How to get the dog to stop barking?

My dog has recently acquired the habit of barking whenever my parents go out. Obviously I've tried everything I can think of- giving her doggy treats, staying downstairs with her to keep her company, giving her dog food, but nothing works for very long.

It's driving me insane, especially now she's learned to howl

Anyone else had this? Or anyone know how to shut her up? In a nice way, clearly.

You're rewarding her for barking. Stop doing that for starters. Next, put some pennies or your equivalent in a tin can, and be ready. When your parents go out and the dog starts to bark or howl, shake the can. Don't face the dog or say anything. Just be patient, keep doing it, and the dog will stop.

I saw something about this on TV. It seems the dog thought it was abandoned and the owner was never coming back.

The owner was told to go out for 5 minutes then come back. Then out for 10 and then come back. Progressively making the absence larger so the dog learned that the owner would always be back.

I reckon you probably need some better advice than this

I stare ours in the face, put my finger to lips, and say "shh!", and he stops. Lol. It's kinda amusing.

Seeing as my dog is incredibly spoiled I'm not sure it's an abandonment thing Although now that she's been taken on holidays a lot with the parents it might be a case of her thinking they've gone away without her.

I may give that a go when I can be bothered to leave the house

Hmm, interesting idea. Why do you suggest the noise thing?
I get what you mean with the positive reinforcement, but even when I just ignore her she doesn't shut up She's a terrier so tends to be stubborn.

If only my dog was that well trained

She's not going to like the noise, and will start to associate that with her barking, "I bark=that irritating noise happens". That's also why I mentioned not to face her or say anything, since you don't want her to associate the noise with you. Just give it a good shake. Then it might be a good idea to distract her with a toy, or some lovin', But only if she's not barking.

Trust me... He's not, but this makes him stop barking at least.

My dog would probably just ignore me completely if I did that, she only really answers to my dad. She just humours the rest of us

Take it to the library. You HAVE to be quiet there.

Yeah one look from the scary library ladies would be enough to silence her

Sister, the dog depends on them as it's main resource of protection and food. Every time they leave the dog has no clue if they will ever be back again and in doggy time, when they've left in the past, it probably seemed like a month before they returned again.

Try to lovingly and compassionately make connection with the dog so that it also trusts you as a back up source of security and resource provider.

She's always been left to her own devices though, it's nothing new. Never for more than a few hours, but she's always been independent and used to it. Perhaps now that she's old she's feeling a bit more vulnerable for some reason. She knows I'm only upstairs though and when I do come down to see her she just ignores me.

She'll come and lie on my bed for a while every now and then but then gets bored and goes back to the living room and starts barking again.

That is an excellent strategy.