my fox terrier nine years old goes berserk when the phone rings andoften bites me in sheer panic any ideas how

Question

to stop the blighter without having him put to sleep. desperate dan.

Answer 1

Stop coddling and start correcting.

Put the dog on a leash, get something else that makes noise like a can of coins or an airhorn, or even try water bottles or canned air. Let the phone ring once. When he reacts, tug the leash and correct him with a sharp 'No!'. If he doesn't stop, make noise with can or blow the air at him, or spray him with water. The second he holds still and stops barking, reward him. Do this over and over, rewarding every time he stops panicking, and correcting every time he does. DO NOT pick him up, coo at him, or baby him in any way. That encourages the behavior to continue. Sooner or later, you'll be able to get through a full ringing without him going nuts.

Answer 2

Maybe a different phone with a different sounding ringer? Does he react the same way to even low volumes? If the level of anxiety rises with the volume of the ringer, lower the volume as low as it you can and have someone call you. When you hear the ring, get up and walk around the house with your head held high, hands on your hips and chest puffed out (the peacock walk). This send a message that there is nothing to be afraid. Slowly raise the volume as your dogs anxiety mellows out.

One of my foxies used to freak out at the sound of power tools which was a drag because the people across the street were renovating their house. Every time they would use a power tool, my dog would freak but I would walk around the yard doing the peacock walk. He got over it and will even sit directly in front of the vacuum cleaner.


I have 2 foxies. One isn't afraid of anything, the other seems to look for things to be afraid of. He recently decided that he's afraid of trash cans on the side of the street.

Answer 3

It's probably due to the way you have reacted over the years when going to answer the phone....do you jump up suddenly to go to answer, if so it's probably over time really startled the dog and thats the way he reacts to it......I'm saying this because I have had my new pup for 6weeks now and got to realise I was jumping up to answer the phone which did start to startle and panic her, so I think if I hadn't noticed her slight distress she maybe have done something like that in years to come, I'm glad I noticed this was happening and now I make a conscious effort to get up and calmly answer the phone, so the only thing I can suggest is to do that, it may take some time as he is an older dog, but it may work, and dont forget to praise him like mad when he first starts to calm down....hope you can get to sort it, good luck

Answer 4

start training him. first, take him to a room he is comfortable in; then make sure he is calm and happy with you; if you can, set the volume on your phone to a very low setting; then just call the phone and try to keep him calm. ideally you should do this with the phone far away first so that it isn't as much of a shock for the poor thing. oh, and make sure you reward for good behaviour!!!
if you think it is bad enough that you would consider putting him to sleep then maybe you should invest in a muzzle? Good luck with him!!

Answer 5

has he always been like this ??????

maybe he's losing his hearing and is freaking out that he can hear a lil but is reacting to fast movements etc????

i know my Jack Russell Terrier has issues with people who try to have a sit down talk with me i would have company over and we sit and talk and she barks like crazy but hr thing is that she not center of attention cuz once she on mine or their lap, or being petted she stops she for sure is the queen bee around here

My beagle also barks when phone or alaram goes off she will not stop unless its off and after i shut it off i tell her good girl and she licks me lol she would make a great hearing dog

Answer 6

Retraining him may take some time and effort. A simpler solution may be to get a light for your telephone. So instead of it ringing, it will flash a light to let you know:

http://www.harriscomm.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=38_1140_44_1048&products_id=651&hcCsid=94a83efed1c9257b3c99e9c203aa19f7

Answer 7

Call "yourself" from the cell, or have your friend call you. Reward the dog for a proper behavior.
BTW, there are deeper issues/ causes for this, but it's no way a reason to euthanize your dog!!!

Answer 8

I'm sure they sell phones with friendly rings...