Buster, the Rotweiller, and the vacuum cleaner

At first, I was afraid of the vacuum cleaner. It was a huge monster to me that made a lot of noise. My owners would push this monster around. They never chased me with it, thank goodness.

My owners were talking to me in a soft voice to key me know that this loud, taller than me creature was not out to scare me or hurt me. But I couldn't get past the noise.

Then my owners did something different. They brought the monster out of the closet, attached its leash to these holes in the wall and walked away. The monster was quiet.

I stared at it. I walked slowly up to it and jumped away. The monster just stood there. Quiet.

Then my owner came back and watched me try to make friends with this creature.

"Good boy," they said and I got the neatest pat on the head.

So I walked up to it again and touched my nose to it and jumped back. It was still quiet. I got another super pat on the head.

My owner then put her hand on the monster's head and moved the thing around the room. It didn't make a sound.

I was put in a "sit" command so that I could see that this monster wasn't going to hurt me.

It came towards me, I was told to stay. Then it went away. It came towards me again as I was still told to stay. The monster was still real quiet.

Then my owner let the monster go, came over to me and gave me all kinds of happy love. I was a good boy for not wanting to eat the monster or for running away.

After a few times of this my owner made the monster growl really loud. It just sat there making a lot of noise. I just looked at it.

Then I was told "good boy" again. I got this praise probably because I still didn't try to eat it.

My owner told me to sit, stay and she grabbed the monsters head again. It was still making that loud noise.

I stayed in place as my owner now moved this loud monster around. It didn't really seem that bad.

I was told good boy again and actually got a super tasty treat. Okay, this thing cant be that bad then.

My owner moved this loud creature around a bit and I decided to relax and lay down.

This went on for a while.

After several times of seeing this thing do this around the room, my owner did something different.

Sher brought the monster out again, put its leash in the holes in the wall and this time pulled its long nose out from its side and laid it on the floor.

There it was. Quiet again, only now it had this long nose laying out in front of it.

Then she came back in the room. She told me I was a good boy and made the monster make noise again. It sounded a little different this time.

She picked up its long nose and was moving it around my favorite sitting area. Right next to where my other owner sits. Right next to me!!!

I was kind of worried again, but my owner said in a nice voice that I was going to be okay.

I trust my owners. That is important to me.

After she moved the monsters nose around different things, she made it be quiet again. She left it right next to me and told me that I was going to be okay.

After several times of that, another thing happened.

Out came the creature again. "Oh, it's you again, " I thought. "Are you going to be quiet or noisy? Is your nose coming out again?"

My owner came over, did its leash to the wall and picked up the long nose. It was still quiet.

She then did the unthinkable. She made that monsters nose touch me! I jumped and tried to bite it. She kept talking to me in a soft voice until I calmed down.

A few times of this and she made the monster make noise again, then picked up its nose and moved it across my back.

I jumped, tried to bite it to get away, but my owner's soft voice calmed me down. I actually started liking this creature.

After several times of this I now have a new friend. I am no longer afraid of it.

Since my owner was so patient with me and took her time, that creature in the closet is no longer a monster to me. It is my friend.