[Bellaandhelen]

Please advise me- the barking has become so out of control.

I have 2 unrelated, fixed, adopted 2 y/o yorkies: Bella and Baci.

Bella- I adopted from a rescue in early April. I don't know anything about her history- she does have a scar from a trauma on her R ear though. She is very attached to me and less loving towards any other people, but not mean- just a bit skiddish and not as cuddly. I do think she has quite a few fears and larger dogs is probably one of them.

Baci- I adopted about 3 weeks ago from another YTer- he is very loving, friendly, and well-adjusted. He's a bit skiddish around new people at first, but warms up quickly and loves to cuddle in anyone he know's lap and loves to play. Baci and Bella get along beautifully - and have from the moment they met! Also, they both get along with the little chi down the street.

Bella's barking was really under control before Baci joined us. We addressed her barking at the front door with shaking coins in a metal container- and the issue completely resolved. She was pretty good on our walks too- she would only bark at this one big dog in the neighborhood (when I first got her, his owner had just let him out roaming the neighborhood and he ran up to her - scaring her and me. He's not a mean dog, but I would never let any new dog come up to Bella without their being on a leash and the owner beign present). When I just had Bella, dealing with that one other dog wasn't too big a deal. When we would run into them on a walk, I would try to distract her with treats and commands, keep her on a short leash and tell her no barking- she would still bark some, but it would resolve pretty quickly and we'd move on.
Since Baci joined us, it's harder to control her since I am now walking two of them. Now, Bella is barking at any dog she sees or hears (pretty much every house in the neighborhood) and then her barking gets Baci barking. It's really embarrassing! I can't get them to stop! Right now, I've been walking them both on retractable leashes- because the like to have their space to potty and to sniff around.
I find myself dreading walks (we do at least 2 resonably long walks a day) now when I used to love them. I know the walks are good for them, but I don't know how to stop the barking.
Also, there are 2 yappy schnauzers who live in the yard next door. Before Baci came, we could get Bella to ignore them by telling her not to bark. Now, Bella and Baci run right up to the fench and bark viciously and the 2 schnauzers bark viciously right back- It's hard to get them to stop and it makes it impossible to just have a peaceful, fun time playing in the backyard with them. I am exhausted from all this and I feel like I am loosing all my ways to have them be able to get exercise and fun because of the barking.
Please help!!!