# "Dog?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 10, 2010, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270 "2010-09-10T06:06:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/1 "2010-09-10T06:06:27Z")
For several days, someone’s been calling my land line, saying “Dog?” then hanging up. It’s a man’s voice. The only exception was yesterday morning, when he said “Small dog?”. I’ve traced his phone number to a cell phone in Ft. Myer, Virginia, which is right next to Arlington National Cemetery. It reminds me of that old “Twilight Zone” episode with the elderly woman who’s getting phone calls from her dead fiancé. There is a web site called “Small Dog Electronics,” and they specialize in Apple products (I do use a G5 Mac). But they’re located in Vermont. Anyone have a clue? ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/2 "2010-09-10T06:22:31Z")
Have you called his number? Maybe try calling it from a different line, like your cell phone. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/3 "2010-09-10T06:33:01Z")
Next time he calls, I would just start barking. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/4 "2010-09-10T06:53:36Z")
Here’s another thought: he may be wanting you to call. ---
**Author:** ![NOLA\_Cajun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea666f/32.png) [@NOLA\_Cajun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NOLA_Cajun)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/5 "2010-09-10T10:33:28Z")
So you have the perps number but haven’t called them or reported them? And you just want someone on here to tell you why it’s happening? Alll righty then. I’m guessing they think you’re a dog (as in dick, asshole, jerk. not dog as in bow-wow). Or you could give me the number and I’d be glad to call for you and find out what the deal is. Seriously. I’m bored and would love to find out for you. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/6 "2010-09-10T11:24:03Z")
I may be showing my middle-agedness, but isn’t “Yo, dawg” a fairly common greeting amongst those young person attempting to display an “urban” persona? ---
**Author:** ![qpw3141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/6bbea6/32.png) [@qpw3141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qpw3141)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/7 "2010-09-10T11:27:25Z")
> [@NOLA\_Cajun](#): > > So you have the perps number but haven’t called them or reported them? And you just want someone on here to tell you why it’s happening? Alll righty then. Not entirely unreasonable. I can understand why someone would not want to make contact with someone who is possibly a nut job or scam artist. Google shows nothing relevant so why not ask here? If it’s a known scam someone may have heard about it. > [@](#): > > I’m guessing they think you’re a dog (as in dick, asshole, jerk. not dog as in bow-wow). Not really a common alternative meaning for ‘dog’, is it? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/8 "2010-09-10T11:30:01Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > I may be showing my middle-agedness, but isn’t “Yo, dawg” a fairly common greeting amongst those young person attempting to display an “urban” persona? It is, but “small dog” doesn’t really fit with that interpretation so far as I know. ---
**Author:** ![qpw3141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/6bbea6/32.png) [@qpw3141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qpw3141)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/9 "2010-09-10T11:32:03Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > I may be showing my middle-agedness, but isn’t “Yo, dawg” a fairly common greeting amongst those young person attempting to display an “urban” persona? It may be but surely it would be normal to await a response if the word was being used as an everyday salutation. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/10 "2010-09-10T11:37:20Z")
Agreed, and it is likely a the caller would leave some type of identification in the message, such as “Dawg? Call me back. It’s J-Pack.” or whatever these kids today say. I’m just offering an alternate interpretation. ---
**Author:** ![qpw3141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/6bbea6/32.png) [@qpw3141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qpw3141)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/11 "2010-09-10T11:46:07Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Agreed, and it is likely a the caller would leave some type of identification in the message, such as “Dawg? Call me back. It’s J-Pack.” or whatever these kids today say. > > I’m just offering an alternate interpretation. Yes, now you’ve mentioned children that does sound like a somewhat plausible explanation. ---
**Author:** ![Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fake_Tales_of_San_Francisco)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/12 "2010-09-10T11:46:59Z")
> [@NOLA\_Cajun](#): > > I’m guessing they think you’re a dog (as in dick, asshole, jerk. not dog as in bow-wow). The OP seems to indicate it’s a question (twice), like they’re asking for a dog (or at a stretch of the imagination, wondering if she really is one). Which would make them bark raving mad. Or perhaps they think you’re a pet shop and they’re just…massively nervous. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/13 "2010-09-10T12:14:03Z")
