Both Shelties my bosses have owned when I have been working there were "barkers." That does seem to be a trait many Shelties have. Their old dog (now deceased of old age) barked at intruders, which included actual people, birds who flew by the window, family members she had known her whole life, leaves on the lawn outside, squirrels, people who sneezed, etc., etc. And by barked, I do not mean one yip. I mean repeated, loud, insistent barking for a least a minute most times.

That's, I think, what people mean by Shelties barking a lot.

Yes, our Great Dane barked, but only when it was important! You could go for weeks at a time without hearing her bark.

But I am sure there are Shelties who aren't "barky" and Danes who are, everything varies from dog to dog!

To exclude a who breed because of problems with some is just unfair!