VACUUM PHOBIA

[Albea]

Somebody asked about this subject some time ago and I found this yesterday:

Vacuum Phobia
Is your dog terrified of the vacuum cleaner? Or, do you wish you could vacuum your dog or cat? Give this a try.
It may not work, but the time investment is minimal and it's worth a try.
Put yourself and your dog in a small room, like a bathroom, with the hose to a canister vac. Leave the canister outside the door and sit on the floor, back against the door, with your dog. Play with the hose. Let her/him smell it, paw it, or whatever. Rub it on the dog playfully. Once everything is cool, have someone else turn the machine on or stick your arm through the door and do it yourself. Just leave the hose on the floor away from the dog and do something else -- play with another toy, give treats. If the noise outside the door is being ignored, play with the hose again.
The best place for first contact is on the chest and it feels really good to your dog. Don't overdo it.Turn the machine off, give your dog a treat, and end the session.
After just one session, your dog (or cat) may be demanding to be vacuumed.
- Paula Dupy

From: http://Emazing.com/dog.htm

[tatsxxx11]

Thanks Albea! VERY interesting! I'll have to try it on my lab Star. My kitty Oliver, however, loves being "sucked up!" Maybe I can demenonstrate on him!

[BPlovebug]

Maybe I'll try that sometime cause my dog is sorda scared of the vac.!!!! LOL Thnax

Thanks! That is very helpful! My dogs aren't really afraid of the vacuum - they just go outside thru the doggie door when it comes on. But, occasionally I would love to vaccum the heck out the shedding little bodies of theirs. I have tried and it isn't too bad.. it is just hard to vacuum a moving target ! Will have to try it this way

[Daisy's Mom]

Daisy is very afraid of the vacuum. I turn it on, and away she goes! Sometimes she gets brave and sneaks up to see it, but if it moves, she's out of there! I tried to tell my mom that I was afraif of the vacuum too, but it didn't work and I still had to do my chores

[RachelJ]

I tried to tell my mom that I was afraif of the vacuum too, but it didn't work and I still had to do my chores

Try this one Bridget. My husband uses it and it really works for him. When you vacuum, do it really fast and don't move any furniture. Finish a room that normally takes 30 minutes to vacuum, like in say 5 minutes. When your mom complains that you did it so fast, say that you don't feel you need to go over the same spot ten times. Pretty soon your mom will just give up and do the vacuuming herself.

[ August 07, 2001: Message edited by: RachelJ ]

[Sudilar]

So true, Rachel, "if you want it done right, do it yourself". It's always worked for my family.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by RachelJ:
<STRONG>
When you vacuum, do it really fast and don't move any furniture.
</STRONG>

MOVE furniture?

We better tell Dad he's doin it wrong ~ cuz he don't move too much stuff while he's runnin the vacuum sukker round the Ranch! Mebbe that's why there's sum dawg fuzz alluz piled up round the chair an table legs ?

Sumthin you Two-Leggers seem to furget about your sukker machines ~ they make a lotta racket that hurtz our senstive dawg an kat earbones! Lotta high frequency noise from the high speed motor - we're reely sensitive to that high freq stuff!! On the rare occasions when Dad rolls out our sukker, we FurKidz are allowed to hide in a distant room or go down inna cellar if we want to.

Move the furniture ~ interesting concept ...

[Daisy's Mom]

LOL Rachel, been there, done that! Trust me, I've tried it all