Iv got a bit of a problem with my staffie barking, she's 8 months old ant it seems to be getting worse by the day, i was aware that staffs can be quite noisey, but compared to the others i have met ours is very noisey, it started with just barking in the garden at the trees moving and the odd bird or cat but she's started barking in the middle of the night and first thing in the morning we make sure all curtins are totally closed so she cant see in the garden but next door are now starting to complain a bit, we let her out for the toliet before bed and she runs straight out and start barking than we find it very very hard to get her back in. does anyone have any idea's or know any reason what the cause is, she is also in her first season so could this have anything to do with it?

Her season could be something to do with it but generally you will find that if you train a "Quiet" and reward for this, with food rewards, attention, praise and games, during the day and prevent her from being in an area where she can practice her barking, that there will be an overall improvement. Also ensure she is rewarded for ignoring potential barking stimuli and put her on a long lead and prevent any barking outside, often training and creating good habits will help in the long run.

Just a few thoughts anyway,
Lindsay
x

Hi Staffie090604. A dog was lost on this board last week for the same reasons, your neighbours have had enough and keeping the dog living with you is now the problem. Lindsay has given advice which might possibly have a  long run effect.
The current problem is that your neighbours have had enough and their requests must be satisfied short term or there will be no more requests, just action.
The barking habit is getting established as strong, normal behaviour. Each time your dog barks it 'rewards' itself and 'positively reinforces' habitual barking behaviour, we all know that a dog responds to rewards, this barking is a reward, at the same time it is punishing your neighbours who have reached a point where it is no longer tolerable and each 'punishment bark' they hear will reinforce a decrease in their tolerance.
One of the anti bark collars will stop the barking in about 3 incidents, the spray types only seem to work on not very determined dogs, statics work on them all because they can be adjusted to the individual dog, there is a 28 day full refund on all of them. Swings and roundabouts really but your neighbours will have the last say, in the end. I would guess that the neighbours who have not directly complained are a more serious threat and a bigger problem, stiff upper lip and ink filled pen.

If you scroll down this behaviour page and read the post called barking suggestions please, the dog ended up having to leave the home it had only just got.

the only advice i can give u is to not reward barking, ie- dont shout at her or anything.  Try teach 'quiet' and reward for that.  I personally havent found anti bark collars to work, but they can work for some.  If u are having trouble getting her back in from the garden only take her out on a long lead and u can bring her in when u want and teach a better recall while u do it, cos then the dog has no choice but to listen to u askin her to come inside. 
Also, as she is 8 months old could she be going through the second fear stage?  has she always done this or only recently?  when my staffie was going through her second fear stage when  she was about 6 months old she wud bark at everything and wud spook easily.  Distraction with a treat or a toy worked quite well.