mechanical noises

[mamma6]

So we found the first thing (OK second if you county the cat ; ) we need to work on with Krok.

We started the coffee grinder and quickly realized he doesn't like that type of noise. He doesn't seem afraid, really. But he barks and wants to get it. Gets him excited. Same thing will pencil sharpener. Loud, sudden noises don't bother him....balloon popped and he didn't flinch. Stereo music is fine, too.

I need to vaccum, but I don't think that would go over well at the moment......

Right now, we are using "leave it" and having him sit, stay for a treat when the noise happens. You can get him to divert his attention to you, but you really have to work at keeping it.......he breaks away and you have to call him back again to sit. You can tell he wants to sit for a treat and focus on you.....and he does......but in his heart, he's dying to get the pencil sharpener. lol!

Are we taking the right approach to training him on this? Is there a better way than calling him away, making him sit, telling him stay and treating him?

I know he is very good and smart......blankets got him all crazy at first and he wanted to bite and pull at them and any shirt or socked foot nearby. But in just a short time, we have him sitting on the floor on a blanket with the kids while they read. The noise thing is a bit more challenging, but I know he can do it. Just looking for the best approach.

Thanks, Dee

[Scarlettsmom]

Our dog was not even a bomb dog, but the sound of our bread maker on knead used to get her all worked up. It was funny at first. It would go WHUMP WHUMP WHUMP and she would bark at it until it "stopped". It would do it again and she would bark until it stopped...this would go on for the whole cycle.

Finally, I put the bread machine on the floor for her to check out. She was satisfied that it was NOT trying to attack me and stopped barking.

Krok may not have ever heard these sorts of noises. I'm sure there are other posters who can give you some great advice on how to introduce him to "house noises". He looks and sounds like he is settling in.

[Marnie]

I think I would ignore it as much as possible. By making a thing of it and giving him treats, he might come to think that barking at the noise is the best way to get rewards. I'd turn on a noisy appliance and just let it run for a while. Unless the dog actually attacks it, I would ignore him. He's bound to get used to noisy stuff if you just let it run and wear him down.

[mamma6]

You would think he would be used to house noises....he lived with his handler. He certainly is used to loud things like airplanes and cargo house doors.

[mamma6]

Originally Posted by Marnie

I think I would ignore it as much as possible. By making a thing of it and giving him treats, he might come to think that barking at the noise is the best way to get rewards. I'd turn on a noisy appliance and just let it run for a while. Unless the dog actually attacks it, I would ignore him. He's bound to get used to noisy stuff if you just let it run and wear him down.

Hmmmmm......ok. Should he be in his crate or no? I could let him sniff the things, but I'm afraid he'd try to eat the pencil sharpener. : )

[Cheerful1]

In the beginning, Joey would bark at the vacuum cleaner and put his paw on it. I point my finger at him and say "it's ok" several times. It seems to calm him down. When I vacuum close to where he's sitting, I motion for him to move, and he does.

The barking will still happen occasionally.

I don't know what it is about the noise that sets them off. Maybe he thinks he's protecting me against the big noisy monster?

[Marnie]

I wouldn't crate him. If he actually tries to attack it, tell him no, down. You don't want him to associate the noise with treats but not with being crated either. Noise happens and he needs to accept it. From your post it sounds like he was trained on a tug or towel. You could reward him for a down stay with the grinder running by having a game of tug after you turn it off.

[mamma6]

You could reward him for a down stay with the grinder running >>>>>

Isn't this what the other poster said would make him associate the noise with being treated? It's what I was doing earlier today.

I then tried to just casually walk through, sharpen a pencil, tell him "quiet, it's ok" and walk out. He barked for 5 minutes afterward, pacing all over the place.

He was crated later when my son came through and sharpened his pencil without me knowing.....(we home school....lots of pencil sharpening going on here) So I came in, told Krok quiet and let him sniff the sharpener through the crate. That pretty much convinced me he WOULD try to eat the whole thing, had he been out!

Blarg!!! Do I ignore it or do a sit/stay with a treat while it's going? Neither is working very well at the moment.

[llombardo]

I think he wants to work. Yes he's used to hearing these loud noises at the airport where he worked. I doubt this is fear, he wants to investigate. I would take this stuff, put it on the ground, turn it on, and let him investigate. I bet he calms down as soon as he's allowed to sniff it.

[mamma6]

Originally Posted by llombardo

I think he wants to work. Yes he's used to hearing these loud noises at the airport where he worked. I doubt this is fear, he wants to investigate. I would take this stuff, put it on the ground, turn it on, and let him investigate. I bet he calms down as soon as he's allowed to sniff it.

Yikes! Really? I have this vision of him ripping it apart.....that would be investigating! lol. You're right in that I don't think it's fear. He doesn't like it, though. German shepherds are new for me, though. I could be mistaking, "I hate that noise, I want to attack that thing" barking for, "Hey let me check that out." barking. I'm used to my two little dogs who couldn't sound intimidating if they tried. ; )