Should I be worried about my dog's alarm barking?
My "puppy" (now about a year old) is becoming an alarm barker. She lets out little woofs anytime something goes by outside or she hears a car door, sometimes when she sees leaves blowing around outside. Sometimes she will go all out and start barking. I've read about territorial barking being a possible precursor to aggressive behavior, and I wondered if alarm barking is a precursor for other bad behaviors. I have noticed absolutely no aggressive behaviors for her - she is actually OVERexcited whenever she sees a person or other dogs (another work-in-progress area). Other dogs have gone after her to guard food or toys, and she just backs away as quickly as she can - she doesn't fight back, and it doesn't make her anxious in the future.
Right now I'm just working on teaching her "quiet" and increasing her mental stimulation throughout the day. I'm trying to reduce the barking just because it can get annoying and because I want to make sure she can stay calm while our neighbors are sleeping. I'm more wondering if there's a reason for me to actually be concerned about it (aside from it just being a mild irritant).