[Bill]

I have a working protection trained GSD likely similar to Questar in terms of barking. My protection trainers said that in order to discourage – stop unwanted barking you had to first teach him to bark on command (think bark and hold). Once you can command the dog to bark, you can then teach “quiet” or whatever term you want. To encourage the desired barks – praise the dog for the desired bark and command the “quiet” when you have been alerted. To encourage/learn the bark for a thing, first you build the frustration in the dog for the object by keeping it just out of reach until the dog barks and he then gets the thing. Harness the dog and attach the leash to the harness so there is no strain on the neck. Have the second person present the desired object just out of reach of the dog, the handler commands the bark and the teaser keeps it just out of reach…. once the dog barks for it – the dog gets the object. Continue building from one bark to multiple barks and then continuous should you desire that. Once the dog masters the bark on command using a frustration strategy – do the same thing untethered. Alternatively, you can attach a bungee line to the harness and the other end to a fixed object and you, the handler, can do the entire exercise on your own.

Once you have him barking on command, either on a long line, or if obedient without leash, place the object on the ground out a ways in front of you – command the bark, command the “quiet” when quiet release the dog to go get the object. Once he has mastery of bark on command, and quiet, you can then use the quiet at any time he is barking because he knows what it means.

Hope something here is helpful as you consider your strategy. CONGRATS on the new dog!!