Maybe your number was used in a song, or a movie or something. I once worked with a guy whose home number, when he was growing up, was 867-5309. Guess who everyone kept calling for? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/14 "2010-09-10T12:40:53Z")
I’m reluctant to call him back, because of possible mental health or identity issues. And it’s possible that, with the help of his computer, he may have called a large number of people, and calling him back might have bad consequences. That’s why I brought it up here first. Or am I being paranoid? ---
**Author:** ![qpw3141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/6bbea6/32.png) [@qpw3141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qpw3141)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/15 "2010-09-10T12:46:07Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I’m reluctant to call him back, because of possible mental health or identity issues. And it’s possible that, with the help of his computer, he may have called a large number of people, and calling him back might have bad consequences. That’s why I brought it up here first. > > Or am I being paranoid? Seems a perfectly sensible thing to do to me. I think it’s the poster who tried to take the P who needs to think things through a bit more. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/16 "2010-09-10T12:48:07Z")
I wish I had the guts to offer help–I actually have a cell phone with a number that is soon to be disconnected. That way, nothing could happen. The best solution I can offer is to call from a payphone, if you can still find one of those. That way you get to keep your paranoia, and also call from a different number, so he won’t know who you are. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/17 "2010-09-10T12:48:52Z")
I’m all for ignoring it. I see no reason at all to contact him - he will figure out that he has the wrong number (if an innocent mistake) or will get bored and pursue another potential victim (if his intentions are malign). ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/18 "2010-09-10T12:52:19Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > For several days, someone’s been calling my land line, saying “Dog?” then hanging up. It’s a man’s voice. The only exception was yesterday morning, when he said “Small dog?”. > > I’ve traced his phone number to a cell phone in Ft. Myer, Virginia, which is right next to Arlington National Cemetery. How precisely have you traced it? Do you have an address? > [@panache45](#): > > I’m reluctant to call him back, because of possible mental health or identity issues. And it’s possible that, with the help of his computer, he may have called a large number of people, and calling him back might have bad consequences. That’s why I brought it up here first. You can suppress your own caller ID info if you want to call back. From your landline, dial \*67 before you call. Effective for one call at a time. (Not sure if the same works from a cell phone.) Even if he doesn’t answer, the voicemail greeting might be informative. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/19 "2010-09-10T13:06:49Z")
Had someone call me late at night, waking me up. It was a “wrong number” type situation. But I guess she was drunk and thought my befuddled answer was funny, so she called two more times that night. I went on the offensive. For the next few weeks, anytime I happened to be awake late, I would call her. Awake to pee? I called her. Out late with friends? Phone call. Eventually she apologized for her original call and requested a truce. ---
**Author:** ![qpw3141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/6bbea6/32.png) [@qpw3141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qpw3141)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270/20 "2010-09-10T13:12:17Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Had someone call me late at night, waking me up. It was a “wrong number” type situation. But I guess she was drunk and thought my befuddled answer was funny, so she called two more times that night. > > I went on the offensive. For the next few weeks, anytime I happened to be awake late, I would call her. Awake to pee? I called her. Out late with friends? Phone call. Eventually she apologized for her original call and requested a truce. Wow! This is the first time I’ve heard of something like this from the psycho’s perspective. That actually sounds like the start of a horror film. Drunk girl calls wrong number, does it again a couple of time more ‘for a laugh’ and the rest of the film follows her tribulations with an unseen nut job who won’t leave her alone. Of course, to really qualify as a psycho or nut job you would have had to refuse the truce. You didn’t refuse the truce, did you? 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dog/553270.md?page=2)