I could really use some help please. We have a gorgeous maltichon pup, he's 14 months and such a happy chap, he has a lovely disposition, but his barking (with excitement) in the garden is driving us mad.
And the neighbours too apparently. This morning there was an anonymous note under my windscreen wiper to 'the dog owner' informing us that if we don't stop his 'incessant yapping' they will report us to the council.
So, we live on a corner and so there are people parking and walking alongside the length of our garden. He can see the movement and gets really beside himself with excitement and barks. He can also bark at the odd bird or squirrel. As soon as he does we quieten him -he stops for a while then starts again, or we bring him in but this can take a minute or two. But as soon as he's out again he does it again. I kow it's annoying and we are trying to sort it but I'm not sure what the best approach is. He's not in the garden between 8.30 until 3.30 (he's either out with me or the dog sitter every afternoon), so now I'm wondering if when he's home alone (8.30-12.20) he's barking, although our next door neighbour works at home and says he's quiet. If only they had knocked we could have had a proper talk about it and would be clearer on things. But anyway, it is annoying and needs sorting.
Do any of you who have more experience of this have any strategies we can try? We'll keep him inside more but he adores being outside and he scratches at the glass doors to be let out. I'm willing to try anything but whenever I've looked the advice seems a bit less clear than for other areas of training etc.
I'm willing to try anything, our previous dogs never really did this and I'm at a it of a loss. I had thought that because of the layout of the houses around us and the way they face, that people wouldn't be affected when indoors, but either they can hear him from where they are or it's when they pass by or park that's bothering them. I'm mortified.