Somebody explain this to me- doggie behavior

[WebmasterAlex]

This morning when I woke up the washing machine had blown up sending water across our hallway. Fortunately I caught it in time and there wasn't any damage.
Now our big brave 90 pound Labrador refuses to cross the spot where the water came across. He sits there and wimpers and whines...

 

[Goofyposter]

Groosch!

He can proably (by smell) detect residual.....

.......spot remover!!!

 

[Pin Wizard]

It blew up? I would think there was a loud noise with that. He's probably scared to get too close.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

I said blown up in the sense of it's broke. It didn't make any noise, water just started gushing out the bottom of it! I'm just thankful I was here, it would have been a disaster!

 

[Goofyposter]

Is it possible that your dog associated the 'water on the floor' with perhaps 'accidents' that might have happened before he was housebroken?

 

[airhead]

If he's a typical Lab,he's food motivated and you can fix this little phobia by coaxing him to the "danger spot" with treats,all the while telling him good boy. Don't drag him to the spot,call him near the area,treat him. Get a little closer,treat,tell him good boy!
Keep doing it and he'll forget about the water and just associate the spot with food and LOTS of praise!
Good luck!!

airhead

 

[WDWHound]

Was the dog neaby when the water started gushing out? perhaps he is afraid the machine will spray him?

 

[jamsmom]

That poor puppy! Maybe he is afraid he will be blamed?

Good thing you were there. What a mess!

 

[skuttle]

Must be related to our Corgi...he STILL refuses to walk/jump over the baby gate tension rod on the floor.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

When it rains hard, we are left with a puddle on the walk between the door and the yard. I've seen our yellow lab skip over the puddle to avoid it. It's funny to see him kick his legs sideways to miss it.

 

[DemonLlama]

My guess is it's related to smell. Labs, particularly, have a water sense and there may have been some residue from the detergent that he's associating with something unpleasant.

I love that the biggest dogs can act like the biggest babies. My SIL had the biggest German Shepherd I've ever seen. On her hind legs, "standing up," she stood over five feet tall, and she could just whine and whimper and shake like a baby when she was upset.

 

[Poohbear123]

Sounds like Bad Karma to me.......

 

[Wagamama]

sorry grandpa, don't know what to tell you

 

[Saffron]

Can't help. Last time that happened to me with my washing machine, my Great Dane thought it was a blast. She kept running and sliding in the water, on purpose, like she was surfing.

 

[dtuleya]

Originally posted by airhead
If he's a typical Lab,he's food motivated

I agree. Whenever I'm trying to get Murphy to do something new, I use food as an enticement. He's too big for me (120 lbs - the vet says he is in great shape, he's just a very large, "big boned" boy) to physically move at times so the "T" word (treat) is a big motivator in our house.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

It has to be the water thing... for a lab he does NOT like water. He'll see the kids in the pool and you can see he wants to go in so bad but he's only done it twice.