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11 Reasons Why Your Dog Barks When The Phone Rings + 5 Tips

Why Does My Dog Bark When The Phone Rings

The phone is your dog’s enemy #1.

Once it rings, your dog goes insane.

They bark at it like there’s no tomorrow.

What’s up with that?

In this article, you’ll discover: 

  • 5 tips you can do to stop them from barking.
  • 11 reasons why your dog barks when the phone rings.
  • A cool trick to teach your dog when you’re lazy to get your phone.
  • And much more… 

Why does my dog bark when the phone rings?

Your dog barks when the phone rings because it’s annoying, it’s too loud/high-pitched, they’re feeling pain, being neglected or stressed, trying to alert you, thinking it’s fun, associating the rings with something good, having separation anxiety, or you’re rewarding them for barking. 


11 reasons why your dog barks when the phone rings


#1: They’re alerting you

“Mama! The phone’s ringing!”

Now, let’s translate that one into your dog’s language. 

Woof! Woof!

Ooops.

The first reason why your pooch barks when the phone rings is because they’re trying to alert you.

It’s similar to them barking every time your doorbell rings. Or when there’s someone on your porch. 

They’re being like this because they’re protecting you. It’s in their instinct to let their dog parents know if there’s something unusual happening. 

#2: Your ringing tone is annoying

Your Dog Barks When The Phone Rings Because Your Ringing Tone Is Annoying

You have the hippest ringing tone in the world. Every time your phone rings, you just wanna dance and get crazy.

Sadly, your pooch doesn’t think that way. 

When your phone rings, they’re becoming like those grumpy parents who get mad when their child is playing loud music.

“Omgosh.

What’s that friggin’ noise?”

For your dog, your ringing tone is annoying and painful to their ears.

See, certain sounds or types of music like heavy metal or rock could make your dog feel this way.

And because your dog is stressed, they bark to make your ringing tone stop. 

#3: They feel neglected

Your dog barks when your phone rings because they get anxious every time they hear it. They feel like whenever you’re on calls, they get neglected. 

“Uhm… I don’t get it.”

It’s possible that your dog is conditioned that you always talk on the phone for hours. 

Maybe you have a long-distance relationship. Or perhaps you’re a telemarketer.

And during these long periods of calls, your dog has learned that they won’t receive any attention from you.

Therefore they perceive phone rings as something negative. 

#4: They’re paranoid

Just one ring from your phone can make your doggo startled.

They’d immediately bolt upright and start to bark at nothing. They’re easily alarmed by everything. 

Your pooch could behave this way because of paranoia. 

“Oh no! 

Why is my dog paranoid?”

Dogs who came from shelters, strays, and rescues…

These are the most common types of dogs who have tendencies to become overly sensitive and vigilant to their surroundings. 

Their guards are always up in order to protect themselves. 

And because they constantly live in fear in their past, they find it hard to calm down now. 

You might also want to check out: 7 Reasons Why It’s So Hard To Adopt A Dog From A Rescue

#5: Phone calls are fun

Krrriiinngg… Krrrrriiinnggg…

It’s your partner calling. You get super excited. 

But you don’t want anyone snooping in your call. So you grab the phone and run straight to your room. 

Meanwhile, your pooch is tilting their heads. Wondering what the heck’s causing you to get all happy and running. 

“My human must be doing something fun without me!

Next time I hear that sound again, I must bark so I can join in!”

Because of your reaction every time the phone rings, your dog gets excited too. They think that those rings are related to something playful or fun.

#6: It’s too loud

Can you imagine hearing your phone’s rings 4 times louder? 

Because that’s how it is for your dog.

One more reason why your pooch barks when your phone rings is because of the rings themselves.

It may be too loud for your dog’s liking. 

Perhaps your phone is too close to your pooch when it rings. 

See, your dog’s hearing ability is much keener than yours. They can hear the lowest of sounds. Some of it you can’t even detect. 

That’s why when they hear noises that are too loud (like 85 to 100 dB) or high-pitched, they get agitated.

#7: Reinforcement

You Have Reinforced The Behavior

You give your pooch treats to make them stop barking every time the phone rings.

“It probably works”, you think. Because once you give them a dog biscuit, they stop at once. 

Uh-oh! 

You may be doing it wrong. 

What you don’t know is that you’re encouraging your pooch to bark more. 

Giving treats to your dog while they’re misbehaving will make them think that barking is good. 

Therefore, they’ll continue with it. 

#8: They’re scared of it

Dogs have no concept of how your phone works. 

They don’t know why it’s ringing or why you’re talking to it like a mad person.

And if your phone is also on vibrate, it’ll suddenly move when it rings.

Your pooch will suddenly wonder,

“What’s that noisy thing? And why is it moving like that?”

Their dog instinct will immediately think of it as a threat. Therefore they may get aggressive or even scared of it. 

Now, if your dog is overly anxious, they could also develop a phobia. Or an irrational fear of certain things like your phone’s rings. 

So how can you know if your dog has a phobia and it’s not just fear? 

You can look for signs of phobia such as: 

  • Scratching self.
  • Panting heavily.
  • Shaking and trembling.
  • Uncontrolled peeing or pooping.

#9: Something good is coming

The reason why your pooch barks at a phone ringing isn’t always because they’re afraid of it.

Sometimes, it’s also because of too much excitement.

“Your delivery is nearby.”

