dog barking: learn how to stop your pet chihuahua from barking

December 1st, 2009 · 77 Comments

chihuahuas love to bark. it’s a perfectly natural thing for them to do, just as it’s normal for us humans to speak. it’s when our chihuahuas bark excessively that it becomes a problem for all concerned, including the neighbors. the goal isn’t to to stop our chihuahuas from barking, but rather learn how to control the excessive barking.

the fact is, chihuahuas bark. they do it when they’re excited or when they sense danger. some do it when they’re bored – or worse, for no reason at all. in these cases, you want to teach your chihuahua that barking is only permitted under certain circumstances.

in the picture above, we see teaka the famous chihuahua barking at the sound of the doorbell. she no longer does this thanks to the training strategies practiced below.

the first step in modifying this problem is to determine the reason why your chihuahua is barking in the first place. once you’ve identified the cause or trigger, you can then plan your training solution.

why do chihuahuas bark?

to express their needs (being bossy).
they are staking out their territory.
to alert other members of their pack (that’s you and your family) of impending danger.
when playing, just through sheer excitement.
barking at other animals. depending on where you are in the world, it could be squirrels or any other small animal.
if they are isolated.
some chihuahuas bark excessively when separated from their pack (you and your family).
if they are trapped behind some type of barrier like a fence or window.
just for fun!
to express dominance (puppies normally test you out at some stage with a display of dominance barking).
they bark because their owners have inadvertently rewarded excessive barking in the past (this is crucial to understand).

through boredom or a lack of physical and mental stimulation.
may feel stressed or uncomfortable for some reason. things like feeling threatened or if they don’t have an appropriate place to sleep can cause excessive barking problems.
chihuahuas that haven’t been properly socialized often become nuisance barkers.
may be looking for a response or some attention from their pack.

Another thing to keep in mind is that even though it may appear to you that your chihuahua is barking at nothing, this is not necessarily the case.

This is because your chihuahua has a much more acute sense of hearing, smell and sight than us humans. Your chihuahuas excessive barking is probably being triggered by something.

how to stop your chihuahua from barking

the most important piece of advice to remember when trying to modify any dog behavioral problem, is to clearly communicate to your chihuahua what is acceptable behavior and what is not.

one of the biggest mistakes us chihuahua owners make is to inadvertently reward our chihuahuas excessive barking. we actually encourage and reinforce the barking problem when we commit these three dog training sins:

yell and scream at the chihuahua – this just gives them the attention they were crying out for.
let them inside. If your chihuahua is barking his/her head off outside, then you let it in, this just rewards the barking.
if your chihuahua is barking and you react by giving him/her a comforting cuddle or a treat of some sort, you are definitely encouraging your chihuahua to bark again. by doing this you are communicating to your chihuahua that you are happy with them. you should be making it clear that his excessive barking is inappropriate.

training techniques to try and reasons why your chihuahua barks

chihuahua goes crazy every time the phone rings

this is a very common and annoying time for chihuahuas to bark excessively. try these training techniques:

never yell at your chihuahua.
get your chihuahua used to the phone ringing, don’t make it such a big deal. ring your home number from your cell phone or get a friend to keep calling you. when the phone rings just sit there, don’t say or do a thing. repeat this process over a few days, your chihuahua will probably continue to bark for a while but will give up before long.
if you give your chihuahua basic obedience training, behavioral problems such as excessive barking are easily controlled. your chihuahua looks up to you as their pack leader and is eager to please you in any situation. teaching the quiet! or stop! obedience training command will soon correct nuisance barking problems.
you may have some success by changing the tone and volume of your ring tone.

chihuahua barks when you are not home

chihuahuas are social creatures, when they are separated from their owners they can become stressed and frustrated. this type of excessive barking is often caused by separation anxiety.

keep your chihuahua well exercised (physical and mental) and provide fresh water, chewing toys and a nice comfortable place to sleep. you can also try to block your chihuahuas view of the street or other distractions. basically, make sure your chihuahua is happy.
if you know your chihuahua has been barking while you have been away, you must ignore him/her for a while when you return home. this is difficult for lots of chihuahua owners, but if you don’t do this your chihuahua believes that their barking is the reason you came back home to them. just go about your business for a little while when you get home, ignoring your chihuahua. when they have settled down, you can then initiate contact with them.
this next method takes time and patience, but can be a very effective. it’s based on that important rule applicable to all training situations. praise or reward when your chihuahua does something good, create a negative association when they do something bad. leave the house as you normally would, but just hide somewhere nearby. when your chihuahua starts to bark spray him/her with water or throw a tin can full of coins or rocks in their direction (this is the negative association). try to keep out of your chihuahuas sight while doing this if possible. go and hide again, if he/she is quiet for a while, go in and reward their good behavior with some praise and maybe a treat. this process may need to be repeated over and over until you have broken the excessive barking habit.

chihuahua barks for attention or to demand something

this is one excessive barking problem that can be corrected very quickly.

if you establish yourself as the pack leader or alpha dog in your owner-chihuahua relationship, this type of barking problem won’t occur. you’ll also form a strong bond with your chihuahua based on trust and respect.
another effective method you can try to stop this attention barking is simply ignoring your chihuahua. your chihuahua will probably become frustrated and bark a lot initially, but once they realize that it is not getting them anywhere, they will stop. this training method can be hard on the ears for a while!

chihuahua barks at passers by

workers like the postman and delivery driver’s are constantly being barked at throughout their day.

