MY WESTIE ANGUS IS A BARKER WHEN HE,S OUT IN THE FRONT GARDEN AND ALMOST ANYWHERE ELSE, IN FACT HE DOESN,T STOP FOR BREATH. I SUSPECT HE,S BEING TERRITORIAL,HE,S HAD THE SNIP TO HELP CURTAIL AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR MOSTLY WITH ME CAN STILL BE VERY TOUCHY!!THE LITTLE DOO-DOO.ANY IDEAS HOW WE CAN STOP THE BARKING?THANKS

glad to hear its not just us with a barking mad westie! As soon as we let him out in the back garden, its bark, bark, bark, bark.
We've tried a few things, like telling him a firm NO, then if he keeps carrying on, we'll squirt him with the water pistol. He does stop for a bit, but as soon as your back is turned, on goes the barking.

Sorry to be no help to you, but just thought you like to know im in the same boat!

He's enjoying being outside, so if he didn't respond to my command to stop I would usher him inside.  If he does not round up very well :) I would leave a lead dangling for you to grab or tread on.  You can let him out again after 10 minutes or so and repeat.  You would need to be VERY consistant repeating the exercise EVERY time you let him out until he gets the message and even then you may have to introduce refresher sessions.  I had the same problem with a gobby Cocker in the front room barking at passing cats, by consistantly turfing her back into the kitchen when she really wanted to be sat in with us she has learned to get it zipped apart from chancing a little swear under her breath occasionally when the cats are looking particularly provocative followed by a shifty glance in my direction :)

we have tried the dangling of the lead, i must admit it did work for a while, but now i think he's just got used to wearing a lead and still barks.

we do bring him in for punishment, but he'll run into another room, and start barking at things passing the window.

i guess the reply to that one is, keep him shut out of all rooms for 10mins!! - but do you think he will learn that he is being punished for barking??? - i feel that he will throw a wobbler and bark because we have shut him out!

maybe as you say, i think we might need to be VERY consistant of repeating the exercise.

Thanks for that :-)

I think you might have missunderstood the lead part, that is just to facilitate getting hold of him to take him back inside, the lead in its self will not stop him barking.
I would take him back into a room like the kitchen, for example, that does not have windows low enough for him to bark out.  Stay with him but take absolutely no notice of him until he has been quiet for 10 minutes then let him out again.  This would not be a quick fix, you would need to repeat it, possibly, many times as terriers are more tenacious than Cockers :) it will be a deeply boring excercise for you so be prepared and have a good book to read while sat at the kitchen table.
Only by being very consistant and always bringing him when he starts to bark will he make the connection.

Thank you.............wish me luck! :-)