Run for Your Lives!

All things considered, Sam's a pretty fearless dog. He's afraid of baby gates, and he's afraid of the dustbuster, but he's cool with upright vacuums, leafblowers, and pressure washers. He doesn't seem to notice fireworks or most thunder. He's afraid of the vet, but to be fair, she's made him bleed on several occasions. And he was afraid of the ice cream truck that one time, but he's since overcome that particular fear.

He is absolutely terrified of the wall-unit vacuum, however.

Our house is rigged up with vacuum outlets, and you just plug a big giant knobbly hose in and boom, instant vacuum. There's a big canister mounted to the back of the garage that makes noise once the suction is activated. This noise haunts Sam's dreams.

I'd kicked Sam outside and was vigorously vacuuming the house this afternoon when Dad came home. As soon as he'd pulled into the drive, Sam had jumped into his car and refused to get back out. He was terrified of the noise the garage canister was making. Dad had to lift him bodily out of the car.

The horror, the horror!

Sam then hunkered down in the front corner of the garage next to the outside door, as far away from the canister and the door inside (on the other side of which the rest of the vacuum lurked) as possible. Even when I'd finished vacuuming he stayed there, cowering.

Is it safe?

What I don't understand is why he didn't just get out of the garage. The door was wide open. We have an acre and a half. He could have gone to the pool, chilled down by the gate, hung around Dad's shop, or napped under the grapefruit tree. All out of hearing range of the vacuum. But no, apparently to leave the garage while the evil canister is awake is sudden death, so you have to stay inside the garage despite your terror. 15 years of owning the breed and I still don't understand Labrador logic.

At any rate, Sam eventually recovered his usual aplomb and was back to making mischief. He got a walk and a pig ear out of it, so all things considered he came out on top.

Oh, and tomorrow I'll have a mashup of Sam pool-jumping videos for you, so look forward to that!