Train Your Dog to Stop Barking 

Mostly, problem barkers bark because they are bored. Accustomed to a lot of attention, they don't know how to behave when alone. More often than not, we have set this up ourselves. We want our dogs to be happy, so we spoil them:  our dogs get treats and petting whenever they wish.  It is entirely normal for owners to act this way and entirely normal for dogs to complain when they feel neglected.

First of all, your dog must learn that barking for your attention doesn't work. If he is unhappy outdoors and barking eventually makes you bring him in, he learns that barking gets results. If barking makes you yell at him, well, that's better than nothing. "I'm bored. Maybe I can get them to yell at me again." Although yelling doesn't work, negative reinforcement can still be useful. Perhaps a little story will help explain:

As a veterinary student, I lived in the basement of an animal hospital. We did a lot of boarding, and there were occasionally dogs that barked at night. These dogs were warm and well-fed, with plenty of water. Their kennels were clean and dry. All they lacked was entertainment. I quickly learned that hollering "quiet" was useless. Here is what worked: I'd put a little water in a Dixie Cup and quietly stand in front of the barker, not saying a word. Within a minute or two the dog would bark again, whereupon I'd immediately dash the water in his face, turn around and go back to bed, all without saying a word. I'd usually have to do this two or three times the first night, once or twice the second night and maybe even once the night after that. Nearly always after the second or third night, peace and quiet.

"Quiet" repeated calmly and clearly once or twice in a normal voice will teach your dog to associate the word with water in the face and with not barking. Later, in situations where he would ordinarily bark but stays quiet instead, calmly praise him.

Barking and growling

A dog that barks and growls and shows his teeth in a threatening way is getting ready to bite you. Do not squirt water up his nose. Do not threaten him. Consult with your veterinarian or dog psychologist.

Barking while you are away

Make sure you have done the basic things: See that your dog has food and water, and a comfortable place to relax where he can't see people or other pets. If necessary, bring him indoors.

More often than not, the problem barker has never learned to be alone. He is accustomed to lavish attention without having to earn it. He thinks he is the center of the world and upon finding himself abandoned he is distraught and he barks, what did you expect?

Be a good role model.

Believe it or not, the words you say mean nothing to a dog. What matters the way you say those words and the message delivered by your body language. When you overdo it by repeatedly reassuring your dog that everything is ok and you'll be back soon, you are making things worse. Excitedly greeting the  dog on your return  reinforces the idea that staying alone for the day really is a big deal.

Stop praising and petting your dog for doing nothing.

This won't be easy, but you've got to do it and the entire family must cooperate.  For now at least, the only time you should even touch your dog is when he has responded correctly to a command. Teach him to sit. When he sits, a simple "good dog" and a pat on the head are praise enough. Slowly work up to longer sit times until your dog can be relied to sit and stay in all situations. Bonus: Your guests will appreciate this. Remember how Fido jumpes up on Aunt Emily? Many dog owners believe that since they enjoy this type of greeting, other people do too.  This is seldom true.

Practice being out of touch.

Because you aren't petting and stroking and fondling him all the time, your dog should be learning now that it's ok to be "out of touch" for short periods. Get some good chew toys. Nylabones and Kongs are excellent.  Let your dog become distracted with a chew toy, then calmly and quietly leave the room, closing the door behind you. Within a few minutes, preferably before your dog has become distraught about your absence, come back in and resume what you were doing. Move calmly, say nothing.  When your dog   rushes over to greet you, ignore him completely. Don't say anything. Don't even look at him. Your separation was completely unimportant to you, so it should be completely unimportant to your dog.

Stop saying goodbye.

You are ready now to leave your dog alone for the day. Start your morning schedule ten minutes early. Feed your dog and try to get him settled in with a chew toy. Get completely ready to walk out the door and then sit down with the newspaper. Ignore your dog completely. After several minutes of calm separation, quietly walk out the door and go to work. Do not say good bye, do not even look at your dog. You are leaving for the day. This is not a big deal. Your return home must be equally calm. Ignore your dog. No petting, no excited greeting. Change clothes or whatever. After he has settled down, acknowledge your dog by telling him to sit. Only then does he get a pat on the head and a simple "good dog". You were gone for the day. Remember, this is not a big deal.

Give your dog something to do while you are gone.

Dogs left alone during the day are in a terribly unnatural situation, isolated with nothing to do. Instead of barking and tearing up the house, your dog can keep himself busy by earning his food.

Kong chew toys are hollow and open at the ends,  leaving room for food or dog treats.  Try putting a dog biscuit in there at first.  Later you can pack with canned food and freeze, so it takes a long time for your dog to get the food out. To keep your dog busy while you're gone, buy several Kongs and hide in various places. For this to work well, your dog must be hungry.

If your dog is picky about what he eats and it's kind of hard to find his ribs, your dog  is overweight, and getting too much food. 

Instead of using Kongs, you can also find adjustable feeding balls which work with dry food. To get food, your dog must roll the ball around so food falls out through the holes. When adjusted properly, getting a full meal takes a long time. You might also try leaving the television on for entertainment while you are gone. 

When your dog barks, distract him.

Make something mysterious and unsettling happen. Something so puzzling that he forgets barking for a while. A short sharp unidentifiable sound is perfect. You will have to use your own ingenuity, but here is a suggestion: