball, he pecks at the vacuum, or broom, and runs in circles around it. I usually put him in the bedroom with the door closed when I vacuum or sweep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth G Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 You can also use a crate when you vacuum. Be sure and include a tasty treat and before long they will look forward to being crated, when you vaccuum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smileyzookie Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Riven doesnt attack, she paces. I finally have been making her jump onto one of our chairs, and sit there for the entire time I vacuum. If she gets down, the vacuum stays on and I put her back. Although shes so used to it, I get the vacuum and she immediately goes to her chair. When I vacuum around the chair she lays opposite the side I'm vacuuming LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsnrs Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Our Aussie hated the thing too. She loves her ball so every time we did the cleaning we played ball. She still bites the wheels on the trash can though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sluj Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 My mutt, too. I guess it's an improvement over peeing in the corner. I've been a little hesitant to dampen her new-found confidence, but boy does it get loud. Will have to try the ball suggestion, even if that does mean squeaks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha J Posted April 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Thanks everyone, I shall try the tennis ball in mouth tip, thats her obsession too (a good one that tho!) I have tried to put her in the kitchen behind a gate but that made her worse so it didnt work. Il try again throwing her a treat when shes quiet but i dont hold to much hope as she is so fixated with the vacuum i dont think she would want the treats. Its good to know shes not alone though. It can be very loud more like a yelpy bark, it goes right through you as its so high pitched. It would be nice if she would act like Riven that would be great but we have resorted to - hubbys takes Holly out for walk whilst i vacuum in peace. Il keep trying and hopefully one day she will calm down a bit with it. She doesnt like the sweeping brush either although when we are walking and someone is sweeping up their paths she ignores them. Strange Collie!! Hollys Mum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melodyuk Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Scampi was the same when he was a young pup up to about 5 months old.... We had to seperate him and the hoover for a few months....so he was shut in the other room or in the other room just with the stairgate closed, he eventually just got used to the sound... He has tujrned a year old now and i can even hoover HIM now , or right beside him and he wont move unless i tell him to get up lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 we have resorted to - hubbys takes Holly out for walk whilst i vacuum in peace. A wise alternative that's good for both of them! I made a similar mistake, thinking it was "look, how, cute - herding behavior" when Skye was just tiny and began attacking brooms and rakes. Of course, it became a habit almost instantly as I didn't immediately put a stop to the behavior or remove him from where I was working. It became a very irritating and potentially hazardous (to him - sharp broom corn and rake tines in the face and mouth) bad habit. I've avoided allowing my later pups to interact in any way with such tools, and they ignore rakes and brooms so I can work in peace and quiet and they can be safe. Use of a crate is a good alternative but I would suggest putting a blanket over it to prevent Holly from seeing the vacuuming and persisting in the behavior. Once something becomes a bad habit, it's so hard to overcome compared to doing it right in the first place. I've made many, many similar mistakes. Best wishes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustopherJones Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Annie is exactly the opposite. She is scared to death of the Dyson (and of any other loud noises, for that matter). Starting the vacuum cleaner will result in either Annie jumping into a lap if someone is sitting, into one's arms if standing, or running for cover if no one is around to comfort her. I usually have to warn DW before I start, so that she doesn't get caught by surprise by a 35-pound BC moving at warp speed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anda Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 As soon as I plug the vacuum cleaner, Ouzo starts throwing his toys at it ! He would throw his tennis ball, then expect the v.c. to kick it back, or something, then he takes it and pushes it back towards the machine. If I take the balls away, he finds other toys to throw at the v.c. He does the same thing to when he hears the hairdryer, he rushes in with a ball and expects me to kick it at him, back and forth, while I dry my hair. It's become our routine in the morning, playing soccer with tennis balls in the bathroom while I dry out my hair (btw, I'm late for our routine, been sitting here typing while my hair is wet ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha J Posted April 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Thanks again all, We didnt encourage Holly to attack the cleaner she just started doing it then this got worse as she got older. Holly is our first Border Collie and so we are learning with her all the time. They do pick bad habits up extremely quick and they are very hard to put right. We have made a few mistakes along the way and im sure we will make more but this is the only one at present that we carnt seem to break. Il try the blanket tip though and see how we go with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olivia Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 In addition to hubby walking her during vacuuming time, I would start leaving the vacuum out in the living area of the house so she can get used to seeing it around without it running. Move it around to different areas every few days. Once she is used to it being around and is relaxed around it then turn it on for a second, turn it off and go about your daily business. If she doesn't react (even if she doesn't have time cause she is surprised) praise and play or treat. Work on turning it on for longer and longer periods without moving it. Sometimes it is the movement that they react to. Then turn it on, move it a foot and turn it off. Etc. Griffin used to attack the vacuum too. He wasn't as bad, he wouldn't bark, just attack and bite the machine. When I saw him start to focus on it I would make a negative noise and send him to his crate. He got to where he would go to his crate automatically when he saw the vacuum. I didn't even have to shut the door. Now he will wander around while I vacuum he just changes rooms away from where I am at any even given moment. Olivia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkie Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 We have so many vacuum cleaners around the house and Skye would go and sniff it and be fine. But when we turn it on she goes all crazy and barks at it. I hope that given time and A LOT of treats she'll grow out of it and let us vacuum in peace. If it doesn't work out the first time, try again, unless you're bungee jumping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoZo Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Zoey hates the vacuum and knows that it is intensely evil in every way. She'll bite the cord, attack the wheels and go into a barking rampage that sounds like we're trying to murder her- it's scary! She used to do the same thing with the blender and the broom. In those cases she's been getting better. We've been using the blender and broom daily and just by "calmly" ignoring and blocking her, she's gotten used to it. She only attacks the broom occasionally and is no longer bothered by the blender. We still need to work on the vaccum- that's not getting used as much as it should right now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smileyzookie Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 If it doesn't work out the first time, try again, unless you're bungee jumping Or skydiving lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth G Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 I learned the hard way that it's good to stop the behavior asap. About a year ago, I was vacuuming with my NEW vacuum, when Poppy attacked it. He startled me, causing me to back up to get the vacuum away from him before he got hurt. In the process of backing, up I ran over the cord and mauled the heck out of it! So I had to tape it up. Boy! Was I angry! I had only had the vacuum a few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet_ceana Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Ceana likes to chase the vaccum... but she never gets the chance to since we practice "stay" the entire time we vaccum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetpete Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Speedy will do the same thing unless he has a ball in his mouth. If he has a ball, he pecks at the vacuum, or broom, and runs in circles around it. I usually put him in the bedroom with the door closed when I vacuum or sweep. I love your dogs. Your Sammy reminds me of my Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha J Posted April 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Heehee yes ZoZo it does sound terrible when they get like that doesnt it. Im glad im not alone, the worst time was a couple of months back when Holly was shedding her winter coat, that was awful my bed looked like a dog basket!! where she had been sleeping on it during the day. I found that a pain trying to keep up with using the vacuum then. She did get rather a lot of walks though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Merae Posted May 12, 2019 Report Share Posted May 12, 2019 Only way I can get Miles to stop nipping at the vacuum is to have him lay down in my sight, while i hold my hand out. He won't move, but jeez. The border collie stare is real. He's two years old... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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