In the last couple of weeks my 4 1/2 month old Westie has been barking at anything.  Any noise outside, (neighbours car etc) he also barks if someone other tham me or the children enter the room or if we are in the car  and my mum for instance gets in.  He is well socialised and has been since we brought him home at eight weeks.  Should I ignore him when he does this or tell him to be quiet?

He's maturing and he's a terrier = barking!

I do not think ignoring him will work in this case, since he's not barking at you or the kids.   For example, if he barks and the car he hears in the street goes away - his little brain will think that he's chased the car away by his fierce barking.  I expect he is also happy to greet anyone he's barked at as well and is not fearful.

To teach a dog not to bark the easiest thing to do is usually to teach him to bark on command.  Then you teach him to be quiet on command.    To teach a terrier *never* to bark except on command is, well, impossible :-) 

Stacey

Telling him to be quiet will only work if he already knows the command, and I'd guess he doesn't :(  To teach him, praise and reward him for the times when he is quiet during the day.  Start off with times when there isn't any stimulus (ie when it's quiet outside) and slowly build up to times when he might kick off.  It's far easier than teaching to bark on command, then teaching 'quiet' ;)