your chihuahua perceives these type of people as intruders or a threat to their territory. they bark and every time they bark they are rewarded as the intruder goes away. your chihuahua is then very pleased that they have averted this threat, which leads them to do it again and again. their behavior is reinforced and therefore this can be a difficult problem to turn around.
if possible, you could try to block your chihuahuas vision or access to the area where these people pass by.
if your chihuahua consistently barks at a particular person, you may need this person to help modify your chihuahuas behavior. just say your chihuahua gets really agitated each time the postman arrives. have a chat to your postman and give him some of your chihuahuas favorite treats. each time they deliver to your house, they can also deliver a tasty treat to your chihuahua. in your chihuahuas mind the postman goes from being a threat, to a welcome guest.

if you consistently apply the above training techniques and add a little patience, you should have your chihuahua under control before long.

source: dog-obedience-training-review.com/how-to-stop-your-dog-from-barking.html

Tags: chihuahua facts · chihuahua training

77 responses so far ↓

1 Anythya // Jan 16, 2012 at 2:49 am

wow by the sound of this i must have perfect lil angels :S …. my boy chihuahua, 1 year old never barks at all, the only time he does is when me and my other dog (scottie x shih tzu) have song time, he is never aggressive and gets super excited to meet new people, my girl chihuahua who is 4 months old has started to bark but only if she feels threatened by a noise but calms down the moment i tell her to stop…i will admit my dogs do bark when i go out (main problem being my scottie girl) but not for long …and i never go straight to them when i get home… they are indoor dogs but have there own space to sleep in and be in while i’m gone.
I think because i tend to give off a naturally mother dominant energy that they know who is boss as they never listen to my partner but will listen first go with me….. i am surprised they don’t bark as our neighbours yorkies bark all day :S
2 Sherry // Jan 13, 2012 at 6:12 pm

I have a 4month old chihuahua and I thought maybe he had a bit of a barking problem, but after reading peoples issues I realize my boy is just a pup. Socializing is so important for these little dogs. I am so lucky that I get to take my dog to work, not only does he socialize with other dogs all day he get passed around to whoever wants him..I was really worried I would get a yapper and whenever people walked is he’d bark but that’s not the case he is happy to see people and greats with a wiggle. If his barking starts I say no barking if he doesn’t stop he goes into his kennel with a towel over it.. I have been doing this since he was 6.5 weeks.. Hes doing pretty well.. I luv my chi
3 Elizabeth // Dec 29, 2011 at 8:22 am

Swirt them with water.(Don’t do the can thing my chihuahua is now scared of cans because he is worried about the noise.) I have cushions from italy(cost a small fortune!) and my chihuahua thought “nice chew toy!” so every time he chews them i swirt him it really does work. He never does it now! Hope this helps.
4 Xena // Dec 26, 2011 at 6:31 pm

My chi baby is about 7 years old. She barks when I am gone, and barks if I am outside talking to anyone or if anyone is over. She barks with an ear piercing bark. I have tried every method I could to train her. I’ve bought countless books, ask the vet, called dog trainers……she will not stop barking. I have clocked her screaming from 7 am till 8 pm at night non stop. I really do not want to have her vocal chords snipped because its a horrendous procedure. Wait it out till she gets tired of barking???………. she never tires of barking. Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! her brother is sweet and does not bark like she does.
5 Faith // Dec 24, 2011 at 8:04 am

hi i am a first time chi owner she is 9 weeks old and she has just started barking but i can i stop her when she is in her carrier when i try to eat and she is in her carrier she will bark/meow how do i stop this
6 poohbear // Dec 7, 2011 at 7:26 pm

I have a girl chi she barks at anyone who comes in my room.How can I stop that she knows everyone why dose she still bark at them.
7 lisa a // Nov 7, 2011 at 1:47 pm

Hello. My 4 year old jasmine barks when ever someone comes into the home and will not calm down. It is the worst with my boyfriend. She growls and barks at him. He will sit down and she will love on him. But as soon as he stands up she is all about barking again. She even nips at his feet. What can I do?
8 lacosta // Oct 7, 2011 at 11:22 am

I have a 1 yr old female&2 yr old male,well they would have stillbe barking But lol they compete to see if they can get the appraisel for the protection,Now she has 4 Newborns 2 weeks Old and he sits lol On a pillow with her beside there babiesw like parents adults )HUMANS AND BARK LIKE CRAZY……..But its only when we have new pple………..If your dog barks alot there is this thing called no bark it awsome for about 5-10$ at your roses,anywhere they sale as seen on tv stuff(walgreens)family doller.Hope this helps
9 kerry // Oct 6, 2011 at 11:58 am

I have two chihuahua’s both purebreads one female and one male. The female was potty pad trained but will still go in the house I have had her for three years now and have not been a lazy owner I have tried everything to get her to just go on her bathroom pads but it just seems hopeless. My male dog wont stop marking in the house he marks everything and I am at my wits end he is four I love him but if I cant stop his behaviour I will have to get rid of him. Both chi’s bark at nothing and when company comes they never stop barking . please help
10 Billy cadzow // Sep 29, 2011 at 1:26 pm

