Hello

Our 4 month-old Border Collie pup barks whenever anyone goes upstairs. She does this every time and in any house, whether we're at home or visiting family.

She does it even if just one person goes upstairs and everyone else is still downstairs beside her which makes me think it's not separation anxiety. Anyone have any ideas? Also she barks if the "Eastenders" theme tune comes on. Otherwise she's actually a pretty quiet dog!

PS She's not allowed upstairs!

she barks if the "Eastenders" theme tune comes on

She obviously prefers BBC2 :)

Perhaps shes a Corrie Fan lol x

Sorry, no advice, but you brought back some memories of my last dog :)

He was a rescue, he used to bark at the Eastenders theme tune & Home & Away! He'd also bark up a storm if he saw my OH climbing into the attic.
With him, it appeared as if something good 'happened' he associated with the theme tunes, as he would get very excited as if he was expecting somebody to arrive :)

Sorry I've been no help, but thanks for the memory-jog :)

A couple of thoughts:

Even some non-herding breeds prefer their people to be in one place, I'd make sure to move her from the foot of the stairs and take steps to ensure she isn't able to watch you leave.  How is she if you put her behind a closed door?

All 3 of my dogs know that when my husband or I go upstairs during the morning that we are likely to come back down dressed for a walk.  As a consequence they all sometimes bark with excitement as we go upstairs, as well as greeting us with yips of delight and woof chatter when we come back down. 

Have a think about how you go upstairs, where she is, what happens when you get back etc and try to break any patterns of behaviour that have developed, if you want her to stop barking.

(Whilst my MIL was staying I had to remove the dogs from our hall to avoid them knocking her knees from under her every time she came downstairs.    ...and heaven help her if she went near the coat cupboard! :) )

Same thing with our BC.
Oh has taken to having his shower, clothed and ready to put his boots on before he lets Jake out. Whistler (CS) doesn't make a sound but Jake barks and winges, there is OH on his knees getting his boots on with Jake nose to the door in a very small hall - as wide as the door and frame, if he is let out first he barks (and as its 6:30am) and we have to keep him in so we don't wake next doors baby.

If OH does go on site without him during the day he sits under my desk and does not move, so he keeps losing tail hair as I roll in and out of my desk!

Whistler, when I leave mooches and crys a bit then sits on who ever is left's feet. (they are with us at the office 24/7)

Strange things.

When we walk in the park with friends their BC Bob goes round and round us herding us along, if we stop to throw a stick for another of our dogs his circle gets larger to incorporate us all!

Jake doesn't herd as such but he does do repetative things and he knows on a Friday at 4pm to get me, to use the laser pointer on the floor for a chase, only on a friday uncanny!! any rip of valcro and both dogs look at the floor!!!

I do think it's a bit of a herding thing, but dogs know so much about us don't they? What clothes we wear tells them what we're going to do [or is that just me - so predictable - work clothes, slobbing clothes, walking clothes, grooming clothes... notice I don't mention going out clothes LOL]

Going out clothes? those ones that they insist covering with dog hair.
Another thing we do is put on the radio and they both head, heads down to their beds. That means that we are off out and they aren't invited.

Hello

Thanks for everyone's posts! Yes we've started taking her to another room whenever anyone wants to go upstairs and this is helping! She's not too keen behind a closed door either. She basically doesn't like it if one of us is off elsewhere even if she's in a room full of other people!

But strangely is fine at night when she goes to sleep in her crate and we leave her.

The Eastenders barking continues though, and has now extended to the One Show just before it!

I also think it's herding, probably, but it may not do any harm, and could do a lot of good, to teach her gradually the "home alone" routine - i.e. when she is put behind a child gate (better than a door, as dogs can see through) she gets treats, chews and marrow bones and enjoys being alone for a bit. Good to do this anyway, but it can also help to avoid separation problems.

A little bit on here about it:
http://www.examiner.com/dogs-in-los-angeles/six-behaviors-every-dog-should-know-part-two

I have a 7 month old Schnuazer and he did as well, with weeing included even though he was house broken.  Again the same...fine at night.  We just kept on inturrupting the behaviour with a toy or something really exciting and didn't allow him near the stair gate.  This did involve me staying downstairs for a few months if nobody else was in the house! lol

He's 99% there now.