Hi i have a 21 month old labrador bitch and she has always had a thing for barking at my next door neighbour when my dog is in the garden or or hears my neighbour go out their she barks at her. At first her heckles used to go up but now confidently barking with her tail wagging.  I have tried a number of things ranging from training discs to bribery.  The bribery often works but is only temporary.  My dog now looks up at my neighbours window and barks at the neighbour who then throws down a dog treat to her once she stops barking.  I have spoken to my neighbour a few times, and printed stuff of the internet about using the stop barking method when she is quiet (the dog not the neighbour!), and said if she is going to give her treats only give them when quiet. 

I think my dog also remembers when she was younger that this particular neighbour threw water over the fence at her to stop her barking.  The neighbour has tried to talking to her, and ignoring her but she still barks at her. My neighbour can be odd at times - sometimes speaks sometimes won't.I don't want to end up with the council getting involved as have read some of the topics already posted.

Any suggestions?

I have had a similar problem with a lab barking for attention and found that judicious use of an abostop collar helped a lot. I wouldnt recommend leaving a dog alone with one on, but I did get him to a point where putting a drop of citronella on an ordinary collar had the disired effect, in that he thought he was wearing his abostop. Personally I found that any interactions he took as a reward and just started again.

This makes interesting reading - my problem being we only have a front garden because of the layout of our houses.  We had to have a trellis fence as opposed to close boarded so my boys see every tom, dick and harry who walks past our house.  The youngest has worked out that if he barks at them they lean over and he gets attention.  How do you tell every tom, dick and harry to not to please? (Yes I did try a sign but again every one ignores it) Problem is that the older one has started to do it as well and the barking is getting louder and louder.

I have tried the bringing them straight into the house but this has had no effect as people still keep making a fuss of them.

I don't really want to go with the collars as I dont have to rely on them being on them constantly but wondered if anyone has tried one of those area bark trainer where it emits a high range sound that we can't hear.  If so are they are any good and if so what make do you recommend?

I also saw pet corrector advertised in Dog Magazine?  Any feedback on this.  The problem i have with Jess barking is that yes i want her to bark but for the right reasons and not sure how i get her/me to learn that. 

I hope this new dog programme on Ch4 in 2 weeks mights "Its me or the dog" i think its called.  Are there any videos which can help.  I don't want to use one of the anti-bark collars as think also give mixed messages to the dog.  Open to suggestions though!