# My pup is scared of the hoover ..... please advise



## HB2210 (Apr 14, 2010)

Hi,
I have a 10 week old German Shepherd puppy called Mason, seen below  We have only had him a week and need some more advise please. When I hoover, he is absolutely terrified, he runs about hitting himself off things as he tries to run away  Ive tried leaving the hoover in the same room but switched off so its less scary, but he gives it the widest bearth possible to manover around it. Can anyone offer any advise please ? He came from a working farm so is used to tractors and outside noise. He looks terrified and Ive tried reassuring him but it only helps a little. Any advice would be appreciated


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## Vicki (Jul 28, 2009)

First of all, stop reassuring him! Dogs doesn't listen to the words we say (because they don't understand them, obviously ) but they listen to the tone, which often is the same tone when you reassure the dog as when you praise it. And fear is something that you don't want to praise. 

In my opinion, the best thing is to ignore the dog and just continue to hoover. If it's really bad, I'd put the puppy in a crate or in an other room while you hoover. My older dog isn't particularly fond of the hoover, but I don't need him to be (I'm not particualrly fond of the hoover myself ). When I hoover he keeps moving away to "safe" places, but I don't mind that. My puppy doesn't move away, she chases the hoover and she's a lot more trouble than the one keeping away. I often put her in her crate while hoovering. 

Your puppy has just moved in with you, which means that he's probably feeling insecure in a new and unknown environment. When he's feeling more at home with you he'll probably get used to you hoovering (as a dog owner it sometimes feels that's all you do ) and be less scared of it.


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## ArwenLune (Jan 3, 2010)

I would not just get on with hoovering. The more often the current situation repeats itself, the more strongly confirmed the fear will become. Chances are good he'll stop cowering at some point and start barking hysterically instead, which is not exactly progress! At 10 weeks you still have time to introduce him gradually and de-sensitize him.

To create nice associations with the hoover I would feed him in the same room as the hoover is (standing switched off in a corner), play with him there, make it a super good time. 
At other times, feed and play while you are playing a recording of hoovering sounds. (either record your own or look for similar sounding clips online)
Start with the volume VERY low. When he's comfortable, increase the volume over several sessions - but never so fast that he gets distressed. Reward calm (non fearful, either cowering or barking!) behaviour with fuss and treats. If he gets distressed, go back a step and turn down the volume!

Once that's going well, play the sound in the same room as the hoover is standing. Proceed to having someone make hoovering motions while you play and treat with the pup. Once you can do that and have the volume of the recording up to what it would sound like if you were actually hoovering, you can switch on the hoover. 

Sounds like a lengthy process but I bet if you could spend 2 to 3 five minute sessions a day on this, you'd have a huge change in a week. 

If he's consistently doing something really fun (or eating something really tasty) while the hoovering is going on, and you make sure you proceed gradually enough that he never gets distressed, the hoovering will become the signal that something fun or tasty is about to happen! Once the fear is gone, you can just pop him in his crate with a stuffed kong while you get on with things.


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## HB2210 (Apr 14, 2010)

appreciate the advice, thanks


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## canvey (Mar 10, 2009)

My dog used to bark at mine so i began to throw him treats as i was hoovering so he associated the hoover as a good thing.
Now he takes no notice of it at all and i dont have to throw the treats anymore either.
It takes time but it does work.


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## HardyHound (Apr 14, 2017)

Post moved to correct Thread.


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

HB2210 said:


> Hi,
> I have a 10 week old German Shepherd puppy called Mason, seen below  We have only had him a week and need some more advise please. When I hoover, he is absolutely terrified, he runs about hitting himself off things as he tries to run away  Ive tried leaving the hoover in the same room but switched off so its less scary, but he gives it the widest bearth possible to manover around it. Can anyone offer any advise please ? He came from a working farm so is used to tractors and outside noise. He looks terrified and I've tried reassuring him but it only helps a little. Any advice would be appreciated


If you've only had him a week, you haven't really tried anything, have you? You need to leave it in the same room all the time; he will eventually stop giving it a wide berth. It's possible that you will never be able to use the machine while he is in the room without him running away, but that's ok. Just don't push it near him and he'll come realise you are actually controlling this beast.

Diva was afraid of it when I first got her, but eventually she got used to it. She still didn't like it, but it was no big deal.


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

newfiesmum said:


> If you've only had him a week, you haven't really tried anything, have you? You need to leave it in the same room all the time; he will eventually stop giving it a wide berth. It's possible that you will never be able to use the machine while he is in the room without him running away, but that's ok. Just don't push it near him and he'll come realise you are actually controlling this beast.
> 
> Diva was afraid of it when I first got her, but eventually she got used to it. She still didn't like it, but it was no big deal.


Since the thread is from 2010 I think the OP's had their dog a bit more than a week now!


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

simplysardonic said:


> Since the thread is from 2010 I think the OP's had their dog a bit more than a week now!


Oh, wow, Virge, thanks for making me look even dafter!  However, in my defence, I am not the one who dug up a seven year old thread with an answer that is no longer relevant.


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

I wonder if he's still scared of the hoover though ? Reena is and she's 7 !


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

@newfiesmum I know, I was just winding you up, is it me or does that reply that resurrected the long dead thread not make sense



SusieRainbow said:


> I wonder if he's still scared of the hoover though ? Reena is and she's 7 !


My shepherds hated the hoover.

Oddly, despite being an ex street dog who had probably never encountered them, Gypsy's never been bothered by it, Rogue ignores it too.

But Bob will actually follow the person hoovering until they hoover him!


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

The ressurecting reply is for another thread about Cats and dogs I think, now moved.


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2017)

newfiesmum said:


> Oh, wow, Virge, thanks for making me look even dafter!  However, in my defence, I am not the one who dug up a seven year old thread with an answer that is no longer relevant.


Don't worry about it, half the time it's newbies resurrecting old threads and I suspect they don't think to check dates lol.


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

SusieRainbow said:


> I wonder if he's still scared of the hoover though ? Reena is and she's 7 !


Diva was always scared, stayed out of its way though rather than being terrified. I never could get Joshua over his fear of the blaster. When I bought it, got it out of the box, he ran and hid in the cupboard. I'm glad Diva got over her aversion to the television or we wouldn't have had a good time!



simplysardonic said:


> @newfiesmum I know, I was just winding you up, is it me or does that reply that resurrected the long dead thread not make sense
> 
> My shepherds hated the hoover.
> 
> ...


As Susie said, it was in reply to a different thread.


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## HardyHound (Apr 14, 2017)

I apologise, I was switching between threads and posted on the wrong one inadvertently


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## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

HardyHound said:


> I apologise, I was switching between threads and posted on the wrong one inadvertently


No problem , easily done.


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## Guest (Apr 18, 2017)

HardyHound said:


> I apologise, I was switching between threads and posted on the wrong one inadvertently


Don't worry about it.


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