Have you ever had a dog call you?

My grandma's boxer keeps calling random people in my family. My grandma has all her emergency contacts programmed into her phone. So Boston, the dog, knocks the phone off the hook and presses these emergency contact phone numbers. And when we start talking he starts barking into the reciever. Yesterday, he did it to my mom and of course she panicked and rushed to my grandma's house, thinking something was wrong and it turns out grandma was at the hair salon and Boston was the one who called her. He called me at like 2 am this morning and I just got off the phone with my sister telling me that he had called her. What should we do about this situation? We cant move the phone because its where it is for a reason and we cant get rid of Boston because my grandma has him for a reason. Is there a way to train him to leave the phone alone? It was funny the first time but now its an issue of safety for my grandma. We cant keep rushing to her house everytime the dog calls.

Have you ever had a dog call you?

Had dogs call me in person (our dogs have individual sounds they make for individual people), yes. On the phone, no.

That said, you need to train Boston to call when you want him to call. I think it would be like training for any other behavior. Put the phone up where it's reachable, with effort (he has to stand on a chair, for example).

Now get Grandma involved. Have her do something unusual for her, such as lie on the floor. Teach Boston to check on her (run over to her and touch her. If he sniffs her or shows any interest in her, say "check Grandma," praise and treat. We've taught our dogs to find people in the family this way).

Next, lure him to the phone. If you can get him to paw off the receiver, great, but if you have to, start with him sniffing or nudging the phone. Say "Call!" Praise and treat. If he makes a call, great - say "Call!" and praise and treat. Do this a few times.

Now help Grandma up. If he shows any interest in the phone, say "no call!" Make him get off the chair, then praise and treat (good no call!) for not touching the phone.

It would take some time for most dogs to get this, but they can learn it. The idea is "you call only if Grandma is doing something unusual that worries you." No guarantee he would call if she was ill, but since he already knows how to call, teaching him to do it as a job, not a hobby, shouldn't be impossible. Dogs can certainly tell if someone is unwell (when I had surgery, our Basenji/Shar Pei made it her job to lie in bed with me, monitoring my breathing. When I held my breath to meditate, she sat over me, shaking her tags, until I responded).

The phone should be somewhere he can reach it with effort, but not easily.

He's probably doing it because he's lonely, and this gets him attention and company. Grandma needs to identify a toy he likes (for example, we use a "kong bone" and "kong stuffin'," kind of like doggie cheez whiz) that she only gives him when she's leaving the house, and takes back when she returns. Also, leaving on the t.v. or radio, low, provides a voice for the dog to listen to and can help calm separation anxiety.

Have you ever had a dog call you?

You're welcome. It's interesting to note that you usually have to teach a dog to do something (or a word for something he already does, like "bark") to teach him NOT to ("no bark!" only means something if you know what "bark" means), so you're halfway to "no call" already. Report It

Have you ever had a dog call you?

if the phone is with gramma at nite baby gate the door so he can see her but cant get in.did u ever think maybe he calls cuz he thinks theres something wrong with her? they can scence things ya know. sleep apnea maybe?

Have you ever had a dog call you?

Put the phone up where the dog cannot get to it. That shouldn't be too hard to accomplish and well worth it as it will allow all to rest easy and know that if grandma calls it will be her choice.

You could hire a trainer or read a training book so that you could teach the dog that the phone is off limits. But I still think the easiest solution is to just put the phone where the dog cannot get it, even if you must mount a wall phone.

Have you ever had a dog call you?

If shes not home, have her move the phone up higher, or unplug it. I had this issue with my dog getting the mail, I'd come home from workand put the mail on the counter, then go out for a jog. I'd come and realize that he shredded the whole mess on kitchen floor! Also, your gram could put the phone on higher table or hang it on the wall jack. Or plug it into a different phone jack all together.Silly situation, but i hear your concerns.

Have you ever had a dog call you?

Could you not just move the phone out of 'dogs reach'??

Have you ever had a dog call you?

Depending on the type of phone you have you could get a lock box for it. My husband has a disabled uncle that would well do pretty much the same thing Boston is doing and he built a box around the phone that covered the numbers but allowed the uncle to answer the phone but not dial. Of course grandpa had to actually lock the box with a small padlock but I am sure for a dog that does not have thumbs anything that could latch would prevent him from dialing.

I had a cat that used to answer the phone. If it rang when we weren't home he would knock the receiver off and meow into it it was rather amuzing to some callers but annoying to others that would have liked to leave a message the invention of caller ID was priceless at least we would know who called once we got one of those. Rikki lived to be 16yrs old and enjoyed saying hello I guess.

Best of luck with your grandma's dialing dog.

Have you ever had a dog call you?

he is a smart dog and picked up on your grandmas moods when she talks on the phone. boston must know that there is someone on the other end that he can contact when he is alone or just for something to do like his owner.other than spraying yucky stuff on it to prevent him from taking hold of the phone or putting it higher on a wall where he can't reach it you will have to catch him in the act and scold him for touching it.maybe buy one of those plactic baby phones and give it to him,it might make him think he is doings a great job playing with it. good luck.

Have you ever had a dog call you?

Boston is just bored. You'd be calling everyone too if you're left alone in the house all day. ;) Seriously though, call a trainer to stop him from doing that.

Have you ever had a dog call you?

Maybe your grandma can put the phone where boston can't reach it when she is not at home.