Odd question: any recommendations for a dog-friendly vacuum cleaner?

[Sarah.H]

A Henry would probably be better as the bit you use isn't the bit making the noise and there's no moving parts to see.

[Petepreston]

We're ready for a new machine anyway siam.

I haven't been making a fuss of her when she barks at these machines but she hasn't calmed down at all, and as I said, she goes nuts when she sees them even if they aren't switched on.

It's not a big problem. The lawn gets cut once a month in the summer and the vacuum once a week at the moment. She doesn't get in the bedroom when my wife uses the hairdrier but Posie will sit outside the room and bark just as much as if she's in the room. There's no distracting her.

She does sit & stay quite well, mooching, but not well enough to cope with this situation. She's only 16 weeks old so good but not perfect - other than in looks! 

[mooching]

She does sit & stay quite well, mooching, but not well enough to cope with this situation. She's only 16 weeks old so good but not perfect - other than in looks!  

Well, they are all different, but my pup is only a couple of weeks older than yours, and he's learned to cope with the vacuum cleaner, the mower (and the hedgecutter) by obediently sitting and staying (and laying down) on his bed with a treat, at first with someone with him, and now on his own - and that's despite being half working cocker half terrier! However we started very early with him (right from 8 wks), and trained him to be calm rather than removing him from the situation. But if you're happy doing what you do, and continuing to do that, no problem!

[mooching]

Have read this thread with interest as I haven't managed to get Alfie used to the Dyson or the mower but am going down the line of helping him to cope with it rather than buy another machine as I don't think it would make any difference with a quieter one, he starts barking and jumping at it as soon as I put my hand on the handle of it to undo the flex. If any of my sons are around they take him into the garden to play. If I'm on my own, I put him outside with his Kong. It's not a longterm solution I know, but he often barks so much it's hard to get a second to reward him when he's not barking. The boys have tried holding him and reassuring him when it's switched on but he barks when being held too. I've also tried stroking him and moving the Dyson slowly beside him when its off but will keep persevering.

siam, it might be an idea to ask about this in the Behaviour thread, as more people are likely to see it. 

[vixen]

. The lawn gets cut once a month in the summer and the vacuum once a week at the moment.

I wonder if the frequency that the machines are used has anything to do with her behaviour?
I have always had dogs and I vacuum EVERY day.  It is just something that is part of my routine as if I didn't, with two dogs it could quickly get out of hand.   From the day my pups came home they have seen and heard the vacuum.
Maybe if your puppy saw and heard the vacuum cleaner every day it would become part of her routine as it is for my girls. Remember the saying about familiarity! 

[Petepreston]

You might be right about the machines not being used very often, vixen, but I'm on crutches at the moment so other than switching the vacuum on every so often there's not much chance of it being used every day. It's like almost everything else I need or would like to do more often.

[vixen]

You might be right about the machines not being used very often, vixen, but I'm on crutches at the moment so other than switching the vacuum on every so often there's not much chance of it being used every day. It's like almost everything else I need or would like to do more often.

I wasn't being judgmental about your vacuum cleaning and am sorry if it came across this way.
I was just suggesting that if your puppy was exposed to it more often she would get used to it.
My sympathies are with you at this time as it must be extremely difficult managing to get round on crutches and having a young puppy at this same time.
Best wishes for your speedy recovery. 

[Petepreston]

Not at all vixen, though you would be quite correct. The vacuum came out no more than once a week before Posie arrived. It's getting owrse now because she is constantly bringing in sticks from the garden and then demolishing them. That and muddy paws from the digging.

When I get the new vacuum I might leave it out in the open for her to get used to, but she doesn't have a problem with the old one when it's switched off, unlike the lawnmower.

Thanks for all the advice. Much appreciated.

[Sarah1985]

What may be useful is just to get the machine out and wander around the house with it from time to time (not putting it on) to get your dog used to seeing it - then progress with very short operation. 

Great advice from Saffaroo!

Thats what I did. I also switched it on and didnt move it so that they can get accomadated to the noise and the movement seperately.

[fionad]

In ten years our dog has always got hyper over anything with a motor! The vacuum cleaner gets her walking slowly round the dining table as soon as it comes out of the garage. When it's switched on she does laps at increasing speed. The mower and strimmer have the same effect in the garden, as do drills etc

After years of trying to get her calm around these items including a behaviourist visit, I now let her get on with it. The exercise does her no harm!

If pushed we can make her lie down and watch, which she does in very excited fashion, panting and holding a toy. At least she is safe in the garden like this! 

[Mudmagnets]

When I get the hoover out here, it usually works like this: I open the cupboard door in the  hall where said devlish machine is kept safe, muddies watch which way I take it, (cupboard is mid-way between bedroom and lounge) then they go and sit in the room I am not using it (after all it might gobble them up  ).

When I have finished in one room, they carefully bypass the beast and go and sit/lay in the other room.

They don't bark or create - they just keep out of it's way.

[Petepreston]

That's a great compromise.

[Rats and Dogs]

It sounds like she wants to play with it! Dougie is the same, he jumps at the hoover, jumps back, barks at it, and wants me to chase him with it, he is the same with the hairdryer, he just loves a carry on.

I have gone through quite a few hoovers since having dogs, but recently got a Henry, and it is really quiet - although, Dougie just thought it was a new pal for him, especially as it has a big smiley face!

You can either just put up with her trying to play, or gradually desensitise her to it.

[Top Barks]

Douglas now associates my Dyson with food as I often train with it on.
His was a confidence issue, where he would run away and hide if it went on.
i taught him to target the dyson up right and not switched on with his nose, i  also got him doing lots of tricks which could be rewarded firstly in another part of the house when it was switched on and eventually in the same room, I always hoover up now with my treat pouch on and toss really yummy treats at him and leave the choice up to him if he wants to approach or not.
Seems to have worked as when i put the hoover on the other day he wandered into the room and started playbowing which was one of the tricks we worked on rather than heading for the hills.
sessions should be kept very brief to start with.

[Petepreston]

Update: we bought the Miele 4212 Plus and I couldn't praise it highly enough. On the "quiet" setting it is still quite loud but very powerful and I tend to use it on the lowest setting when I want some peace. Even at the lowest setting it is powerful enough to clean hard surfaces and light cleaning of carpet. My rug has never been cleaner than when I use the higher settings.

The only thing I would criticise it for is that it's too powerful. On full power it lifts the carpet and will pull a 7'x4' rug around the room, making it heavy to use. Hardly a bad point given that it's adjustable.

As far as Posie's concerned, it's just as bad as the old machine. She still barks at the cleaning head, even when the machine isn't switched on and sometimes when I'm not even using the vacuum.

I opted for the model that didn't have the turbo head as I'd read reviews saying that the rotating brushes could damage softer materials. As it happens, it is more than powerful enough anyway.

Oh, and the excellent wheels make the machine feel far lighter than it is when moving around. Not sure how it will be on stairs 'cos I can't do them yet.

I hope this helps somebody else.