Help! I need to clean!

[asherose]

Ok, Sgt. will NOT under any circumstances allow me to clean our floors. The second a broom, mop, vacuum, swiffer, ANY CLEANING UTENSIL is brought out he actually goes crazy! I found some older posts about the vacuum thing, I know most dogs aren't fans of them...our Boston terrier is fine to hang out on the couch when I use it. Sgt. on the other hand acts like it murdered his family and he is out for revenge! With two dogs, a cat and a man who refuses to take off his shoes at the door...I'm going crazy! My floors are so dirty! Help! Do your bullies to this? What do you do!?! I've tried reasoning with him...no luck...I've tried putting him outside...I thought he was going to break my sliding door demanding to be let back in (also I learned he can jump pretty high)! Someone just sent us a Dyson as a wedding gift...I've wanted one forever! It's still in the box, I can't bring myself to use it knowing Sgt. is going to attack it! I honestly don't know what to do with him. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

ETA: here is a pic of the cute face he gives me after shutting down any and all cleaning operations...I can't even get mad!

 

[sisters3]

Oh Ashley!!!! Joey does the same as Sgt. !!!! I have a Dyson too, love it! You will adore using it once out of the box LOL!

I have to put Joey in the bedroom if I want to clean the floors, she is NON STOP!!! So, you're in good company

 

[Manydogs]

[MENTION=15894]asherose[/MENTION] Do you have a friend or relative nearby, who would take him for a walk, or to their house for awhile,so you could vacuum?

 

[TyTysmom]

Haha. I used to have to block Tyson off in another room with the baby gate. He would attack the vacuum. He doesn't do it anymore, but yeah. LOL It must be a bully thing.

 

[MFrey2012]

Ellie used to attack everything like that as well, we got some good advice from our trainer, which I am going to ATTEMPT to explain

It does take two people, not sure if hubby will be able to help, but what we did was, get some SUPER yummy treats, and separate Sgt. from the Cleaning Utensil of choice, and have hubby throw a handful of treats when you start to use the Vaccum, Swiffer, Broom, and gradually work up to him being near you while you clean.

Eg. (Sgt. in one Corner, Vacuum in the other, have hubby throw down treat, and you ONLY turn on vacuum, till he finishes the treats, then turn off the vaccum, do this a few times, once he is comfortable with that, then move a little closer, and work up to full vacuuming, we did a little everyday, and were able to break Ellies fear with in a few weeks)

Hope this might help!! Hang in there!!

 

[asherose]

[MENTION=14995]sisters3[/MENTION] I'm glad Sgt. isn't the only one! I will try putting him in our room and see how that goes.
[MENTION=8741]Manydogs[/MENTION] nobody really close. My fiance has taken him for walks a few times so I can get the floors done, but honestly I need to at least sweep them daily and with his schedule it doesn't really work out. Also, Sgt. is a super jerk when walking for anybody who isn't me (I think it's because I walk him everyday, and I seem to be the only person he *slightly* listens to...he pulls or just stops walking for his dad. Sgt. is a big mamas boy).
[MENTION=13133]TyTysmom[/MENTION] I was totally going to get baby gates - but our main floor is pretty "open concept" so I decided there wasn't really anywhere for me to use them. The fact that Tyson isn't bothered anymore gives me hope though!! Maybe Sgt. will grow out of this (he's 3...so I'm not sure...) I'll cross my fingers!
[MENTION=15424]MFrey2012[/MENTION] thank you! Explained perfectly! I will absolutely try this. I'm glad Ellie is over her fear!

 

[rjisaterp]

From one NCO to another Sargeant, you are not suppose to volunteer for anything because you may end up at a picnic in a free-fire zone or you may end up on KP.

Jewel and Bentley love to help with house cleaning and we must keep them occupied to do so. I usually take them for a walk and let them search and sniff to their hearts content unless it is hot outside...then we have issues.

Sorry, we use a broom like the one [MENTION=8741]Manydogs[/MENTION] rides...no Dyson.

 

[cefe13]

Castor used to be very interested in the vacuum cleaner and he thought cleaning meant playtime. The good thing about that was that he was a tired and happy bulldog after the vacuum cleaner had been out. Then we got a new vacuum cleaner and he has no interest in it although it sounds far more than the old one. I think the reason is that the new one has a good filter so there is virtually no smell. So for us it helped getting a new vacuum cleaner (although I must say he wasn't bad before; he was just having fun).

