Help! My Dog Barks At The Gate Constantly! :(

[sazzy73]

Can anyone please offer me help with my dog who spends most of her day barking at anyone who walks past the gate. She didn't really used to do this often, but lately she does it more & more....
Sometimes she barks at things that aren't even there???

Last night she was barking for a while at a cat who was just sitting on the wall. My husband did get up & tried to quiet her down by calling her to lay down.
Today I have received a letter from one of the neighbours who have mentioned my dog is becoming a nuisance in the neighbourhood....

HELP!

 

[brody_smom]

Is she inside or outside when she does this? The main thing I have found is that barking is fun for dogs, and if you let them do it, they will keep at it until you stop them. It is a self-reinforcing behavior. With our dog, I simply don't leave him outside alone because we have neighbors with dogs outside and they will spend the whole time fence fighting. There are also cats and squirrels around, and he will bark at them. If he is bored inside the house, he will sit at the front window and watch for something to bark at, so we keep the blinds closed. Some people find it helpful to teach their dog a speak cue and a quiet cue. Then the dog gets rewarded for being quiet when it is told to. This hasn't worked well for us, but it has for many others, so it is worth a try. There are many videos on YouTube, just search it.