# Barks at Tools



## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

Hi All, Not sure if this question has been asked. Mac barks agressively at shovels, racks & the lawnmowever so I have to crate him when I do yard work. Same thing with mops, brooms and vacuum cleaners. I've been trying to calm him but it is temporary and he starts to freak out again. Any advice? Any idea why he's doing this?


----------



## DangerousBeauty (Jul 8, 2010)

sounds like a fear response. what does he do if the object is just sitting out unused?


----------



## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

have you read this thread http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/general-behavior/138661-barking-inanimate-objects.html

how old is Mac?


----------



## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

DangerousBeauty said:


> sounds like a fear response. what does he do if the object is just sitting out unused?


I gave him the shovel one day so that he could see that he had nothing to fear. He dropped it and walked away. Only when I'm holding it does he freak out. As long as I'm not using it, he completely ignores the vacuum & broom also. Not sure why he's afraid. I thought it was the sound...of the mower & vacuum but that doesn't explain the broom etc.


----------



## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

sagelfn said:


> have you read this thread http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/general-behavior/138661-barking-inanimate-objects.html
> 
> how old is Mac?


 
Thanks for the link. It seems most people think its a puppy thing he will grow out of. He's 6 months old.

Thanks 2 both for the replies


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Keefer only barks at the vacuum if I'm using it. If it's just sitting there he couldn't care less, and strangely, if my husband uses it he doesn't care either. I think he's trying to tell me that Tom needs to do more around the house! :rofl:


----------



## Ucdcrush (Mar 22, 2004)

Can you tell if he's scared or it he just wants to chase or "shepherd" it? Tuki used to bark at the lawnmower, and she'd run around it, bite at the tires etc. until I corrected her for it a few times (with a stern NO and moving into her). Sometimes she's still tempted to go after it but a quick verbal correction (usually) works


----------



## Namara (Jun 10, 2010)

My dog goes nuts when those kinds of objects are _moving_ - he usually just sniffs or ignores them when they are sitting still - it's the motion that triggers it. Anything rolling, sliding, etc. against the floor, he barks at and tries to bite - hackles raised and everything. I used to crate him, cover the crate with a blanket, then get out the vacuum cleaner. He would be fine until I had to move the blanket to get around the edges of the crate, then all heck broke loose. Outside, he chases anything with wheels and tries to bite them.

One thing I haven't tried yet is get a second person to work with the rake, shovel, or whatever and I hold the dog. Then either click and treat, play with toys, etc. to distract him while the work is going on, and correct him with a prong collar (which is the only thing that gets through to him...) if he decides to act up; maybe increase the distance between him and the object if he gets too worked up close to it to work with. Then just keep doing it to desensitize him to what's going on, moving in closer gradually. It's the only thing I can think of other than hoping he outgrows it...


----------



## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

Ucdcrush said:


> Can you tell if he's scared or it he just wants to chase or "shepherd" it? Tuki used to bark at the lawnmower, and she'd run around it, bite at the tires etc. until I corrected her for it a few times (with a stern NO and moving into her). Sometimes she's still tempted to go after it but a quick verbal correction (usually) works [/QUOTE
> 
> I don't think he's scared. When he's afraid he whimpers and hides...like when our cat hisses at him  Big baby!
> 
> He barks at the object the same way he barks at the neighborhood dog that he doesn't like (mean dog)....like he wants to attack it.


----------



## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

Namara said:


> My dog goes nuts when those kinds of objects are _moving_ - he usually just sniffs or ignores them when they are sitting still - it's the motion that triggers it. Anything rolling, sliding, etc. against the floor, he barks at and tries to bite - hackles raised and everything. I used to crate him, cover the crate with a blanket, then get out the vacuum cleaner. He would be fine until I had to move the blanket to get around the edges of the crate, then all heck broke loose. Outside, he chases anything with wheels and tries to bite them.
> 
> One thing I haven't tried yet is get a second person to work with the rake, shovel, or whatever and I hold the dog. Then either click and treat, play with toys, etc. to distract him while the work is going on, and correct him with a prong collar (which is the only thing that gets through to him...) if he decides to act up; maybe increase the distance between him and the object if he gets too worked up close to it to work with. Then just keep doing it to desensitize him to what's going on, moving in closer gradually. It's the only thing I can think of other than hoping he outgrows it...


This sounds like a good idea...thanks a lot


----------



## Kayla's Dad (Jul 2, 2007)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> Keefer only barks at the vacuum if I'm using it. ....


Kayla goes to another part of the house or the garage when the vacuum come out. Lancer? He goes, finds a ball and comes back and drops it in the front of the vacuum!:doggieplayball:


----------



## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

not unusual since your 'using' them..(as long as he isn't scared!)

Masi will bark at the broom if I'm sweeping off the deck,,it's a movement thing,,when she was young, she'd lug the broom around,,never could teach her to sweep)


----------



## Josiebear (Oct 16, 2006)

Josie barks at the vaccum cleaner  last winter she was barking at the snow shovel. It was funny watching her try to attack the big bad monster lol


----------

