[Dailydrool] Woofing! How to stop it?!!?

[Hinchliffe at aol.com]

I'm babysitting a friend's two cocker spaniels, mother and baby boy.   (To 
make this basset-related, Duchess never woofed.  She moo-ed, and not  often, 
because it took up energy she could have been using eating or  sleeping.)
 
These two dogs are darling.  Sweet, happy, playful, cuddly,  well-behaved, 
pretty laid-back.  Except the seven-month-old puppy loves to  bark.  Woof, 
woof, woof.  Alert!  Squirrel out the window!   Alert!  Alien dog walking by 
on the street!  Alert!  Mom (the  other cocker) has a toy/treat I want, or 
is sleeping when I want to play!   Woof woof woof woof woof!
 
It's a happy, playful woof, with the tail wagging all the time.  He  wants 
to play with the squirrel/dog on the street/Mom, it's not an aggressive or  
defensive or high-strung or fearful bark.  But it's still a bark.   
High-pitched, endless woofwoofwoofwoofwoof.
 
I take him on walks and set up play dates with other dogs to tire him  out. 
 Nope, he comes back and woofs for more.  As soon as he starts  woofing, I 
stop him with a firm command.  Nope, he runs to me full of joy,  grins, and 
woofs at me.  I throw him balls, buy him toys.  Nope, he  plays, naps 
contentedly, then starts in again.  I hold his little mouth  shut and say firmly, 
"no."  Nope, he wags his tail and kisses my  hand.  (Have I mentioned I 
adore these dogs?)  I just don't seem to be  able to get him to make the 
connection between the barking behavior and  "no."  (He was very late to be 
house-broken, too.)
 
I don't think he's bored, he gets lots of exercise and play; he also loves  
his naps and sleeps a lot.  I think he's just a very interested little boy  
who likes to comment on everything in his world (I've known three-year-old  
two-leggers like that).  But I can't leave the porch door open because he  
runs out there and yells at the world and I don't want to bother the  
neighbors.  And just when I get going on work (or a business phone call, I  work 
at home), he spots something out the window worth commenting on,  
woofwoofwoofwoofwoof.
 
He's been "tutored," and that hasn't made any difference.  His human  Mom 
loves them, but isn't that great on training, so isn't doing much at  home.  
Any suggestions, to break this habit before he's grown  up?  (His doggie Mom 
never woofs.  They play together all day long, so  he has companionship and 
fun.)
 
Thanks!
Ears-ringing Beth
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