For the most part dogs are like warning alarms. Sometime that a good thing, but most...well you know the answer to that. There has been some really good advice give to you. Another thing is when you your dog is barking because of other dogs, cats and other distraction's it is to warn you. If you get him trained to come to you on command and use shush (dog whisper) or like Cynthia said a clicker, he/she will learn that sound it meant to be quiet. praise and play till the distractions has past. Training is usually harder on the people then the animals, since to a human we think they should have gotten by now . If you have someone help with the practicing it will go much faster