my dog barks nonstop!!! (advice)

[simba928]

I get home everyday about 2:45. I walk my 6 year old golden retriever/lab (shes in my siggy next to my cat), Jake, outside in our yard. Then we come inside and I'll watch TV, do my homework, whatever. She barks on and off from 3 to 3:35 (when my brother comes home). Its ridiculous. Everyday she'll bark at 3:12 or 3:13 because thats when the middle school bus comes. She'll bark at the guy across the street (which is not just like 20 feet away) when he goes to his mailbox. She'll bark at people walking on the opposite side of the street. She's barked at chickens across the road. She's barked at the dogs that are in the backyard of the guy across the street. She'll even bark when there is nothing to bark at. She is seriously getting on my nerves. I have tried ignoring her. I have yelled at her. I have tried distracting her by calling her into the other room or playing with her or talking to her. I have no idea what to do anymore. Any advice on how to make her stop barking so much?

 

[DawnCt1]

It sounds like you know exactly when she is going to bark and what triggers her. Why not sit with her a minute or two before the barking time, pet her, play with her, distract her, and if she starts barking, say "Quiet" and withdraw the attention. It won't work right away but it should eventually work. Dogs bark because that is how they communicate. They are on guard, bored, etc. Give her a reason to focus on something else.

 

[Lisa L from MI]

If you find out how to stop it...PLEASE let me know!!!! Mabel is the same exact way!!! The other day she was barking at a guy shoveling his snow....ACROSS the street and 4 houses down!!!

My SIL called me last night and wondered why Mabel WASN'T barking....she spoke too soon too

And....if a car horn honks-even on TV...she goes nuts!!!! And even a doorbell on TV-which is weird cause our doorbell has been broken almost since we have had her....don't know how she knows what a door bell is

 

[doxdogy]

Water pistol. Isaiah use to bark just to hear his head rattle. Of course, that would start the others to barking. Used a water pistol for a couple of months and it stopped. Now I just threaten to get the water pistol. Thankfully they haven't figured out it broke months ago and we threw it in the trash.