I have one for you, My 50 yo neighbor has a pup from her mother that is now 2 yrs and barks at everything, i think even at herself.. I am printing this for him and Oh lord I hope it helps. He just cotles the dog and rewards bad; even very bad ( like barking at me when i move in my own home) I cannot take it! hopefully this will help… will let you all know for your own personal encounters with a neurotic dog (OWNER)
11 paul leader // Aug 6, 2011 at 1:02 pm

help.i have got a 2yr old male chauchaua,every time when we have any visitor’s he constantly barks at them when they come into the house,and he is even worse when they, or me and my wife leave the house he gets quite nasty,please advise us has to what we can do to help this situation,he is so wonderful apart from this,we love him to bit’s.many thanks.
12 coco dog // Aug 6, 2011 at 8:43 am

My 9 week old female puppy chihuahua will not shut up for hours i even put in the walkway where its sound proof but it so loud i can hear it from up stairs please help me what should i do?
13 marvie // Jul 19, 2011 at 7:52 pm

my chihuahau is a 5 year old male. He is a happy dog and eats well. Actually he is a little overweight. He runs and plays without prompts and appears happy. About 2 months ago we noticed he will shake his left leg with very fast short stokes before walking or while walking. He also about a 2 inch long and 1/2 wide hair loss on this same leg. What may be the problem with the leg and hair loss. He sees the doctor regularly and they did not give us any rational for this problem – If it is a problem.
14 Rexxie // Jul 19, 2011 at 7:33 pm

I have a 6 year old male chihuahua. He barks when there is a knock at the door and at other people when walking in the neighborhood. What can be done to help him stop doing this?

Thanks
15 Heather // Jun 4, 2011 at 1:34 pm

I have a 3 month old male chihuahua, he is well behaved for his aged except for his barking. I know chihuahuas tend to be “yappers”, but he barks at everybody he does not know, or people who just walk by. Are there any tricks, or things I can do to make this stop. I do not want him to appear to be a mean dog, because he is the most loving puppy ever. Any suggestions??
16 Pauly // Mar 27, 2011 at 7:00 am

Socializing your chihuahua at an early age is a great way to prevent excessive barking at other dogs. Barking at people for example knocking at your door, is it such a bad thing? I like the fact my chihuahua lets me know if someone is at my door. chihuahuas that bite and snap at people are easily trained it just takes consistency, patience and the correct training steps. thechihuahuatraining.com
17 blondie13 // Mar 17, 2011 at 12:34 pm

my dog, paco, barks at the doorbell, people nocking, or at people going up the stairs. he cant stand one of my brothers friends, he freaks out when he sees him, ive told him not to mess with him but, he tries to kick him. how do i fix these problems? hes also really picky. is 8 lbs ok for a 2 year old chihuahua? he snaps when someone moves him around when hes trying to sleep, is there a way to fix this behavior?
18 Amanda // Mar 16, 2011 at 8:04 am

hi i have a 4 month old female chihuahua. whenever i leave the house (even though she always with somone never alone) she howls and whines for me until i return home. i was wondering will she ever grow out of it or is there something i could do to get her to stop?
19 laura // Mar 8, 2011 at 5:08 pm

Hi Sally,

I’m learning how to train a 6 month chihuahua, how exactly do you ‘claim’ your territory?

My 6 month chihuahua is starting to bark at new people in the house and new people in my office, I cannot have her barking in my office or she will have to stay home. Anything I can do to keep her from barking is vital!
20 Sally // Mar 3, 2011 at 5:14 am

I took Mojo to a Petsmart Puppy Class. It’s basic socializing and basic obedience. I think Mojo benefited greatly from it. I would recommend similar classes to anyone who has access to them. I also crate trained him which dealt with separation anxiety.

Regular exercise is a must – walks or extended play and practicing obedience/tricks when it’s too cold out, and regular visits to my folks’ house to play with his extended pack there.

I ‘claimed’ our condo as my domain – so Mojo does not feel the need to defend it himself. He will give an alert bark when someone knocks on our door, or excessive noise of people/dogs in the hall. One signal from me, and he returns to me and is quiet.

I think I lucked out with my Chi – he’s not perfect, but he’s a wonderful little soul, but combining all these helpful methods and techniques has made him a great condo dog too.
21 nikita // Jan 14, 2011 at 2:39 pm

My puppy always barks when we are eating or he wil sit on the floor with tail wagging and barking how can I stop it
22 famous chihuahua editor // Nov 17, 2010 at 10:45 pm

Hi Shana, you can view a number of comments to your request for help at the famous chihuahua facebook fan page
23 Shana // Nov 17, 2010 at 4:33 am

Hi,

I came across this site and I need help FAST. We have a maybe 6 month old Chi and she barks at my step dad whenever he’s around or makes any noise! We just got her last night and we have til Thursday or so to make her stop being so afraid of him, cause she evened peed. We don’t know what to do!
Please help, I was thinking of buy the craig’s paw thing. How fast does it work?
24 famous chihuahua editor // Oct 21, 2010 at 7:50 pm

Have you tried spraying him with a little water gun every time he starts to bark in the car? it won’t harm him, rather startle him and then make him realize that if he continues to bark he will get squirted, then after a while you just point it at him without actually squirting and he will be conditioned to stop without even having to squirt!
25 Joanne // Oct 21, 2010 at 6:30 pm

I recently adopted a male chi (1.5 years old) named Buddy. He really is a good dog but does have some “baggage”. We are trying to house train more effective and he does have excessive barking when in the car. We are getting the house training under control but the barking when in the car is problematic. When we are sitting with him in the car and he sees anything move outside he goes crazy. Do you have any advice?
26 Sarah // Oct 7, 2010 at 8:05 pm

