DPup is coming up to 7 months old and over the last few weeks has been barking at people he doesn't know if they are near our property (neighbours waking to their cars/houses) or car (if we are sat at traffic lights he will even bark at the person in the car next to us).
Just before Xmas I had 2 visitors he has not met before come into the home, the first one a lady that he acted very nervous with and kept backing off but barking at her. The second a man who he was ok with at the front door but then barked at very loudly and stood rigid once he entered further into the home. Both times I moved him into another room and he settled down once he could no longer see them.
He is fine with people he knows fairly well coming into the house and he is fine with strangers away from the house or car.
I have put up a stair gate so that he has a safe room to be in if we have visitors and have rewarded with high value treats for calm behaviour. I stayed in there with him when we had a delivery today, all his fur stands on end and he half barks, half whines whilst wanting reassurance (he got lots of cuddles and treats to distract) so I can see he is scared rather than aggressive.
I guess I am hoping that someone will come along and tell me that it's a phase he will grow out of but is there more I should/can be doing?