Your dog sheds all over the carpet and makes it necessary to vacuum, but every time you take the vacuum out of the closet and turn it on, he goes crazy. Your dog is not trying to be a nuisance; he just wants you to know he is alarmed. To take care of a dog who is barking excessively at the the vacuum cleaner, you will need patience and understanding. Your carpet may become rather dirty as you work on teaching your dog why he should not fear--or bark at--the vacuum.
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Prevention
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Socialize your young puppy to the sound and sight of your vacuum by carrying her with you--or giving her a treat--while you vacuum. This will help her relate positively to the vacuum. If you have a dog who was not socialized to a vacuum cleaner and feels it necessary to bark in alarm whenever you take out your vacuum cleaner, you can teach your dog, generally, when it is and is not okay to bark. To do this, first attach a command to your dog's bark such as "speak." After your dog has learned that "speak" means to bark, then teach "enough" and reward your dog for not barking.
Desensitizing
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To help your dog who is not comfortable with the sound of the vacuum cleaner, teach him that the vacuum is not a threat. This is best done with positive reinforcement.
Start small. Take your vacuum out for a few minutes but do not switch it on. Instead, give your dog a lot of positive attention--pets, treats and soothing words. If he barks, remove the positive attention but do not punish him, as this could cause him to dislike the vacuum even more. When he seems comfortable with the presence of the vacuum, turn it on. If you have someone to help you, your friend could turn the vacuum on in a different room while you play with your dog. You could then work on moving closer to the vacuum as your dog adjusts to the noise. Provide treats or his favorite toy to as you let the vacuum make some noise. If he turns his attention to the vacuum, remove the treats, step between him and the vacuum and ask him for a sit (this is easiest done if you have taught him a hand signal for the sit command) before turning the vacuum off. You do not want him to think he has turned the vacuum off with his barking. Wait some time and try again. Eventually you should be able to start vacuuming, treats in hand.
Separation
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If your dog does not respond to learning the "enough" command or to being desensitized to the sound of a vacuum cleaner, you may have to crate her, remove her from the room or put her outside when you vacuum. She may have a deep fear of the vacuum that is not easily overcome. Distance may ease her discomfort as well as your own. Give her a chew toy or treat-stuffed Kong for comfort and get your vacuuming done.
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