Why is my dog barking?

[Closingtime94]

Hello,

Weird title I know but I have a 1.5 year old neutered Welsh Springer Spaniel bought from a back door breeder unfortunately, I was just naive and uneducated, I know better now but there's nothing I can do about it (I only mention this incase that's a reason).

He's quite energetic, we go on 1.5/2 hour walks, he gets fed twice a day, has access to water, his crate, number of toys and his pug sister but he will go into the middle of the room and just bark at us for absolutely no reason, I thought he was doing it for attention so I'd ignore him and put him in a different room and he'd stop and I'd bring him back in when he's quiet and praise him but he just barks again - he's been staying at my mums house as the neighbour has been complaining plus I'm working from home so having a dog relentlessly barking is difficult.

Does anyone have any suggestions how to help with this as baby is due in January and I'm afraid I'll have to rehome him if he doesn't stop (which I 1000000% don't want to do)

Thank you

How long have you had him?

For attention or to get outside? He's still quite young so will need a lot of stimulation, not just walks.

Or could it be a noise that isn't as obvious to you?

How well trained is the dog otherwise, can he leave it (I.e. Stays away from things dropped on the floor if you say so), walk off lead with good recall etc?

I've had him since he was 8 weeks old, he's well behaved otherwise - sorry forgot to mention we try everything when he's barking, he knows to go to the door when he needs to toilet so it's not that, he's an okay dog haha his lead manners and recall aren't good but he knows all his other commands such as sit, lie down etc but when he's barking it's like he forgets them all and refuses to listen- he has "brain toys" so we have puzzles and kongs and he likes to rip teddies up (he doesn't do that often though as trying to curve that behaviour) I just don't know what to do

It sounds like he has a lot going on and is very busy and stimulated most of the time. Does he ever have any downtime at all?

I could be way off, but I’m just wondering if you need to teach him how to just ‘be’, to settle calmly and not need constant stimulation or other people/things to entertain him. I actually teach my dogs the word ‘settle’ so that know when I am expecting them to be calm and quiet.

This article is quite useful in relation to this. Essentially you need to capture the times he is calm and quiet and make those rewarding, rather than only ever redirecting the wrong or undesirable behaviours.

Once you have him understanding that you want him to be calm and quiet, you can employ the brain stimulation games, training and walks to wear him out, then let him know that now it’s time to settle for a bit.

He sounds quite over-stimulated. Dogs need a lot of rest and "down time" during the day - being on the go constantly really isn't good for them.

Can you get him into a routine? So up, toilet and then a walk. Try and add training into the walk to help tire him out. Then after the walk, get him into a routine of going to his bed/quiet place - you could give him his breakfast in a kong or slow feeder, or give him a chew to calm him down. it should encourage him to settle and then he should nap.

Some young dogs don't know when to stop. Mine is nearly 3 and I still sometimes have to put him on his lead to settle him down! Right now he's settled nicely on the rug with a chew. He gets an hours' walk every morning, sleeps pretty much all day, wakes up for dinner, has a pee and goes back to sleep until DH gets home, then he gets some play time and occasionally another walk, then he has to settle with a chew or something (we have several around for him to choose from) until he goes to sleep around 8pm.

Routine definitely helps - even if you're around to amuse him, settle him on his own and don't interact - they need to learn to settle on their own without constant intervention.

I agree with the others. Over stimulation could be a cause. When the dog barks stand in front of it. When he stops barking, treat him. Keep doing this. Stops barking treat , stop barking treat. He will learn that good things happen when he stops barking. May take a while but it will help.

Also do other things. Does he run out the door wound up? Always make sure he is calm when he leaves the house. Same for dinner etc etc. Teach him that being calm gets him good things