Heidi has been with us for about 8 months now. She was easy to settle in, and the only time we heard her bark was the very odd time at a cat or rabbit she wanted to get to.
Well, she has began barking indoors occasionally, just this past week. This is usually in the evening. She is very vocal anyway, always whining and 'talking' as we call it, and we do listen to her and usually understand what she wants. But we are still trying to work this one out and nip it in the bud.
When I am on the sofa engaged in TV watching or working on he laptop, she will come through and do short sharp barks at me. This is not her asking for the toilet, as she asks for this by whining and sometimes she barks when she has just been in the garden.
Last night myself and OH were lying on the sofa watching TV. Heidi had just been out for a pee, and had a titbit, and had gone through to her bed. Then half an hour later she came back through and started barking at us, where previously she would have laid on her mat beside us at our feet. We told her 'stop it' and she carried on a few more times, then she went through to the bedroom again where her bed is, and I could hear her teddies getting thrown everywhere.
I didn't want to respond directly, but I got up and brushed my teeth, just ignoring her and doing a few things. She followed me around behaving and I spoke to her as I was doing things. When I was in the bedroom, she laid in her bed quite happy. As she was quiet in her bed, I then bent down and gave her lots of attention for 5-10 minutes.
When she comes into the livingroom I am making a point of talking to her and clapping her to acknowledge her, before she does bark. Of course it might not be her demanding more attention or chancing it for more food. But it has to stop and so through trial and error we shall see.
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