Help! Dog barks while Human is on phone
 

Hi everyone! We have a one year old YorkiePoo and two problems. I will use separate threads for each problem.

Mia is a sweetie, but likes to bark when one of her humans is on the phone. She doesn't bark much at other times. Any advice on how to get her to stop barking so we can hear the person on the other end of the phone would be very helpful. I should say she is kept in the kitchen for now and that is where the closest phone is most times. If we take the call in a different room she is quiet.

Thanks for your help!

the books and video I listed on the other thread will help with all these problems.

the simplest answer for now is to place her in another room while you need to be on the phone.

Some people use the crate training also - but I haven't had to use that with any of our dogs so don't know the specifics on it.

Thanks. I'll look over them.

My kitties (three!!) hover around the phone when it rings. They also take off for the closet when someone rings the doorbell or knocks on the door.

Maybe you should let your doggie say 'hello' to whomever's trying to intrude into her space
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Barb

I use a choke chain, but if you don't have one, make a loop out of her dog leash handle and slip that over her neck.

Put it on when the phone rings - maybe practice with having somebody call you, so you're not missing an important call a few times till she starts to get it. Yank the leash and say NO! at every bark. Make her sit. No praise, no petting, no affection.

She needs to not even think about barking. And by now, you know her well enough to see it in her body language that she is getting tense, going to start yapping. I can tell when my dogs are about to open their mouths.

Get her then - yank, NO! Sit. Shhh. And talk on the phone until she starts up again. It takes repetition and consistancy. But that's the same technique I use on all the bad behaviors, yapping at the wrong times, taking the baby's toys, or trying to get out the door when I need them in the house. They *get* yank and No. And they seem to relax and not act up as fast from a sit position.

Good luck with her.