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

Your pooch has learned that whenever your phone rings, something good is coming. 

It could be a food delivery. (Yum!)

Or your best friend visiting. (a.k.a. the one who’s always giving them belly rubs.) 

So they always bark in anticipation. 

#10: You’re leaving every time the phone rings

You’re worried that your dog has separation anxiety.

Every time they hear your phone ringing in the morning, they’d bark and whine continuously

Why’s that?

They could be acting this way because they know that it’s time you leave for work. 

It could be that your co-worker often picks you up. And they call you once they’re already outside. 

By having this routine every morning, your dog is conditioned that those rings are the signal of you leaving them. 

So how can you tell the difference between a dog who has separation anxiety and one who simply barks as a ‘goodbye’?

Dogs who have separation anxiety show other signs like:

  • Panting. 
  • Eating non-food items.
  • Soiling inside the house.
  • Doing destructive behaviors (chewing furniture, digging dirt).

#11: They’re in pain

Lastly, your dog barks when the phone rings because they’re hurting. According to Science Daily, loud sounds like your phone’s rings could be aggravating their pain.

Here’s a scenario.

Your pooch has an unknown injury (it could be hip dysplasia, joint condition, muscle sprains, etc.)

Suddenly the phone rings. 

They were alarmed by its loud sound, so they instantly stood upright. Because of the sudden movement, your pooch winces in pain.

Since they can’t say “Heck!” aloud, they’ll just bark out of frustration instead.

Bonus: Your dog has negative associations with it

Have you ever hit your dog when they bark?

If the answer’s yes, you should stop doing that.

By hitting your dog, they’ll just become more frustrated with your phone’s ringing and calls. 

They’d think of it as something negative because they always get hit whenever it rings. 

Therefore they will continue barking out of frustration and fear.

I understand. 

Your dog’s barking can be annoying especially when you’re on an important call.

But the best thing you can do instead in these situations is to ignore their barking. They’ll stop once you don’t give them your attention.

Just move to a quieter room. Or teach your dog to go to their room.

Warning: You should never hit your dog as a form of punishment. This will only cause them to lose their trust in you, and possibly become more aggressive.


5 tips on how to get your dog to stop barking when your phone rings


#1: Desensitize your dog to your phone’s rings

To control your dog’s barks every time the phone rings, desensitize them from its sound.

Let them get used to it by introducing it gradually. By doing this, your pooch will be able to tolerate your phone’s rings.

Here’s what you can do:

Step 1: The first thing you need to do is get a recording of a phone ringing. Then set it to the lowest volume. 

Step 2: Play these recordings at random times in a day. Make the volume louder and play it longer as the time progresses. 

Step 3: If your pooch is barking or showing signs of stress, decrease its volume once again. Then repeat with steps 1 and 2 until your dog is not bothered with it anymore. 

Also, make sure you do this in a monitored and safe environment. 

#2: Act like calls aren’t a big deal

Your pooch barks when your phone rings because they think calls are all fun and play.

So what you need to do is act like it isn’t really that big of a deal. 

I know…

It’s tough to hide your excitement, especially if you’ve been waiting for that special call all day. 

But try your best to casually pick up your phone and walk calmly if you need to go somewhere.

Make your dog feel like you’re bored with calls. 

This way, they’d also think of it as boring. And surely they wouldn’t want to be part of it. 

#3: Teach them the ‘Quiet’ command

You can control your dog’s barks by training them with the ‘Quiet’ command. 

Step 1: The first thing you need to do is show them a tasty treat. It has to be bite-sized as well so your pooch doesn’t get too full. 

Let them sniff it on your hand.

Step 2: Next is to make them bark. You can use the sound of a bell or your ringing tone.

Step 3: Once they stop barking, give them the treat. 

Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3, but this time wait for longer silences before you give them the treat. 

Step 5: Next is to introduce the word ‘Quiet’ while they are still barking. As soon as they stop barking, reward them. 

Repeat this training often and at random times a day. By repeating the training, your pooch will easily get used to this command.

You can use it when your dog’s being a barking machine. Or whenever they’re being vocal. 

You might also like: 17 Reasons Why Your Dog Is So Vocal + 5 Tips To Stop It

#4: Ask them to bring you your phone

Dogs are highly intelligent. 

You can teach them many tricks. Like sitting, rolling, and even bringing you your phone. 

It’s quite genius actually.

When you teach your dog to bring you your phone whenever it rings, they won’t be able to bark because their mouth is holding the phone itself. 

It’s perfect when you’re being lazy. Or whenever you don’t want to stand up and get your phone downstairs.

But be careful! 

If your phone’s landline, you definitely can’t make them do this trick. Or else it’d be a phone cord chaos. 

Check out the video below on how you can teach your dog to bring you things.

#5: Change your ringing tone 

If your pooch’s barks are because of your ringing tone, then consider changing it. 

Lower its volume if you can. 

Or change your tone to a more calming one. Something more dog-friendly, like pieces of classical music.

Hey, did you know that dogs love Beethoven and Tchaikovsky?

“Wait, what?

Surprising, isn’t it? Studies show that when dogs are anxious, one way to calm them down is by playing soft music such as the classic ones. 

So to stop your dog from being anxious, make your ringing tone music to their ears. 

Your dog will enjoy it more and they’ll stop from their barking.

I mean, who’d want to interrupt these musical geniuses, right? 

Certainly not your dog.