Noisy, bouncy dog

[shufflebum]

I have 2 very bouncy Vizslas, older dog (6) is no problem but the younger one (3) is a real handful. I am experienced with the breed but am really struggling with controlling Rusty's whinning, howling and barking. The main issue is when I come downstairs in the morning with DS (17months), we have a stairgate but it can take 10 minutes of sit, quiet, wait before I can actually make it downstairs. He barks at the smallest noise and is constantly "talking" to you. This can be lovely but often it wakes DS up from his sleep. I have tried the ignoring approach, the teaching him to bark method and the yelling like afishwife technique but so far no success
Has anyone any other advice, things I can try?

I should also say that he gets plenty of exercise and stimulation, although not as much attention now DS is around.

We used to have a very barky Yorkie. She barked for at least a minute at a time at every little noise. I read that putting a muzzle on every time the dog barked when you didn't want it to would stop this so promptly bought a small fabric muzzle.

Each time she barked the muzzle went on for half a minute or so. It didn't take long before she realised what was going on and we'd only have to pick the muzzle up and she stopped barking.

I also know someone who just says "Bed!" when their dog starts to bark and it stops immediately so that might work for your dog too if you don't want to go down the muzzle route.

Have to say not keen on the muzzle idea, mainly because by the time I have got downstairs and been jumped on and talked at the problem will be resolved so I would be effectively "punishing" him once he had stopped.
I would dearly love to be able to give the bed command and get such a favourable response but don't think I have a hope in hell!

If he barks at you when you enter a room or he sees you just walk out again. Bark means you go. Very very quickly he will realise quiet means you will be around.

why is he barking at the other noises? Is it fear, excitment, habit

It will be depend on which of the above as the best course of action. But one method that will work for most of the above is to keep him on a house line indoors the minute he barks put him in a room on his own. When he is quiet let him out again. Do not say anything to him at all just praise him and be pleased to see him when he is quiet. It is not a matter of punishment just a consquence of his behaviour. Do have some sympathy with him as if he is 3 this habit will be quite engrained and may take a while to change but if you are consistent it will happen.

His main trigger is when I have been upstairs and come down (this could be overnight or literally for 2 minutes while I put some laundry away). The trouble is I usually have DS with me so it's juggling the dog and the child!
I will try your method minimu and report back.
He barks when he is startled, at strangers in the house (builder, plumber), people at the door, excitement and out of habit.