I know that chi's are predisposed to bark - but she was very quiet the first few months. It wasn't until she was 5mths or something that she began barking. It's only when I'm home (thank god), but she barks when people knock on my door as a warning/greeting, and barks at things on the balcony, and then sometimes very randomly it seems at people. For instance, my friend and I had taken her for a long walk a few days ago, and were sitting on a bench on the seawall. Several people passed us by, but of the eight or so people she ran after two of them barking madly. We could detect no correlation between these people and her barking, she just ran after them. Another day it seemed to be people on bikes. Today it was two people we met in the hallway as we were coming in for a walk. It wasn't a fear or warning bark - she went dashing up to them, tail wagging crazily, and continued to bark as she was lavished with their affection. In this case, it was probably just excitement. But still not acceptable. I caught her twice as she ran up to them and held her down, but she just kept at it.
I've tried iPhone apps (rubbish), and coins in a glass jar. Those little Pet Corrector aerosols and also a bark collar (out of sheer desperation). Nothing seems to work, and the bark collar didn't work I think because even the smallest I could find was too big for her (she weighs less than five pounds.)
Has anyone had any success with other methods that might work? I'm wondering about using a high frequency dog whistle. If used as an attention-grabber, do you think that might work? My neighbours are getting annoyed, and I'd really rather not get evicted. She's wonderful in every other way.