We have two really bad chihuahuas, both adoptions. One was about 6 when we got him and, according to the family surrendering him, he had been crated about 99% of his life. He is an “alpha.” It is horrifying; I dread the day he meets the wrong dog. I have seen him terrify goldens, blood hounds. But, he loves his family dogs, and will melt in any person’s arms.
The other one won’t attack, not an alpha bone in his body, although he does mimic the other one at times. But, no one, and I mean no one, can touch him except us. He turns into the tasmanian devil.
He had bad habits that my older (12 1/2 yrs) dog was starting to emulate, including messing in the house. The older guy actually yapped himself hoarse once.
One day shortly after that episode I had had enough of this nonsense, and rubbed both their noses in not only their own, but the other’s business, and tossed them outside into the front yard.
The INSTANT the little yaphound started his noise, I ran out the front door and soaked them both to the skin, for about 2 minutes, chasing them around the yard with the hose.
The yapping has stopped altogether, and the messes in the house are down to about one accident a week total.
It may not work for everyone, but it worked for my little guys.
Now if only my neighbour would shut his infernal Jack Russel Terrorists up! One of them literally SCREAMS when he gets excited. It's so loud it'll raise the hairs on the back of your neck, since it sounds like he's being murdered.