My Boy Is Scared Of The Washing Machine

[Guest Muscovy]

So lately my boy Lad has been refusing to come inside for some periods during the evenings, and today I figured out why.

 

I was home today and decided to have a nap, so I threw a load of washing on, grabbed the dogs, and went up to bed. I noticed the bed shaking during the spin cycle, and wondered why the washing machine was shaking the house so much. Then I realised it was Lad, shivering and panting in fear.

 

This is why he's been frightened to come inside during the evenings - my husband is moving his shop to a new premises and has been bringing home washing from work every night to prepare for the move.

 

So is there anything I can do about this? It sort of reminds me of the type of fear caused by a thunderstorm in some dogs, which I've never had any luck with training for. I have tried thunder coats and doggy Valium with limited success in thunderstorms with my last grey, but we do run the washing machine a bit too frequently to be drugging little Lad. I suppose I could try a thunder coat, but I really don't want him to be stressed to that extent twice a week.

 

Otherwise, any tips for lifestyle/interior design changes that could help?

Edited March 26, 2015 by Muscovy

[Moneypenny]

I had a very similar problem a few years back, here is a thread that started about fear of a dishwasher, but the training tips are the same

 

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/264880-dishwasher-phobia/?hl=%2Bfear+%2Bwashing+%2Bmachine&do=findComment&comment=4793939

[XTRAWLD]

My Ryder is terrified of my espresso machine, and then later I downgraded to a Tassimo and he's still a nervous wreck so I completely sympathize. He has the same reaction when using the air compressor in the garage to pump up tires. My only luck for the coffee maker has been to mask the sound, however the duration of making a coffee is significantly less than a load in the washing machine. I find that putting him in the basement, running the furnace fan and putting music on down there and closing the door to upstairs while the machine runs works best. I have also tried to put him in the bedroom but when I try to coax him in there he knows something is up so I sort of wait for the opportunity first and then put music on, shut the door, turn on the furnace fan and go for it! Thundershirt didn't work for me, mind you to be fair I didn't give it a long enough go, but the few weeks I was using it did not reap rewards so I gave up. It is hard to say if it is the noise or the vibration of the machines that seem to bother my guy, perhaps similar to yours. I mounted my coffee maker on some sound/vibration absorptive material, but it didn't do anything for me. You could consider perhaps mounting your machine on a isolated pad?

 

He has also reacted to me just standing in the corner where the machine is. Or he specifically knows what the "on" switch sounds like, what the tank resevoir removal sounds like, what the click is to insert the coffee pod sounds like. These are his easy triggers. So I just stop what I'm doing and will resume the coffee 5-10 minutes later. You could consider your moves and click putting the loads in as triggers for him. Do everything except turn it on - and then go and wait, you can turn it on later..... It's all I've got for you.

 

I wish you the best of luck with resolving his fear. I am so sad when I see Ryder shaking like a leaf.

Edited March 26, 2015 by XTRAWLD

[Guest Muscovy]

Ok, some very good tips on the dishwasher thread. Thanks! Looks like some roast chicken and some training time in the laundry is on the cards.