How do you get your dog to stop excessively barking?

I have the same issue with Misha. She's a Jack Russell and seems to think every noise is a personal affront.

This is how I am dealing with it. I have a shaker can by the front door. When she barks, I shake the can and say "no bark". If she continues, I use the word "Enough". She knows what "enough" means.

If she is persistent, I get between her and the front door and I walk her out of the hallway. My command is "Enough. No bark!"

Sometimes if she isn't so persistent, I can get by with getting between her and the front door, making her walk away from it, and saying "Thank You. You told us." She will chatter to me as she walks away and I assure her that I get it but enough is enough.

It's taken a few months but we are making progress. I can now, in most cases, break the cycle. Before, it didn't matter what I said. She'd just bark over me. Now as I back her up, I can get her into the living room and away from the door. She gives me dirty looks all the time but she obeys.

The shaker can is your best friend.

Dashboard, I think the problem with dogs like mine and Sandooch's is they don't know when to stop. You end up getting annoyed. Then, when there is really a stranger around you don't pay attention because you've heard so much barking. I think the optimum is they bark, and then, they believe you when you say that everything is okay. I hope Misha gets to that point some day.