My Chihuahua is staying with my mom in a Duplex. When she gets home she lets him out to do his business, but if he is left outside too long he will bark, not at the door just at “something”. She does this again before she goes to bed. In the past two weeks one of her neighbors has called animal control about his barking. In the town it is a violation to have barking dogs, I have never heard of that before. She has gotten several notices on her door. I think that if it keeps going the fine can be up to $500. How can I get my dog to quit barking and not end up in the pound or have fines?
27 Angie // Oct 5, 2010 at 4:38 am

I’ve not had time 2 read ALL of these RE:barkng? But I live in an Apt Complex & have 2 ChiChis, both bout 3 y.o. I wuz concerned bout their “excessive barking ” when they saw/heard sum1 outside. I bought 1 of those $10 items @ Walmart (off TV) called “BARK OFF”… it stays ON & I set it on LO… it actually works?! Weird?
28 Joe // Sep 21, 2010 at 4:21 am

I did take the time to read the replies and it seems some folks like to live in denial. Yes, they are that loud and no, they don’t just bark at “certain things” unless everything 24/7 is considered “certain things”. It’s not just the loudness of the barking but the insanely high pitch of the bark and the fact that it never seems to stop that most people find so annoying.

Through further research, it seems of the million of hits from my original search, the vast majority are not owners complaining about their own mini-dogs, but NEIGHBORS complaining about mini dogs. This only supports my argument so my original statement stands.

Honestly I have no issue with the animal itself. I don’t particularly like them but I don’t dislike them either. They exist. Animals only exhibit behaviors and do what they do. It seems that many (not all mind you) of the people buying this particularly noisy breed don’t understand that though small, they are not toys. They are apparently quite insecure animals and need constant attention unlike toys that can be turned off and put back on the shelf when you’re done playing with them. I’m sure that some owners do indeed have well behaved animals that are given the emotional support they need but if a dog of ANY breed is barking constantly, the owner is the problem and not the animal. Some breeds are simply far more independent than others. As I suggested in an earlier post, I think many mini buyers who are obviously, for whatever reason, incapable of providing for the special needs of the minis should consider either a less needful breed or a cat. Again, a cat is very low maintenance and doesn’t actually care if you come home or not as long as it’s fed. Though it has no off switch, you can leave it alone for hours without fear of alienating your neighbors.
29 famous chihuahua editor // Sep 21, 2010 at 1:00 am

Hi Joe, there are some replies to your comment on our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Famous-Chihuahua/7464602476
30 Joe // Sep 20, 2010 at 8:50 pm

I have a new neighbor, a renter of course, with a Taco Bell dog. The thing never stops. I did a Google search using “chihuahua barking constantly” and was astonished to see 14,000,000 (yes 14 MILLION) results in 1/4 of a second. That alone makes me tend to believe there is something inherently flawed with those noisy little mutants that belong in a hamster cage or better yet, simply not have been inbred to the point of creating an inferior miniature with inherent neurological issues in the first place.
Anyhoo, I digress… I ended up calling the owner of the house next door and apparently I have more patience than anyone else in the neighborhood as 5 neighbors before me had contacted the owner regarding the little beast. He says he plans to give them a warning to remove the animal or face eviction. Please consider that this is a quiet tree-lined neighborhood with houses and not apartments or condos. There’s a bit of distance between houses. There are plenty of dogs in the neighborhood but only the tiny little noise machine seems to be the one in the spotlight; it seems from what I’ve read, they are all like that. That’s how noisy and annoying those little pests are. Do your neighbors a favor and be a good neighbor by getting rid of it. One day when you need a good neighbor, do you want to be the one that doesn’t annoy everyone else or the one with the yappy little pest?

I actually feel sorry for the new neighbors. They seem to have been trying all of the suggestions listed above but to no avail. While those who seem to love the animals claim they are intelligent, I have my doubts. I have two large and quiet dogs myself and over the years have noticed the only people who seem to have such behavioral issues with un-trainable animals are those who choose the smaller-brained miniatures. Contrary to what some may choose to believe, brain size does matter.

I’m sure such a critter would be well behaved were it shown constant attention and love but some people have to work. It’s a living, breathing, feeling creature with needs. Had you done your homework I suspect many of you would have realized that unless you are a shut in, you simply don’t have the time or patience to meet the needs of these minis. If you want something small and cute that’s easy to keep indoors, I’d suggest a cat. I don’t really like cats myself (or any other animal in the house) but they are generally quiet and low maintenance and are more than able to supply the emotional crutch that many people seem to need. While kind of creepy, they are affectionate and won’t get you evicted for constant barking and they will wait patiently till you get home without feeling the need to alert everyone within 2000 meters of their agonizing loneliness. Some may argue that cats stink but I have news for you. If you keep any animal in the house, your house stinks. Humans stink too but we’re all used to that. The fact that no one has said anything in no way suggests your dog is the exception, only that those who enter your home don’t want to embarrass you.
31 Hopeless Girl // Aug 27, 2010 at 11:43 pm

My chihuahua barks at everything and everyone, I can’t even walk down the street without him freaking out. Even my friends that he sees quite often are barked at non stop. I tried squirting him with water when he barks, and blocking his view but nothing is working. Also whenever I leave the house he whines and barks really loud. I don’t know what to do please help?
32 anji // Aug 10, 2010 at 5:51 pm

please help, I live in sheltered accomadation, andIhave a yorkie and a chichuhua, they are both good, but when I go in the gardens that belong to all of usin the block, my chow barks constantly, Its getting to the stage, were i am going to have to rehome her, or I am going to get evicted, she does not bark when inside so really its about 5 times a day for ten mins, then Ibring her back in, because the barking drives me mad never mind everyone else. but I let the yorkie stay out in the hope the dog will learn that way, I have tried water everything you can think of, really do need help coz Ilove her to bits
33 mary & olive // Jul 26, 2010 at 10:02 am

hey all you commenters above…..(and all dog owners)

