Amigo the Chihuahua loves to play. However, he gets so excited when playing that he begins to bark obsessively at his toys and whomever he is playing with. The behavior is quickly becoming out of control and quite annoying. Amigo’s owners don't want to punish Amigo for playing or dampen his enthusiasm, but they do want him to stop barking.
Unlike most barking, which results from fear or an attempt to warn you of possible danger, barking during playing is usually the result of dominant behavior or an elevated emotional state, such as over-excitement. The dog may have inadvertently been rewarded and reinforced for barking during play, by continued or escalated play in response to barking. Establishing a firm leadership role with your small dog and not reinforcing barking during play will help to overcome and reduce this type of barking. There are also several steps you can take to accomplish this and train your small dog to stop barking during play.
Once you break the barking habit during play your small dog should be able to play in an engaged but relatively vocal-free manner!