bark, Bark, BARK!!!

His barking doesn't sound like separation anxiety or frustration, it sounds like over-eager alert barking. He sounds the alarm, and then can't stop.
I'd seriously consider an anti-bark collar. They sell ones that allow the dog to bark three times then if the dog doesn't stop, he gets a correction. I know people seem to think the citronella ones are "gentler" than the shock ones, but consider how incredibly aversive having a nasty scent squirted into your nose must be to a dog, with his super-sensitive nose.  Dogs don't seem terribly upset about being given a well-timed, consistent zap to the throat. Most quickly learn and then never get shocked again after the first handful of shocks.
If you have a secure back yard I suspect your dog would be much happier wearing a bark limiter collar than being stuck in a crate all day.

After thinking about the "which collar" question a while, I'm going to say that I would go with whichever one my dog responded to the best. Unfortunately, there's no way to know which that is without trying them.

mudpuppy makes a great point about the bark limiter collar. That might be worth trying.

And the shock delivered by a bark collar (especially if it's adjustable) would probably be effective, without "hurting" him (of course it hurts some, but without permanent damage). My neighbor's tiny chi-chi mix has an invisible fence and it works great for him, but I've heard him whimper as he gets close to the boundary... Perhaps it's just anxiety.

I think before I tried a collar, I'd get a doggie door that leads into a locked fence and give him a good walk in the morning with stuff to keep him occupied during the day. That's what we have here and I can't imagine any other set-up.

Just wanted to add those thoughts... Good luck! []

i agree with you on this one.
 
the cintronella stink is going to stick around for awhile - too long for correction
 
a correction needs to be instantaneous and then be done with it - as the dog quickly moves on by living in the present moment, so to should the correction.

IMO we need to rule everything out before buying a collar because if it really is for pent up energy or frustration and the OP buys a collar then the dog could stop barking indeed but he might start looking for other ways to release that pent up energy or frustration by chewing things or become agressive
 
Now i think that the correction would solve the problem but maybe not the cause of it and that could bring the OP more headaches, a good indicator is the fact that after one night of rest the dog does not have a way to release the pent up energy from the night before
 
Before spending any money it would be better to try a couple days to walk the dog for like 20 minutes before the OP leaves, there is nothing to loose and the OP could rule out that in case that was not the cause (the OP can go to bed one hour earlier the night before [])

Small update.  I got up early this morning, went for a 15 minute bike ride/run for Buckel, and he seemed pretty tired.  He didn't eat his breakfast, but I put half of it in his small kong and put him in his kennel for the day.  Came home, and the Kong was empty and he was more than ready to get out.  I let him run outside for a while while I went to a meeting, then put a $40 "shocker" on him.  He barked about 5 times, each followed by what I call a little "yipe!" jump, then he seemed to be fine.  However, he did only eat half of his dinner.  We didn't get a walk tonight because I simply didn't have time.  I just took the collar off for the night, and we'll try again in the morning.  I am encouraged by the collar, though, because he stood at his favorite spot in front of the window, and he didn't bark when someone passed by!  That's totally a first!

barking is a tough one, cause a lot of dogs really don't seem to have any voluntary control over it. I was skeptical of the anti-bark collars until a friend of mine used one as a last-ditch measure on her dog-- the dog used to go into frenzies of barking, and often displayed out-of-control reactive behavior, and one week on an anti-bark collar the dog was a changed dog, so much calmer and relaxed. He seemed to really be relieved to have been finally taught how to stop his frenzies. You might say, well, she could have taught him using some other non-aversive method, but she did try. And the beauty of a mechanical aversive device is the perfect timing and the disconnect- it's not the owner delivering the aversive.

and one week on an anti-bark collar the dog was a changed dog, so much calmer and relaxed.

 
Xerxes was having some SA problems and barking like a madman.  I bought one of those tone producing collars for him, trained him with it for the weekend, and also got some clomicalm as well.  No complaints since. 
 
I do know that the neighbor with the hounds that howl has received a few.

That sounds very promising! His eating might shuffle around a little in getting used to his new routine, but hopefully, he'll recover and get right back into it. I'm glad you're having success. I'll be curious to hear the neighbor's report. []

Buckel didn't eat his breakfast again today.  He was also slow deciding to eat dinner.  He used to (like a couple months ago) be so excited to eat and would sit and do tricks before I let him chow down right away, but lately it's like he's not really interested -- he'll come and sit, but won't do tricks, and then when I tell him to go eat, he just walks off like "I'll eat eventually, if Ifeel like it".  I feel bad when he hasn't eaten within 15 minutes in the morning so I pick up the bowl, and I don't feed him again until evening -- I feel like I'm starving him!  What should I do?

You say he didn't eat it 'again'. When was the last time he ate?

My Mia skips a meal every once in a while. Her tummy rumbles throughout the day and then she eats that night. Skipping a meal isn't usually a problem.

He hasn't eaten in the morning for 3 days, and ate 1/2 of his evening meal the first night, then has eaten the whole thing the last two days.

Because he's a little dog, I would weigh him and be sure he's not losing weight. But otherwise I wouldn't worry about him skipping meals too much. If he werent' eating at all, I would worry.

He's drinking, playing, acting normally otherwise?

Mia goes through phases like this. She'll skip her morning meal for several days.

You know, you might want to start another thread about this (in Health) to get more responses from other people. This thread is about the barking and people might not check on it. []

[color=#000000]squishyb, hi
i have been looking on the forum & have just joined i wondered if the static collar worked for your dog? one of mine has been barking for 4wks tried everything i am waiting for collar through post.







 





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Hi SquishyB!  I just wanted to suggest a morning exercise routine that I use on our dogs when I don't have time to walk them.  I use the Chuck-It wand and toss their tennis balls with it .  I taught them the bring it back to me & drop it, then and only then will I chuck it for them again.  I do this for about ten minutes, or until I notice Draico heading for the pond, then I call then inside.  They are so tired that they plop on the tile floor and rest.
Sometimes, if I've had a long day & don't have the time for a long walk when I get home, I'll chuck with them for a few minutes & take them for a short walk.

ORIGINAL: SquishyB

so I pick up the bowl, and I don't feed him again until evening

 
Is there any reason why you dont just let the bowl there for when he feels ready? Maybe after exercise he does not feel like eating but that does not mean he wont be hungry by the time you left []