At what point does territorial behavior tend to begin?

[chelle]

I'm confused on how to "diagnose" my dog on this.

Bailey can easily see through the house windows that face the driveway. If anyone drives up, he's barking. (It's a long gravel drive, it's easy to hear the gravel crunch, easy to see the headlights -- no one just randomly drives up my driveway.) If he sees someone walking down the road, he's barking. (This rarey happens, as the road is far off, but occasionally does occur.) If we're outside and a car pulls up the drive, he's on alert and barking. (By on alert, I mean, wide stance, tail up, ears up, no hackles up.)

This behavior only occurs at the house. For example, I often run into the convenience store and leave him in the car. He just sits there. He isn't frantic, he doesn't bark, he does nothing... but just sit there and look around. Granted, no one has ever approached the car that I am aware of, and I'm often looking out at him as I'm in the store, but he is really the picture of calm in the car.

What's going on?

[Emoore]

Out of curiosity, when Bailey is barking in the house, are the other dogs there? And when he's in the car and not barking, is he alone or are the other dogs there as well?

[chelle]

Originally Posted by Emoore

Out of curiosity, when Bailey is barking in the house, are the other dogs there? And when he's in the car and not barking, is he alone or are the other dogs there as well?

In the house, yes, the other dogs are there as well. The oldest is my alarm, as she can hear anything going on and barks. So then Bailey must check it out, he sees whoever out there and joins in. (He actually SEES it because he's tall enough to look out the window.) The middle child sort of huffs a little and may get a little excited, but doesn't join in.

Bailey at the convenience store is him alone. Typically after an exercise venture. They've all been together in the car at the same time many times, but I won't leave them alone in a car together.

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by chelle

In the house, yes, the other dogs are there as well. The oldest is my alarm, as she can hear anything going on and barks. So then Bailey must check it out, he sees whoever out there and joins in. (He actually SEES it because he's tall enough to look out the window.) The middle child sort of huffs a little and may get a little excited, but doesn't join in.

Bailey at the convenience store is him alone. Typically after an exercise venture. They've all been together in the car at the same time many times, but I won't leave them alone in a car together.

Maybe his barking at home isn't so much territorial defense as barking because the other dogs are barking. He may have learned from the other dogs that it's appropriate to bark at strangers approaching the home, but doesn't know yet if it's appropriate to bark in the car.

Or he may not consider the car his "territory".

[msvette2u]

Yep. I agree. Modeling.

[PaddyD]

My dog is a single dog and she behaves the same way in house and car. Alarm barking in the house, nothing in the car. If people approach the car she just looks at them(or not). Behavior has been the same since 6 months and she is 2+.