Obsessive Behavior

[settledown]

Any suggestions. I have a 2 1/2 year old mutt - I think he's a border collie/springer spaniel. We we got him as a puppy, he was very high energy. In fact, the only way we found to wear him out was to use a laser pointer and run him up and down the stairs for about 20 minutes at a time. We'll this has caused him to be quite obsessive. All he wants to do is stand at the top of the stairs waiting to chase the laser pointer. Now, having learned our lesson, we haven't used that darned laser pointer for over 2 years. Now he has started the behavior of barking at me whenever I'm around the house. I can't even sit down on the couch or enjoy a meal at the dinner table. He just barks. If I make the slightest movement, he quickly darts for the stairs. Then seconds later, he'll return to bark more at me when he sees no laser pointer. I don't mind him hanging out on the stairs, but I need him to at least STOP BARKING. I give him about 45 minutes of exercise daily. That's him running next to me while I ride my bike. Finally, I'm able to wear him out a bit, but when we get home - more barking and crying - I make a movement toward the stairs - and he darts that way to search for laser. Please offer any suggestions. Thank you so much!