cocker spaniel aggression

Question
QUESTION: 2 year old female cocker, with no aggression problems previously, now has started barking at people walking by house, goes crazy when somebody leaves the house, me, my husband, or guests etc. will go crazy barking, jumping etc in car when somebody approaches it.  Separation anxiety/thinks she is the alpha dog??? thanks for any help you can give, we love her madly and just want her to behave!  Colleen

ANSWER: Hi Colleen,
So this just developed quite suddenly?

If you can manage it, I'd strongly suggest one-on-one training at your home.  I doubt this is alpha behavior or it would have surfaced long ago.

It's feeling like anxiety/protection to me and I'd like to know what training she's had?  Is she left alone all day?  Any housebreaking issues?

Is she well-behaved other than this?  Is she used to a crate?  Does she follow you from room to room?  What happens if you go into a room and shut the door?

I do have some suggestions if you can elaborate a little more.  But really...a trainer can work with you and pup
to control this before it accelerates.
Delores

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

QUESTION: This has been going on for a couple of months, seems recent to me.  No professional training, and she is left alone all day.  I did crate her for the first 6 months or so, then up to one room, and now the whole house.  She has been very good, no messes to clean up and she never chews or breaks anything. She does follow me around the house, but also is independent at other times and will sit in her window and watch the traffic. If I went into a room and closed the door, she would scratch to get in.  She is not biting, but plays very hard with us.  Thanks again.  Colleen

Answer
Colleen,
A quick fix might be a doggy day-care situation.  Cockers, generally, don't do too well being alone all day and can get a snick neurotic since they're incredibly social animals.
The scratching at the door of the room you're in says volumes (which is why I asked :)
To me, this sounds like a good pup who's alone too much and any "coming and going scenarious" are pushing her buttons.

I'd certainly try changing that situation first and see what happens.  Perhaps a mid-day dog walker?  Dog Day-Care?
A tired dog is a good dog.

I'd also need to know just how you're handling it when she exhibits this behavior?  Above all...do not yell..do not punish.  This is anxiety and that will just make things worse.
On the other hand (and this sounds strange)do not try and comfort/pet/soothe her either.  That encourages the behavior.  For the moment, I'd have her on leash when anyone is leaving and ignore the behavior.

Dogs, very much like misbehaving small children, do what works for them.  Acting out = attention.  The trick is to redirect and/or substitute.

I do have more concrete suggestions (which I know is what you want)but I'd first like to know if you are able to change the "being alone all day" situation since I feel that's a big part of the problem.

Please feel free to write me directly...it's a little easier and faster to chat that way.  DeeBeck7765@aol.com
Delores