PLEASE watch the Dog Whisperer

He has a WHOLE EPISODE devoted to barking and problem chihuahuas

here is a link to his free Hulu channel

hulu.com/search?query=Dog+Whisperer&st=0

Cesar Millan teaches a way for owners to understand and gently guide their dogs to better behaviors without punishment and the results are immediate…he is awesome

My lil Chi Olive is sooo much happier (and quieter) since i started watching his shows
34 Nancy // Jul 17, 2010 at 5:50 am

We recently bought a chi from an animal shelter. I have a Border Collie/Healer Mix and another Chi. The new chi loves the other chi, but growls whenever the Border Collie comes into the room. He will even chase the Border Collie. Help he is about to get injured from the big dog.
35 Jade, England // Jul 13, 2010 at 9:16 pm

i have a 5 year old chi, in the past year he has started staring at the same spot on our stairs like he can see something, he doesn’t really bark but he keeps looking away then instantly looking back for a while until he decides to hide in the corner and shake like mad which makes his very stressed and anxious! we have lived in the same house since we have got him but he has only done it for a year. its freaks me out to as all i can think of is that he can see a ghost! also whenever our next door neighbors open their front door he starts constantly barking at the top of his voice! they have a dog which he seems to hate, we have let them out together and my chi just hung on his throat! i would have thought he would have got used to the neighbors dog in 4 years!!! whats should i do?
36 Chris // Jul 4, 2010 at 1:56 am

I have a 7 month old male chi. He hates my husband and just starting to get use to my oldest son. We got him when he wa 5 months old. He just goes off when ever my husband comes into the room. After some time he will slowly stop but continues to growl. My husband has never done anything to the him and as of today has never even gotten to hold him. He has been able to pet him but only while I have held him and kept him somewhat restrained. He talks softly to him and is the only one that gives him treats but this doesn’t seem to make any difference.
PLEASE HELP. This is wearing us all out
37 Lexi's Mom // Jun 17, 2010 at 4:04 am

P.S. She is a medical alert dog. . . .
38 Lexi's Mom // Jun 17, 2010 at 4:02 am

Training, training and more training. Start with obedience ! Very necessary. I have a 2 1/2 yr old who recently completed SERVICE DOG TRAINING ! Obedience first, then private training. The secret is in the follow-up. It won’t do any good to train if you don’t do the follow-up! We walk 45 min almost every day. She sleeps with me and is very quiet. The only exception is when someone approaches the front door. I’ve had her since she was 7 wks old and have lavished her with love as has my husband, But she is accepting of others. She goes everywhere with us ( even to church and the movies !) If I have a problem with another person I pick her up and introduce them, letting her know I think the other person is ok.
39 DivinelyJuicey // Jun 12, 2010 at 2:50 pm

2 days ago I was given a 6 month old chihuahua. she very cute and getting use to her new environment. I’m 19 and home for college so in a couple of months I will leave again. She likes my sister and I but when my mom tried to pet her…. she growls and snapped at her?!? I don’t want her to dislike my mom cause shes the one who will be taking care of her when I’m gone. Is this because shes new and still learning…. or is this a problem I need to worry about.
40 kat // May 5, 2010 at 10:11 pm

hi i got a female chihuahua in feb she is a year old but she barks every time my kids come in from school at the door bell and she tries to hump my 90lb black lab can you help me with this what do i do to get her to stop all this
thanks
41 annie savannah // Apr 15, 2010 at 8:01 pm

The trouble is Chihuahua shouldn’t be kept in a pen in the day and I don’t keep mine in one at night..they need to explore otherwise they become nasty..I have one that was kept in a pen 24/7 and she has been so aggressive..I have trained her to go out and calm down..with the barking issue it is only when the post man puts the post through..but i have introduced her to him and she has now stopped barking..takes alot of work patience and love..also saying NO in a firm voice and I also say SSShs..hopes it helps
42 candace // Mar 27, 2010 at 10:10 pm

My chihuahua barks all night long and me and my husband hardly get any sleep most nights.He barks at every little sound he hears(the wind blowing,the rain,our neighbors next door,a train from across town,the movements of the house,when company spends the night(they have to walk through our bedroom to go to the kitchen or bathroom)I don’t know how to get him to stop barking???
43 Sally's mom // Mar 14, 2010 at 5:54 pm

Sounds like no-one bothered to read anything about chi’s before they went shopping. chi’s bark. they constantly look for food. (its in their genes) they are stubborn. and they need constant attention and love. the more you hold them the more they love you. they will protect you from feathers and the wind and will attack a rottweiler to save you not knowing they could be lunch. they may be naturally aggressive to others that don’t belong to their “pack” but they are the most loving, loyal and smartest little buddy’s you could ever give your heart to. try a dogie daycare while your at work to curb the daytime barking.
44 Luna // Mar 12, 2010 at 8:36 pm

My chihuahua barks whenever someone knocks at the door so i grab her and put my hand around her mouth but she still growls sometimes i say NO in a mad voice and put her in her timeout kennel but that still dosen’t work why doesn’t she stop?
45 Candace // Mar 4, 2010 at 5:11 pm

