Hi, I'd be really grateful for some advice.  Our 8 month old male Golden has started to bark at us!  He's never been a barky dog but over the last few weeks, if we are sat on the sofa or if I'm in the kitchen, say getting dinner ready with my back to him, he'll come over and sit in front of us (or behind me if in kitchen) and then bark really loudly at us.  He can have just come in from a walk or a run around the garden, or I could have been playing with him in the kitchen.  It doesn't seem connected with food as he'll do it after he's eaten.  I've been reading that you should say sshhh and then reward him when he stops - but its not constant yapping, its a really really loud bark and then he'll stop and then start again (no aggression tho) and I don't want him to learn to bark in order to get a treat.  I wonder if this is part of his adolescence and becoming a bit Kevin-ish.  He's a big dog (37.5kg three weeks ago) but the vet says he is in good proportion and he still has his tuck and his ribs can be felt (his dad is a big dog).  He's fed on Royal Canin junior for large breeds and has just under 500 gm in two meals a day.  He is just gorgeous and has loads of toys and chews and gets played with a lot.  I'm probably worrying about nothing but I know retrievers aren't barky dogs and its seems odd that he's just started with this.  Any advice greatfully received.  Thanks.

I would say he is attention seeking whenever your busy not concentrating on him.

When mine have done this and telling them to be quiet and rewarding with good dog hasn't worked then I have excluded them from my presence so they get exactly the opposite of what they were after.

they soon learn then that attention is in your terms.

To underline this get into the habit of calling him to you for a pat or what have you when he is not looking for your attention, so eh realises attention is on your terms.

Google NILIF for some ideas on this theme.

Thank you for this.  I have taken him out of the lounge when he's started barking but, if I'm honest, haven't done it consistently so will now do this properly as he just loves being with us.  The NILIF is great and i've printed off the stuff on attention on demand and extinction bursts.

My dog has always done this, he's never barked at strangers or if people come to the door but if he wants attention he'll bark!

If a 'no' didint t stop him then he'd be segregated to the kitchen for a few minutes and then let back in. now he is 15 months old the barking for attention is much less, instead of barking for attention now he does a funny 'talking' sound (he sounds like Chewbaka from Star Wars!!). this is much harder to ignore because it is amusing, but we do all force ourselfs to ignore him and know that he will soon learn it doesn't get him what he wants.