Jake very rarely barks indoors. If he's outside, he barks a lot at people, especially kids playing. But indoors he only barks if somebody doesn't follow his rules.

Jake's rules:

1. No running. That's great - except when we're trying to run to answer the phone he barks and tries to herd us in the opposite direction!

2. No roughousing. Then he barks, and attacks whoever is losing (I guess he figures he's better off on the winning side!)

3. No falling down - but this rule only applies to babies. If they fall (or crawl) he will bark and try to lift them up by their diaper.

4. No babies allowed to play by the staircase. If he sees babies playing by the staircase he makes himself into a living baby gate - running back and forth in front of the staircase and barking if the babies get too close!

Otherwise he only barks outdoors or when he has to go pottie or wants to go for a walk! He's an unusual Sheltie, though. If I hadn't gone to the breeder's personally and met his parents I'd swear he wasn't purebred. He's HUGE! He weighs 45 lbs, and he's not at all overweight. He's about 23 inches tall, if I remember right.