[alaskayorkie]

I admit to trying the spray bottle and shaking pennies in a can to startle them when they were younger, and while it temporarily stopped the barking it didn't do much for their confidence. They're barking out of fear, so making them more afraid didn't make sense to me.

I think the best you can do is address it every time it happens. "No bark," and then reward for compliance. Never let it go, no matter how annoying it is. Anything you can do to distract them will help. If they like toys, say "No barking," and toss the toy.

Little dogs bark. It's one of their few defense mechanisms. But the behavior can be managed. My 10-year-old is actually very good. He stops when I tell him to stop. He's gotten so good that the neighbor dogs on both sides will bark, and he'll run up and down the fence without barking back.

My 5-year old is a tough nut to crack. She barks first, waits for the consequences later. I always address it, and we've gotten to the point where she will stop if I insist. If she doesn't, I take her away from what's making her bark.

I will add that not all barking is bad. My 5-year-old has alerted me to a car thief before, and they ALWAYS alert me to animals in the yard -- be it stray dogs or moose or whatever.