How to modify territorial behavior at new house?

[hmeadq]

I think that our Rotty is too hypervigilant about our house.

He will get up and bark when our neighboor pulls out of the driveway at 6:00 am and anytime he hears noise or someone drives slow infront of our house.

If someone rings the bell he will bark. And if he hears a clunk he will half growl and run to the door.

He typically quites when told, but will sometimes still "stalk" or circle. Unless it is a bike rider at which point he will stand at the window and BARK! Only to be called off with a squirt bottle. At the park he ignores the bikes.

When people come into the house is is fine as soon as we greet them and will behave and want pets and not bark. But in the yard he is a bit less trusting, although not growling or anything. The thing is we live in the country so while he has been very well socialized to people outside the house we only have about 10 people who come over with any regularity.

We are moving to a new house, more in the country, but with more people around. What can I do to make him less protective of the new house when we move?

Thanks as always.

[TouregV8]

My girl was a basically like that beginning around age 2 years. She'd go ballistic when one neighbor clickered her car alarm. It was unbearably annoying to us. I have no idea why she focused on this one act, and frankly didn't care. What I did care about was the ferocious display and barking, even making weird funny noises in between. I decided to interrupt the behavior as soon as I heard the telltale whine she'd give right before she'd fire off. I'd give the leave it command and our command for silence which is "quiet!". Also I wouldn't let her run around the house as that got her wound up. Three years later I've got her down to 90% less territorial, but I never let her go off if I'm home, nor does my husband. It's really been a matter of commanding her every single time, which can be once or more a day, depending on how much our elderly neighbor use her car.

Gail