Dog constantly barking at nothing

[itsgettingcoldoutside]

I don't know if anyone can give me some advice.
I have a spaniel who is getting very tiresome with her continuous barking.
I wondered if anyone, had any advice on how to tackle this, before the neighbours start to complain.
There is nothing wrong with her. And there hasn't been any changes in the household.
I'm losing patience with it now !

Hi OP, can you provide a bit more context? You say that she is barking at nothing, but it could be something that you’re not aware of.

What is she facing when she barks? I.e., is it always the same wall or window or does she face different directions when she barks?

Is she on high alert all the time or is she able to settle at some points throughout the day? Does she ever jump awake from sleeping and start barking?

How old is she? Is she due to come into season?

How do you react when she barks?

Hi thanks for your response

She is an old dog.
She always faces the door when she barks. It's getting very draining and I can never relax.

The slightest noise or shadow makes her bark. It makes me wonder if someone has tried to break in at some point.

We try and say 'good girl'.
But doesn't always work.

First thing I'd suggest would be a full health check with the vet, particularly to check her eyesight and hearing. (We have a deaf/blind senile cat who shouts a lot). Can dogs get dementia?

Can't help beyond that, as I'm a cat person!

I dont know of dogs can actually get dementia, but if they can mine definitely has it. He is 15 now and doesnt see and hear so well anymore. He sometimes just stands there staring at nothing. And like your dog he just barks randomly at nothing. We had him fully checked a few months ago and hes completely fine. Loves going for walks and runs around, eats well, loves to cuddle. Hes not in any pain or anything and hes usually a happy little thing. But he always has these episodes where he just barks and growls at the air in front of him. The vet said he might just be confused sometimes and to try and distract him when it happens. We have mild success with this.

Can your lovely oldie see and hear ok? It could also be a sign of dementia. It might be worth googling the symptoms and speaking to your vet.

Are you neighbours approachable? It might be worth explaining that you are trying to work on a solution. They might be a bit more understanding if you have a chat before they complain. Good luck and give her an extra cuddle.