Mine all bark on command and I didi it by making a fuss of them when they did bark and lots of treats and using the command "shout".

I'm currently trying to teach Maddy to "talk" as she is very vocal and 'woos' a lot for attention, sound slike this:

"rooooooroooooorooooooo"

Clicker train him!

Like i said clicker training would be perfect!! The idea is like you said you benchmark the behaviour as and when it happens. You teach that dog that the click means food, so if your dog loves food its ideal I could give more info it you want, or its easy to find on the web

Loki isn't much of a barker but I taught him by holding a treat and saying, "speak" or "ask" then I demonstrated by making a barking sound myself . We also did howling this way too .

No no no, don't tease him with treats, that would be mean!

Just find something that winds him up when you play with him. Like Woody hated it when I clapped my hands near his face and used to bark when I did it. That lead to just putting my hands together as if to clap and then the command was introduced instead.

Honestly,all bar the hot air balloons-there isnt anything else i can think of which encourages him to bark Rip and i cant guarantee they are gonna fly overhead!

Im really struggling to think of anything else???

Just found this thread.I can't offer any advice Steve as Ossie is exactly the same as Vegas.He will only barks when he feels like it.Which isn't very often.He did when we first got him,but only at night if he heard another dog barking.I was told that Staffies don't bark a lot anyway.But a few friends i know have Staffies and they all bark at the door.Ossie though just sits and waits for the door to be opened and then lauches himself toward the guest.Something we are in the middle of training him out of.

Well Steve-thats 3 dogs i know of now which dont bark!

Benji,Ossie & Vegas.

Perhaps they should be called 'The Mutes'!

Steve, have you tried a small blown up balloon? (they're basically hot air balloons only smaller

Sam goes nuts when he see's a party balloon which is how we are trying to train him to bark to command so that he doesn't bark at people walking past the house.
As for having a mute dog (I am so green with envy right now).

lol-last year CL,nextdoor had a party for their little boy and the children started throwing balloons over the fence-much to the delight of Vegas! He was running around garden leaping on them making em' burst,but no barking.

I got excited earlier though round my sisters cause as i was doing some work for her-Vegas was playing with her Boxers and started barking at Zeb her 4 month old boy! I praised him like mad,but really dont hold out of for him to continue though.

I have honestly never known such a quiet dog!