Love the site ok I’m a college student and I live w/ my parents my 6 month old male chi I love him but will not shut up I do homework in my room and he stays with me and plays and sleeps but anytime someone walks around the house he wont STOP barking and so I can’t yell at him he doesn’t even realize … what do I do? It’s so frustrating I can’t focus and my parents are threatening to kick us both out. Help!
46 irishsean // Feb 5, 2010 at 9:10 pm

what is wrong with you people its like when you were going about life u never experienced a chi or small dog they bark they get excited when u leave when u come back etc its just their personality just give them love take them for walks and interact with they actually only bark excessive when either u keep them isolated or ur not interacting with them rewarding them and so forth and as far as spraying a dog with a stream sprinkler thats wrong mist or any water works lets not over do it unless u want problems with ur neighbor thats all hope i helped so dogs
47 Samantha // Jan 21, 2010 at 7:55 pm

My roommates have a chihuahua and they let it bark and whine all day unless it gets all the attention it wants. When they are busy they put it outside to play, but it doesn’t like that and it whines incessantly. They’re in their room watching tv and I’m in my office listening to it for 3 hours now. This site doesn’t have anything about how to get that spoiled dog to quit yapping my ear off. I would tell the roommates to take care of it, but I’d rather keep their rent money every month than making them mad at me. Does anyone know what to do with a spoiled yappy chihuahua?
48 PAM, Orlando // Jan 10, 2010 at 9:09 pm

okay, here’s one for the books, but I hope not. I purchased a 9-wk old CKC adorable female Chihuahua, dark choco & tan , from a breeder in another state; I just couldn’t get the image of her sweet face out of my head once I came across her picture online–I had to have her. She would be no more than 6-lbs as an adult the breeder told us. We drove there to get her as to not traumatize her. She was adorable, quiet, calm. I didn’t even know she could bark until we took her for her warranty exam on day two of ownership. She checked out fine with our vet, in Winter Park, FL, weighing in at 32-ozs. Since then, she jumped off the bed, onto her head, but there didn’t seem to be any problems, her demeanor the same. Then, about a month later, I scared her and she went head-on into the metal bed frame [each time we run to the vet with her to make sure she's okay] and she was. One day as I had her in her carrier, going out the door, she leaped out of it, landing on her head, making her pee. Terrified, I tried to comfort her, picked her up, she growled at me, then eventually seemed to calm down. I had her checked by the vet who did not see a problem and they didn’t do an Xray. since then, she went mildy into HEAT at 4 months, with incessant LICKING; we already had her scheduled for spaying the next week. she survived that, but now, whenever we leave her, she runs back and forth, from my husband and myself, as though she is telling one that the other is leaving, and barks hysterically, and even growls and tries to bite if one tries to calm her. The worst thing she does, which we thought was hysterical at first, was when we would take her with us [which we try to always do] in our vehicles. She senses that we are parking and one of us is about to get out and that’s when she goes crazy, I mean CRAZY. As soon as the vehicles stops, she barks, dashing back and forth, from one person to another; once she hears the gearshift being moved, she gets more intense; then once ANYONE moves the door handle to exit, it’s on! running back and forth, barking, growling and trying a gentle bite, as if she can pull them back into the vehicle with her little self. When we pick up anyone, she barks at them, scouldingly, and if they have to get out, it’s on again. One other thing [which have all been brought up the vet at one time or another] is that she is always looking for food, non-stop, after I have just fed her [she got up to 10lbs, so Dr. put her on a diet of 1/4 C solid food + 1 T of soft food, twice a day] Can all of this be attributed to her fall, or do you think training will help? She is also aggressive to the Min Schnauzer downstairs, lunging at him [he is very calm and puts up with her, but i can see his patience is wearing thin]. How can I tell if the fall has left her mentally retarded? Shouldn’t the vet be able to tell me that? I have been told that the licking was the start of her going into HEAT; but she is still licking; will that ever stop?
49 Bud Parker // Jan 7, 2010 at 4:48 am

Donna mentioned Craig’s Paw Old Fashioned Bark Stopper. I have two young Chi’s that are quite well behaved. I attribute this to my wife. Anyway, go to this site: craigspaw.com

This product only costs $5.00

Certainly worth trying for that small sum of money.

Also watch “The Dog Whisperer” on TV. Learn how to be the Alpha Dog in your house.
50 Brian // Jan 2, 2010 at 11:06 am

Hi Great site. We have a 15 month old chi – sasa, who is great around the house and well behaved when we’re out, but we have a barking problem when we take her for walks, some days okay but mostly she barks at anyone walking past. Any ideas?
51 connie // Jan 1, 2010 at 12:08 am

I have 6 of this little angels,ages 12yr’s,2 at 6 yr’s. 2y’s,11 mo’s & 7mo’s. and yes they do bark.but we love them to death.But it does drive us crazy sometimes we really have to stay on top of them to stop their barking.We have a male 6 yr. old that has become aggressive toward the others and us sometime, does anyone know if there is a mental cause of this ,he didnt use to do this ,he is a good dog ,HELP
52 Donna // Dec 13, 2009 at 8:40 pm

The Craig’s Paw Old Fashioned Bark Stopper. I’m pretty sure this will work well on your chihuahuas as how it works well on my dog. It is so easy to use, when your dog starts to bark excessively, simply get the Craig’s Paw Old Fashioned Bark Stopper, shake it, and regain control of your dog’s barking. It’s just that easy, dog barks, you shake hand, and dog stops. craigspaw.com
53 Peggy // Dec 2, 2009 at 8:26 pm

