Okay, this is ridiculous

[vraiblonde]

Let him chase and actually catch a mower. I bet it's the last time he will try it.

That is not an option.

 

[Roman]

Apollo is once again losing his mind because the yard guy is here cutting the grass. This happens not only when my grass is being cut, but whenever a neighbor is cutting their grass as well. He, Apollo, runs around frantically, barking like an idiot, non-stop until the mower goes away.

He is not suffering from lack of attention; he gets plenty of exercise; he is highly socialized. I have tried rewarding him with treats when he responds to "Quiet" and using my deep mean voice for "No barks" when he's going off. We have tried to desensitize him to the mower, which is just about as worthless of a suggestion as I've ever heard.

Right now, because I need to get some work done, I have him locked in the bedroom, where he has been keening non-stop for about 20 mins now. Like a bawling baby, I check on him, soothe him, shut the door and leave.

Ayn suggestions as to how I can get him to stop freaking out? He flips out at just about every noise, but this is the worst.

Hey Vrai...I will trade you my Deaf Puppy for Apollo.....JUST KIDDING~! All jokes aside, I have another Dog that rarely barks, but when we have the Roto-Tiller out, even if it's NOT running, she will bark her fanny off. Dolly-Deaf-Dog barked at my Antique Sewing Machine today, for about 2 minutes. It is annoying, but I try to deal with it. Good luck with the suggestions, and hopefully, they work.

 

[dustin]

I'm gonna suggest desensitizing, with positive reinforcment (treat/praise/etc). I know you already said desensitizing was out...

I'd bring him outside whenever the mower is going at your house, with treats in hand, and just chill in a chair with him on a leash... see what he does... work your way closer to the mower... treats along the way...

If he gets aggressive though then I'd back off and go slower with it.

You may need to sit outside with him for a while, and more than just once. But hey it's nice out so make some sweet tea to take out there with you.

 

[acommondisaster]

Crate him?

 

[vraiblonde]

Well, I hate to tell you all this but I got very good advice from someone (who can out themselves if they want) over the weekend that worked:

Bust his ass.

I hated to do that, but it only took once ass smack combined with "KNOCK IT OFF!" and we have progress.

If anyone had ever told me I'd actually HIT my baby, I'd have had them committed. I never even hit my kids, and I didn't like them nearly as much. But there it is. He started going off, I smacked his ass and told him KNOCK IT OFF! He laid his ears back and cowered, which made me feel like #### and tear up, but now I say KNOCK IT OFF! without the smack and he minds.

We walked past my neighbor mowing his lawn this morning and Apollo started pulling and whining. I told him KNOCK IT OFF! and he cowered and walked nicely. I don't really like the cowering part, but I do like that he behaves. And he still loves me except when I'm telling him sternly to knock it off.

I'm somewhat traumatized by this, but that's for another thread...

 

[Bird Dog]

Bust his ass.
I hated to do that, but it only took once ass smack combined with "KNOCK IT OFF!" and we have progress.
But there it is. He started going off, I smacked his ass and told him KNOCK IT OFF! He laid his ears back and cowered, which made me feel like #### and tear up, but now I say KNOCK IT OFF! without the smack and he minds.
We walked past my neighbor mowing his lawn this morning and Apollo started pulling and whining. I told him KNOCK IT OFF! and he cowered and walked nicely. I don't really like the cowering part, but I do like that he behaves. And he still loves me except when I'm telling him sternly to knock it off.
I'm somewhat traumatized by this, but that's for another thread...

It works with men too!

 

[Wenchy]

You need a manual push mower. Great exercise!

 

[my-thyme]

Bust his ass.

...but now I say KNOCK IT OFF! without the smack and he minds.

I'm somewhat traumatized by this, but that's for another thread...

It works with men too!

And I found THIS out the hard way, many years after I should have, but it really works! And sometimes doing it subtlely just doesn't work, a good CRACK does it.

 

[huntr1]

Well, I hate to tell you all this but I got very good advice from someone (who can out themselves if they want) over the weekend that worked:

Bust his ass.

I hated to do that, but it only took once ass smack combined with "KNOCK IT OFF!" and we have progress.

If anyone had ever told me I'd actually HIT my baby, I'd have had them committed. I never even hit my kids, and I didn't like them nearly as much. But there it is. He started going off, I smacked his ass and told him KNOCK IT OFF! He laid his ears back and cowered, which made me feel like #### and tear up, but now I say KNOCK IT OFF! without the smack and he minds.

We walked past my neighbor mowing his lawn this morning and Apollo started pulling and whining. I told him KNOCK IT OFF! and he cowered and walked nicely. I don't really like the cowering part, but I do like that he behaves. And he still loves me except when I'm telling him sternly to knock it off.

I'm somewhat traumatized by this, but that's for another thread...

I bet Kaitlin would have had a wonderful suggestion on how to properly train your dog without resorting to cruelty and VIOLENCE. You animal abuser.

 

[idiganthro]

I left my vacuum out so my dog could walk around it, sniff it and let it become part of the landscape. He doesn't like it when it's on still, but it doesn't seem to inspire the same terror. Has Apollo met the lawnmower and man so he can sniff them?