Hi, everyone. I'm new here and really need some help.
I rehomed a 7 year old male Border Collie/Shepherd from a friend, and he is driving my neighbors crazy when I'm at work. They have reported me to the local animal authorities for his "nuisance barking."
I run him (and my other 2 dogs) at the dog park every other day, but when I'm at work he barks at anything and everything all day long. He doesn't act like that at all when I'm home. I have been trying a shock collar on him, but he ignores it. HE IS STILL BARKING. I'm not sure if it's over-protectiveness, boredom, separation anxiety, or what. His former owner says he has always been a barker at things outside his fence.
Can anyone suggest alternative solutions? I don't want to crate him during the day, as that doesn't seem any more humane than the shock collar. He doesn't like toys of any sort, so I can't use those to keep him occupied.
Thank you for any information you can provide. I'm at a loss as to how to help him, I certainly can't afford to be fined, and my neighbors are out of patience with my efforts.