First of all, I LOVE your site! Second, I have a 6-lb Chi named Roxy and a 15-lb terrier-poodle mix named Anna. I’ve had Roxy for about 7 years (since she was a puppy) and Anna for about 8 years (since she was about 18 months old.) While I’m at work during the day, Roxy hangs out in her crate in my bedroom and Anna is allowed full run of our apartment. She has food, fresh water, soft blankets, and a little kong with a treat in it. For the most part, my girls are very sweet and well behaved. Unfortunately, they both bark like crazy when I’m not home. The problem is exacerbated when they hear noise outside our apartment or from the neighbors upstairs. The neighbors upstairs have complained several times and I have tried some of your training techniques to curb their barking, but they just keep at it when I’m not home. My landlord is getting frustrated, my neighbors are getting mad, and I’m getting desperate. Someone suggested using shock collars for both of them to teach them not to bark, but if there is a behavior modification tool that I wouldn’t be willing to do to myself, I certainly wouldn’t use it on my girls. Do you have any suggestions?
54 Erica // Dec 2, 2009 at 4:28 pm

I have two chi’s one male and one female. My chis have been well scocialized and I have never really had problems with them barking before our last move. My little girl was just recently attacked by a neighbors vicious pitbull. She is now very squemish with strangers and other dogs. I don’t even know how to start trying to “re-socialize” her without scaring her to death. She deficates and pees herself in the presence of other dogs now. I don’t want to traumatize her even more. Any help?
55 anita lockey // Dec 1, 2009 at 9:24 am

please can some one help i have 2 male chihuahuas and they are 3-2 years old they are both intact they are growling and barking at each other and the 3 year old snarls what can i do
56 Jim // Nov 7, 2009 at 3:16 am

IM sure others keep there animals under control , I have neighbors with 4 of these chi chi dogs . We live in a townhouse and there dogs are no more then 15 feet from our windows. They never shut up ! We have dealt with this for 4 years now and finally we had to call animal control and the police a few times in the past . The last year has been a little better , I say a little , but these dogs have been a living hell within our own home. We walk by our own window and they bark at us !! They have taken the life out of my wife and I . It has been nothing but a nightmare for us. This is supposed to be a quiet complex , these dogs bark at anything and I mean anything , these good for nothing animals bark at flies ! I don’t blame the animals as much as I do the owners. And im grateful animal control was on our sides and threaten them with fines if thy did not shut there animals up. Although they still haunt us both , by the grace of God (animal control) we have a little more peace in our home but the scars remain.
57 Sherry // Oct 21, 2009 at 10:20 pm

I rescued a 2 mo. old chiwauwa that had been kept in a cage 24/7. Eating, drinking , doing his business in the cage. When I got him he wouldn’t go potty outside so we got the piddle pads and he went on those. He’s about 9 mos old now and he’ll only go on those pads. He’ll urinate outside but the other only inside. Any suggestions on how to get him to go outside?Also he only goes in the bathroom like us. It’s not so bad but it would be nice to have it done outside. He’s very paranoid and has to be with someone all the time(he was alone for the first 2 months)
58 vi // Sep 25, 2009 at 1:41 am

Try taking her to the Basic obedience classes at Petsmart.
59 Jacki V-R // Sep 24, 2009 at 2:20 am

I have a one year old Chihuahua. She came to us from our neighbor. Our neighbor had left on a business trip and left the dog without food, water, or a towel in 30 degree weather for three days on her patio. My mother and I took her in to our home, she was full of flees and you could see her ribs. When the owner returned we threated to report her to ASPCA so, she gave us the dog with a “fee” of $200 dollars. She is now well fed, very active, and now very loud. I love her like crazy but I cant take her anywhere. She barks at everyone who comes within two feet of me and lunges at them she does the same for dogs as well. I live in a bad neighborhood so I don’t want the barking to stop all together, But when we go out I would like to have her feel more calm and happy about being outside instead of threatened. Someone suggested a spray collar but that would make her stop barking even at home when someone unwanted comes around. I want her to protect the home but have QUIET fun outside. How do I accomplish this goal? Any hints.
60 famous chihuahua editor // Sep 9, 2009 at 10:12 pm

hi amanda,

yes, continue to use the harness on your chihuahua and in time he will adjust. you will need to spend time training your chihuahua to refrain from barking when people visit. it will take time but continue to put the effort in to do this so he grows to be socially healthy.
61 Amanda // Sep 9, 2009 at 10:01 pm

I have a 4 month old male chi and am having problems in two areas:
First, he hates having a harness on. Do I just put one on and leave it on permanently until he gets used to it.
Secondly, he barks constantly at people when they come into my house but loves all the girls who live here. He also barks at people while we are walking. Sometimes I distract him with treats while the person nears and passes by which usually works, but other times this does not work.
Oh and he’s scared of strangers who try to pet him.
Please help me help my dog so he can enjoy meeting new people and stop barking!
62 katherine // Sep 2, 2009 at 1:52 am

i had a very first dog, my parents hate dog so much that they want to get rid of it.
The problem they are complaining is smell, and barking
I did a potty train but it doesn’t work well enough and every night we put him in a bathroom and he bark overnight.
Please help me or my chihuahua will be sent back to the seller!
63 stephanie morris // Aug 30, 2009 at 1:42 am

