Protective Behaviour linked to Excessive Barking?

Hiya

Since we got Murphy, Max has become much more of a "barky" dog. He is very protective of "his" puppy.

I don't mind so much, as he only has the occasional woof at the gates and is not aggressive in any way. Visitors ignore him until he sits and then greet him first and then to puppy.

But he has started to be spooked at night by invisible things. Noises that are always there, and have always been there have set him off barking. We live in the middle of nowhere and it is extremely quiet at night. We only have animal noises (chickens, owls, the occasional fox)

Last night when we were watching tv and the dogs were asleep, Max jumped up and began barking as if the house was on fire.

Murphy was fine, there was nothing outside and no strange noises.

Then, at 2am and 3.30am this morning, Max did it again. We got up, thinking that there was a serious problem, but there was nothing and had been no loud noises or anything.

No-one can get onto our property from the front without making a noise and would have to be pretty dedicated to get into our garden from that back, so I doubt there has been a person snooping around.

Why is he doing this? Does he feel that he or Murphy are unsafe? I'm worried that if he carries on doing it, he'll cause a disturbance to our neighbours, as sound carries when it's quiet and he has a loud, deep bark.

Any help or advice welcome!

Helloooo
Did I spot a thread where you said you had just got chickens? (I could have imagined it!)
If I did is it possible that the foxes are now much more interested in your property and are therefore straying onto it more and trying to get the chickens? It could juts be coincidence that you have the pup as well? Just a thought?

Yes, we've had the chickies about 2 weeks now (getting about 3 eggs a day ), but they are at the back end of our garden - about 500 yards away from the house, through the orchard, but, I guess Max has much better hearing than me or OH, so would be able to hear them when I can't - good thought!

I was thinking foxes and Ramble has made a very good point about the chickens.

Does Max seem more interested in sniffing around when you let him out in the morning?

Not really any more interested than usual - we've even let him in the chicken enclosure (when they're tucked up in their beds) and he's more interested in eating chicken poop than sniffing around.

Mmmmmmmm fresh eggs! I'd love chickens...maybe one day!
I think it could be the foxes rather than the pup, but could well be wrong. Try to monitor when he's barking. If it is only in the evenings he's barking more, I suspect the foxes are to blame!