My chihuahua gets hysterical when she sees a squirrel. How can I get her to stop?

Question

She will be walking around with me in the back yard and spot a squirrel and before you know it, its hysterica. She barks hysterically and its sounds like a shrill squall. I am not joking when I say it sounds like someone is beating her and she has been severely injured, but....its just a squirrel getting nuts from my walnut tree.
Any suggestions to get her to stop?

Answer 1

Short of keeping her out of the backyard,it may be difficult to stop her. But, I think you can probably cut the performance short using a food bribe. Chihuahuas are very focussed on food.

I have one that carries on like that if someone knocks on the front door. he doesn't bark, he yelps, like he's being murdered, so I understand your embarrassment. One thing that did work for him was a spray bottle of water kept near the front door, and I'd give him a quick squirt on the head if he started performing, worked like a charm and he thought twice before he did it.

Answer 2

You can use cayenne pepper temporarily, remember you must sprinkle it on again after any rain. If you want something permanent, you will have to place netting over the bulbs (the kind used to keep deep from eating plants) in the spring time. Squirrels are persistent.

Answer 3

My basset hound does the same thing. But since bassets were bread for hunting squirrels, I really can't do much about it.

Answer 4

Blindfold