 

[Jersey]

LMAO!!! Jersey is the same way with a broom or mop! She's ok with the Dyson though. Maybe you could vacuum the floor and mop when she's outside.... Bulldogs.... gotta love 'em!!!

 

[dieMuttivonBifi]

Ellie used to attack everything like that as well, we got some good advice from our trainer, which I am going to ATTEMPT to explain

It does take two people, not sure if hubby will be able to help, but what we did was, get some SUPER yummy treats, and separate Sgt. from the Cleaning Utensil of choice, and have hubby throw a handful of treats when you start to use the Vaccum, Swiffer, Broom, and gradually work up to him being near you while you clean.

Eg. (Sgt. in one Corner, Vacuum in the other, have hubby throw down treat, and you ONLY turn on vacuum, till he finishes the treats, then turn off the vaccum, do this a few times, once he is comfortable with that, then move a little closer, and work up to full vacuuming, we did a little everyday, and were able to break Ellies fear with in a few weeks)

Hope this might help!! Hang in there!!

This is a very good advice! If your Sgt. goes Rambo style on your vacuum everytime you use it, mine gets stressed. He's so scared of my old vacuum. Then i got myself a Roomba and he's ok with that so long as it doesn't go to where he's laying or sleeping. I have another suggestion (though [MENTION=15424]MFrey2012[/MENTION]'s advice is so much better, she already got you covered) maybe you can try to introduce the vacuum to Sgt.? Just let it lay around the livingroom without plugging it nor moving it. Give him treats everytime he sniffs it or goes near it without wanting to kill it. Do it several times a day everyday till he gets the hang of it being brought in and out of the room. Then when he's ok with it, you up the antic by plugging it and turning it on a few seconds or minutes. And then longer when he gets the hang of it. I dunno if this will work lol. But you atleast now have plan B :D.

 

[1Chumly]

We have the same problem. The swiffer is the worst offender so it can't be the noise. The vacuum is a close second though. I have to put Monty behind a baby gate and put up with the non stop barking. He is the first dog I have ever had that has done this.

 

[rjisaterp]

Ah yes. The bullies are extreme helpers when it comes to vacuums. Love the responses.

 

[MFrey2012]

This is a very good advice! If your Sgt. goes Rambo style on your vacuum everytime you use it, mine gets stressed. He's so scared of my old vacuum. Then i got myself a Roomba and he's ok with that so long as it doesn't go to where he's laying or sleeping. I have another suggestion (though [MENTION=15424]MFrey2012[/MENTION]'s advice is so much better, she already got you covered) maybe you can try to introduce the vacuum to Sgt.? Just let it lay around the livingroom without plugging it nor moving it. Give him treats everytime he sniffs it or goes near it without wanting to kill it. Do it several times a day everyday till he gets the hang of it being brought in and out of the room. Then when he's ok with it, you up the antic by plugging it and turning it on a few seconds or minutes. And then longer when he gets the hang of it. I dunno if this will work lol. But you atleast now have plan B :D.

Thats a PERFECT WAY to start!!

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[asherose]

Thanks so much everyone. Last night Mike took Sgt. to the other side of the living room with treats and I was actually able to vacuum the small rug in front of our back door. It took about 12 minutes, but it's a step in the right direction! I honestly feel 1000% times better knowing that it's not just Sgt. that behaves this way! I knew it wasn't...but reassurance is a good thing! Y'all are the best!!

 

[MFrey2012]

Thanks so much everyone. Last night Mike took Sgt. to the other side of the living room with treats and I was actually able to vacuum the small rug in front of our back door. It took about 12 minutes, but it's a step in the right direction! I honestly feel 1000% times better knowing that it's not just Sgt. that behaves this way! I knew it wasn't...but reassurance is a good thing! Y'all are the best!!

You are so welcome!! - So HAPPY all our advice got you some relief, Sgt. is DEFINITELY not alone. Like you I am OCD about my floors being clean, and when I brought Ellie home she was NOT have anything to do with letting me clean them, especially since we have hard wood floors, and my typical routine was to sweep and then wipe them down, she would attack me/papertowls as I was working, I would break down and cry to hubby to that we HAD to do something, and THANKFULLY we had started taking her to puppy kindergarten, and got some great advice from our trainer how to help Ellie. ALSO dogs DON'T generalize, so when moving from room to room, and vacuum to swiffer, may be like 50 1st Dates:D, but he should catch on quickly.