# Mowing my lawn with my new puppy?



## rs09 (Apr 27, 2009)

I live alone in a house on a 3/4 acre property. My new puppy (16 wks.) likes my company and I, of course, like his. However, there are times when we must be apart. Since he's not house broken, I keep him crated most of the time while he's in the house. He doesn't seem to mind being in his crate at all, except when I leave the room. Then he barks, and barks, and barks until I return. I imagine he does the same thing when I leave the house to run errands. However, when I return in a couple of hours, he's usually asleep. 

Whenever I'm outside on my property I bring my puppy. I don't use the crate and I don't use a leash. He follows me where ever I go. In fact, we saunter around my property's perimeter a few times daily just for the heck of it. He has a ball. 

It takes me about 45 minutes to mow my lawn using my tractor mower. I've been keeping my puppy in his crate and placing the crate in the shade while I mow. I move it once when I go from the back yard to the front yard. The problem is: My puppy barks like a Banshee each time I pass him going around my yard on the mower. I could ignore him. I could get off the tractor mower after each lap and yell at him for making so much noise (Although with the loudness of the tractor mower, I can only see him barking, I can't actually hear him. Still, the neighbors might be bothered.). I could leash him and tie the leash to a post, but I think he'd continue to bark, and I've read that tying a dog to a post is not a nice thing to do. I could keep him crated inside my house. I could let him out of the crate and allow him to follow me while I mow the lawn. I think this last alternative is what will make my puppy happy. I'm concerned I might mow over him, though.


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## Renoman (Mar 20, 2007)

Personally, I think the safest place for your puppy is in the house in the crate.


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## TxRider (Apr 22, 2009)

That would be my choice too, might give him a obsession about the mower..


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## Cheetah (May 25, 2006)

I would not mow my lawn while my dog is playing around the mower. That's dangerous. I keep my dog inside when the yard is being mowed.


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## hulkamaniac (Feb 11, 2009)

I would crate the dog as well while I mowed. In any case, the mower is going to be much, much louder than the dogs barking. I haven't met a dog yet that could bark as loud as a mower.


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## Max'sHuman (Oct 6, 2007)

I also say crate him in the house. It's safer and then he doesn't further develop a complex about the mower.


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## Bellasmom (Aug 14, 2008)

I would crate your puppy in the house why you mow. You said the neighbors might hear him. This will take care of that. It will also protect him from any flying debri if he is crated outside while you are mowing.


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## Renoman (Mar 20, 2007)

Quite honestly.... I'm wondering outloud here............

first leaving the dog in car with a/c running, now mowing the lawn while the dog runs around..... 

anyone else, or am I just extremely suspicious?


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## nikkilugi (Mar 11, 2009)

I don't have a riding mower - just an old fashioned non propelled push mower and I mow with my dogs outside. They don't bother me and I don't bother them and Abby is now 5 months old. I don't think it makes me a bad owner to mow the yard with my dogs out as long as I don't run over one of them and luckly in my 25+ years of mowing and owning dogs that hasn't happened yet.

When I was younger and we lived in the country on 2 acres I did use a riding mower. We had a dog that roamed our property and I would mow with him being outside I am sure. There was never a problem, although I am sure we kept him in the house when he was a puppy but as he got older it wasn't an issue.


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## rs09 (Apr 27, 2009)

Well, I'm going to now keep my puppy crated inside my house while I mow the lawn from now on. Thanks for the advice.


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## Erick Aguilar (Jun 9, 2008)

Id say that putting your dog inside the house would be the source of a new problem.
You pup is obviously not familiarized with a lawn mower, hence why the pup is barking like crazy, this could be the start for something dangerous in the future,while on walks your dog could think a bike, trike, car, or anything that moves with a *you* on or in it should be barken or lunged at.

I say... take the pup out with the tractor OFF, and let your pup get used to it being off, give the pup treats whenever he touches or sniffs the tractor, then sit on the tractor while holding the pup and praise whenever he is calm.

Do it little by little until you start turning on the tractor and see how the pup reacts.


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## Renoman (Mar 20, 2007)

> Id say that putting your dog inside the house would be the source of a new problem.
> You pup is obviously not familiarized with a lawn mower, hence why the pup is barking like crazy, this could be the start for something dangerous in the future,while on walks your dog could think a bike, trike, car, or anything that moves with a *you* on or in it should be barken or lunged at.
> 
> I say... take the pup out with the tractor OFF, and let your pup get used to it being off, give the pup treats whenever he touches or sniffs the tractor, then sit on the tractor while holding the pup and praise whenever he is calm.
> ...



If the dog is safely crated inside the house there would be no 'barking like crazy' at the mower, and I really can't imagine this creating new problems. 

I really don't see any need to desensitize a dog to a mower when the safest place for him is inside.


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## emily445455 (Apr 8, 2008)

Eek! Let him follow you while you're mowing? Scary!!

I crate mine in the house when I mow the yard. Takes me about 1/2 an hour to do the back yard, my hubby does the front.

Or just wait until he gets used to you being gone while he's in his crate...he will get used to it.


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## Shaina (Oct 28, 2007)

Renoman said:


> I really don't see any need to desensitize a dog to a mower when the safest place for him is inside.


I absolutely agree. I tend to reserve desensitization for things that can't kill the dog.


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## Erick Aguilar (Jun 9, 2008)

Renoman said:


> If the dog is safely crated inside the house there would be no 'barking like crazy' at the mower, and I really can't imagine this creating new problems.
> 
> I really don't see any need to desensitize a dog to a mower when the safest place for him is inside.



No, there would be a new strage object the dog already acts up against it, and the dog will be taken on walks, i think it's obvious, plus, OP will not loose arms or legs by trying to desensitize the dog.

I'd preffer to do it now instead of going around a problem that might escalate in the future, the dog already knows the mower, and he could act up against things that move or sound loud.


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## Lil Red Express (Jan 18, 2009)

I mow the lawn all the time with my pup outside. He just walks behind me with his tongue hanging out . It is a push mower , not a tractor .


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## Renoman (Mar 20, 2007)

Erick Aguilar said:


> No, there would be a new strage object the dog already acts up against it, and the dog will be taken on walks, i think it's obvious, plus, OP will not loose arms or legs by trying to desensitize the dog.
> 
> I'd preffer to do it now instead of going around a problem that might escalate in the future, the dog already knows the mower, and he could act up against things that move or sound loud.


WHAT?!?!?!?! 

Sorry, your post makes no sense to me at all.


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## gizzysmom (May 11, 2009)

```
Quite honestly.... I'm wondering outloud here............

first leaving the dog in car with a/c running, now mowing the lawn while the dog runs around..... 

anyone else, or am I just extremely suspicious?
```
I agree, something weird is going on here...


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## ValtheAussie (Apr 19, 2009)

gizzysmom said:


> ```
> Quite honestly.... I'm wondering outloud here............
> 
> first leaving the dog in car with a/c running, now mowing the lawn while the dog runs around.....
> ...



I was just thinking the same thing today, exactly!!! Whoa what goes here????


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