Climbing down from the pole, the telephone repairman found:

 1.  The dog was tied to the telephone system's ground wire via a steel
 chain and collar.
 2.  The wire connection to the ground rod was loose.
 3.  The dog was receiving 90 volts of signaling current when the phone
 number was called.
 4.  After couple of such jolts, the dog would start moaning and then
 urinate on himself and the ground.
 5.  The wet ground would complete the circuit, thus causing the phone to
 ring.

 Which demonstrates that some problems CAN be fixed by pissing and moaning
 !!!