A Yuma Fire Department spokesman says the family told firefighters the pooch rushed into their home when they opened the front door and kept snapping at them.
When they went to the fridge to get some food to try to lure the dog outside, the animal jumped in the appliance and refused to come out.
Firefighters found the small black terrier-type dog crouched on the bottom shelf, snapping at anyone who approached. They used protective gear to pick up the pooch and put it in a carrier.
The dog had been reported missing by someone else at the apartment complex and was returned home safely.
