[riley's dad]

hi, i have a golden retriever , and when in the back yard constantly barks even when just let out of the house . my neighbors have been complaining and i try to play with the dog outside but i can't stay with him all day. another problem is sometimes he gets out and when he does he won't come to us and runs all over the place, and even chases cars. any suggestions?

[Curbside Prophet]

What's this dog's daily schedule like? What do you do for him mentally, physically, and socially on a daily basis?

[Dogsareme]

Is your dog an inside or an outside dog?

How old is he?

How much training have you done?

[briteday]

I'm with everyone else above so far. Your dog needs at least an hour every day outside the house and yard to walk briskly and/or play hard. Exercise, bring him home to eat, and then he'll be more content, with time and consistency.

Why are you leaving him outside?

Barking is usually a sign of boredom. You need to stimulate this dog's mind. Besides taking him out of the yard every day to exercise he needs some stimulating toys to occupy him when you can't be with him.

Now that he has become a chronic barker, besides the suggestions I've made, you will probably have to do some formal training with him. If you haven't done this before I would suggest the help of a professional trainer, you most likely will need some private lessons.

[riley's dad]

thanks for replying. Riley is four years old, i've had him since a pup. his routine includes going out first thing in the morning so he can take care of business. our back yard is fenced in and of good size 1/4 acre. he seems to start to bark to see if he can get a response from other dogs in the neighborhood. i do go out and play with him and he does have toys out there. he also burys some of them. he likes being in the house and out of the house equally. i would like him to stay out more when the weather permits. honestly he hasn't had any professional training cause i thought i could work with him. he's a good dog just likes to bark !