i have 2 chihuahuas and my aunt has one also and everytime someone walks into my moma house they bark and it dont matter wat you do u can yell and throw sumthin at them nuthing works the only thing we have figured out that works is spraying them with a spray bottle filled with water. if neone knows of nething else please let me know because it would be nice. thanks alot .
64 famous chihuahua editor // Aug 21, 2009 at 3:25 am

hi lisa, you can try exercising and playing with her before bedtime so that when she is ready to go to bed she is all tuckered out and there’s a good chance she will sleep through most of the night. you can also let your neighbors know that you are in the process of training her for bedtime and to bare with you during these first few weeks and that if it becomes really bothersome to please let you know. most neighbors will simply appreciate that you took the time to tell them this and they will understand your situation. this will buy you time to really work with training your chihuahua.
65 Smoochiesgramma // Aug 21, 2009 at 2:30 am

I have a three month old female chi who barks to get attention when placed in her pen (during the day when we are home and at night – anytime that she is awake). I live in an apartment and cannot disturb my neighbors with her noise during the night. I know that she is learning that if she barks I will come. What do I do, it has been 6 days of sleepless nights so far?
66 Anneka // Aug 18, 2009 at 1:38 am

I have a female chihuahua who is 4 months, each time i take her out for walks she starts barking at other dogs really loudly and acts aggressive towards them. most dogs are bigger than her and im scared she might get attacked. what could i do to protect her??
67 Cailin // Aug 10, 2009 at 11:33 pm

my chihuahua wakes me up at night with her barking…she barks whenever someone in my house walks around at night. its really frustrating. ive only had her for four days and i keep telling myself that hopefully she will get used to the noises at night and wont bark so much. what do i do?
68 theresa // Aug 9, 2009 at 1:55 am

i have a chiuahua female 5 years old and everytime i take her out around people she barks and barks this high pitched bark no matter what i do yell, etc i cant take her nowhere due to this and she loves going everywhere with me please help! i live in the country so all she really sees is myself and my husband shes rarely exposed to other people i dont have neighbors to work with me on this what do i do?
69 Sandi // Aug 2, 2009 at 11:20 pm

I could use some help with the puppy biting phase. If someone could point me in the direction of some tips, I’d appreciate it. I have researched many tactics but they are a bit too harsh for a pup that is only 15oz with the tiniest of mouths!
I have bones & toys I give her when she bites but she insists on biting my nose or shaking my finger! Lol HELP. twitter.com/o0ochillyo0o
70 Cupcake // Jul 5, 2009 at 12:13 pm

My goodness, you all are acting just like male dogs….if you guys got together in person you’d probably have to have a pissing contest to see who is the baddest.

Owners are responsible for training their dogs, but there are better tactics for neighbors to use that getting aggressive with the sprinkler. If you can’t stand noise and barking or dealing with the neighbors and their pets, then go live in the country away from other people.
71 John // Jun 18, 2009 at 6:36 pm

Good advice, Gino! Is that seriously your name? Anyway, Gino, Ken is absoultely right. My personal opinion is this is one of the worst breeds out there, but that’s not the point. If your neighbor can’t appreciate the golden rule and hides behind “well that’s what dog’s do” then I say take it inot your own hands as long as it doesn’t include harm or damage. And if that’s so offensive to you Gino, you can come over to this “cupcake” s house anytime for a talk or a fat lip, whichever you prefer.
72 Gino // May 21, 2009 at 2:25 am

Aye Ken, try giving them a nice tasty treat and be nicer. they are just being good dogs and just warning their dog of an intruder. If it were my dogs and I found out about your insensitive juvenile tactic I would beat your pansy ass near death. Ya got that cupcake
73 ken // May 19, 2009 at 1:05 am

My neighbor’s dog troika consists of this type, mini pinscher and a small terrier. They come to the wire fence separating our yards whenever I’m present in my yard, and yap hysterically. I’ve set up a sprinkler–the long-range shooting type–and aimed in at the fence. This seems to startle them and at least backs them away several yards from the fence.
74 famous chihuahua editor // Mar 3, 2009 at 5:14 am

your dog is simply trying to tell you that he doesn’t want to be left home alone for long periods of time and he shouldn’t be. the behavior is appropriate because he can’t speak. its best to not get mad or upset with him rather see what you can do to resolve the situation so he is not yelled at in the process. dogs are sensitive to the tone of your voice. chihuahuas are not meant to be left alone for long periods of time. they are lap dogs and need to be around people in a warm and loving social environment.
75 BeautifulStranger // Mar 3, 2009 at 2:37 am

My dog baby barks when nobody’s home and is haveing excessive accidents as well, which i believe is out of anger, he has peed on my bed and my mothers bed, and poos in front of my bedroom door all the time. this behavior is completetly inappropriate for ANY dog to be doing, let alone a 4 yr old. i adopted him a yr ago and i will have to get rid of him is this doesn’t change FAST. any help would be great…
76 SpiritWoman // Jan 8, 2009 at 4:49 pm

I live in an apt and Mister barks when I’m at work and I am being threatened with eviction. I stayed home today to leave for a little while, staying in the courtyard, then if he is quiet while I’m gone, give him a treat. So far I’m up to 10 mins.. Is this the correct way to start the training? I also spray him if he whines or barks while I’m here. What about deterrents? Bark collars, perimeter sonic devices??
77 yoyo // Sep 11, 2008 at 2:31 pm

We use a bottle with nuts or something in it and you shake it when start barking and they should be quiet.