Controlling barking

[Queenofthedrivensnow]

My cocker has stopped chewing everything and started barking instead. He barks like mad when the door goes - ok I can live with that he's a great burglar deterrent. However the worst barking is at the start of a walk and when I let him in the garden. When we start a walk he barks likes mad until we are about 20 metres from the house. He does this in every direction. Across the road is a big 2 story shop front and the barking rings out against it it's so loud and I'm so embarrassed!! As soon as we reach their wheelie bin he stops. I feel bad he makes such a row even though it's v brief.
He does exactly the same at the end of the walk until we reach the front door then he is calm.

Advice please!!

Have you tried standing still when he starts barking and waiting for him to be quiet? When he stops barking you then treat straight away and set off again, stopping walking every time he barks. I've done something like this with my unruly terrier and he's got it now..... but then he is very food-oriented.

Yes He just doesn't stop!

Is there something he could do that would distract him from barking? E.g. I quite often get my dog to sit when he's got himself hyped up and is running round like a loon. It seems to almost reset him and then he's fine. Do you have any well proofed commands that might work? Or is he too worked up to listen?

Alternatively, as he's maybe reinforcing himself each time it happens could you start walks differently? Maybe carry him past that point, if that's feasible for you?

Or, finally is something there scaring him and that's why he's barking? And if so is there anything you can do about it? Among other things my dog has been freaked out by wheelie bins, leaves, people, his toys in unexpected places, etc. We try and reassure him if we can see he's scared, although it's not always obvious.

I e tried carrying him it half works. The coming back in the garden barking is because he saw a cat there about 18 months ago.

I have tried doing the make him sit and wait to calm him down it doesn't work

I have tried doing the make him sit and wait to calm him down it doesn't work

How long do you make him sit? And when you move again and he starts barking, do you put him back into that position again, so that there's no 'reward' (i.e. going in the house, maybe for food?) until he's quiet?

I have a barky lab but she stops when told to and it doesn't really matter anyway as our neighbours are fairly distant. I found that teaching her to bark by saying 'woof' every time she did it has helped because then when I tell her to be quiet (enough!), she complies. It means she barks on command now, which is great.

I do have some doggie walking friends who have a collie, and he barked both in the car and throughout his entire 1/2hr+ walk, every single time. Someone suggested putting his lead on as soon as he started as he didn't like it. It worked and he's stopped, albeit it hasn't stopped him barking in the car!

It might help to find his 'currency' and work with that.

My JRT does something similar. She gets so excited when she knows it's walk time that she started barking as soon as she sees me getting ready for a walk. The only thing which works is to say No! and for me look sit down or walk away from her. As soon as she stops barking I say "good girl" give her a treat and carry on getting ready. Repeat as necessary.
Could you do similar by sharply changing direction until he stops barking?

My dog used to bark at the start of her walk - I took her back home, took off her lead, made her sit then started the process again. She got worse initially but with perseverance she stopped quickly and doesn't do it any more. You need to be consistent though or you're just teaching them to bark harder and longer...

Hi all, the stop start technique worked wonders and I got him back home without fibbing off and deafening me! It really was a revelation!! Thank you