1 yr old Cocker Spaniel Barking non Stop

Question
QUESTION: HELP! We have a 1 yr old tri color pure bread Cocker Spaniel who barks at EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME! A leaf blowing by the window, the septic tank coming on downstairs, someone getting up from a chair. We can't handle it anymore. We have used water in a spray bottle with some lemon juice, we bought a bark collar that shocks him but he continues to keep barking. NOTHING WILL WORK.  My husband works nights and can't get any sleep.  Will a muzzle work?  Any advice please would help right now as were seriously considering giving him away.  Its very stressful. We can't afford training classes. We spoke to a trainer about it and they don't think they can help. Any suggestions?

ANSWER: Hi Kim,
A trainer who can't help with barking?  Wow...that's some incompetent trainer.

I have a few questions.  Do you crate him at all?  How much exercise does he get?  How much training have you done with him?  What commands does he know?  What type of "bark collar" did you use?  What do YOU do when he barks?
Is the barking from excitement?  Anxiety?  How long will he bark at any one thing?  Is he left alone all day?

Dogs bark for a reason.  Let's figure out what's going on in his head and approach from that direction.  And how committed are you to spending time training him?
Delores

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes he has been crated since he was a puppy. At night we don't hear a peep out of him but if we put him in there during the day when he has done something bad all he does is sit there and bark and cry.
He has a run out back with a 15 foot cord on it. He gets let out every 2 hours but all he wants to do is stand on the porch and bark instead of going downstairs to play. He even takes toys outside with him.
He can Sit and lay down. We haven't officially taken him to any training classes as we can't really afford them. We bought a bark collar that zaps him and has 6 different levels on it. Each time he barks and keeps barking it gets stronger and stronger. Usually he may do it twice then he just does small barks. Its almost like he knows if he does small barks with it in, he won't get zapped only the loud ones. When he barks and gets zapped he jumps in our laps and we hug him and tell him to calm down, its ok..IF he doens't have the collar on, we use the water and lemon juice and spray it in his face. It seems to help a little but only for a  minute or two. Then he starts again. If he continues I put in his crate or outside, then it starts all over again. When someone gets out of a chair he starts barking or if my son comes barreling down the stairs. He is barking just because of any little small noise he hears. We understand when he barks when the garage door opens and he hears it and when someone comes to the house. That is understandable.  He is protecting his territory but not when a simple leaf blows by or a plastic chair is just sitting on the porch and he just sits there and barks at it for no reason.  He usually barks for about a good 3-4 minutes if its a noise. Otherwise if he is outside, its nonstop.
My hunsband works nights and his schedule is such that its 4 on 2 off so certain days he is in his crate until about 3:30 PM after my son gets home from school. He is out with me in the AM eating and going outside and stuff til I go to work. Other days he is home with my husband all day and me all night. so he isn't in the crate alot.
Thanks for trying to help us out. I did read in some of your other questions and answers something about putting him on his back when he barks.  Does that work?

ANSWER: So he's getting no walks or any serious exercise?

Okay..that has to change.  And stop using the collar.
That's making things worse and increasing his anxiety.
And crates should not be used for punishment.
Putting lemon juice in the spray is also not good since it hurts his eyes.

I want you to try something with him that will tell me a lot.

Attach his short leash to your belt loop (while inside)
and without ANY conversation with him, he goes where you go.
Do this for about 15 minutes and when he starts barking (and you can set that up) command SIT and pull his leash "straight up" just enough to send him into a Sit.
If he's still barking - look him right in the eyes and say NO firmly but quietly.  Do NOT lose eye contact until he stops barking and turns away.  Then carry on with him still attached to you.

He's not getting enough exercise and that's key if you have this problem.  He needs a minimum of 1/2 hour brisk walking
twice a day.  This run with the cord isn't enough and can lead to a frustrated dog with too much pent up energy.

Do that exercise a few times with him and let me know what happens and how he reacts "in detail".  This will help me in deciding on what approach might work best.
Delores

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: He doesn't bark at all when he is outside going for a walk. It's only in the house at any noise. ANY NOISE We have to sit in the house with the windows shut if we want any piece and quiet and then that doesn't even work because its the indoor noises too. What else can we do?

Answer
Kim,
When you've done the "leash attached" exercise and verbally corrected, let me know.  I asked you to do this because it will tell me something.
And I've told you he needs more exercise.  Have you begun to give him 1/2 morning and evening runs?
Delores