# How to train "go outside" with a bell?



## cindysilver (May 15, 2005)

Hi everyone, it's been a long while! Lately I've been super busy with MD/PhD work and this summer, house and dog sitting for my parents. I'm happy to show some pictures of my mom's' new dog Miel (a cream-colored cocka-poo), getting bigger every day (he's now nearly 4 months old! how time flies!)





































So my question is, how does one go about teaching a dog to ring the bell on the doorknob to go outside to "go potty" ? I never taught Jack (my malt) to do this, he uses potty pads mostly, and if we take him out, he'll always go, but he doesn't go to the door and wait. My mom wants to train Miel to ring the bells that hang on a ribbon from the doorknob, to let her know that he wants to go out to potty. 

What exactly should we do to teach him this trick? He seems to pick up tricks really fast with a treat every other time or so. But if we're not looking at him when he goes by the door, he'll wander away and pee on the carpet. So... we need to teach him to get our attention!!

Anyway, thanks for listening, and I hope somebody can help me out!


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## MandyMc65 (Jun 14, 2007)

Your pups are adorable!

I've heard that the best way is to ring it every time you take them to go outside. My parents had a toy poodle when I was little and that's what they did to teach him. Just rang it and said something like, "Go outside. Go potty!" then you take them out. Especially if they are already waiting by the door. I was going to do this with Ajax, but we just leave the door open so he can go out to the balcony! But maybe I'll start anyway, for when he can go outside.









It'll be good to hear anyone else's suggestions too!


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## Linus McDuff (Jul 12, 2006)

We trained Linus to ring bells by the time he was 4 months. We started with pads, and moved them closer to the door each day. When we saw him by the door, we'd take his paw to ring the sleigh bells, and say "Let's go potty!" It took about a month for him to do it on his own. Now (2 yrs later) he rings them when he's bored, but still to go outside.


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## makettle29 (Nov 12, 2005)

> I trained Hercules right away when he was a wee pup (now 2 1/2) I got him interested in touching the bell by putting a little Nutrical on it, yum
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## gatiger40 (Jun 7, 2007)

I just bought the poochie bell's for the door. They are very pretty and hang on the door handle or you can get the suction cup if there is glass next to your door. I know you could buy your own bell and string, but poochie bell's were just so darn cute.

I have just started training mine to use them. Everytime we go outside, I say let's ring the potty bell and then we go out. I'll let you know in a few weeks if it's working.

Stephanie


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## Chyna's Mommie (Feb 23, 2007)

I think I am going to train Chyna to do this. She doesn't go to the door. She just comes and jumps on my leg and then sit and stares at me. That can be easily mistaken for "pick me up & hold me" or any other attention getter. So I need something that is going to stand out.


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## luvmyfurbaby (Feb 11, 2007)

I have been ringing the bell for the last 3 weeks to no avail....LOL... Cody will sit in front of the door but not ring the bell. Mia won't even sit in front of the door.....with her she goes everytime Cody goes. I can imagine what Cody is thinking...this dumb lady rings that loud bell to catch my attention and all I want to do is go outside!


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## Linus McDuff (Jul 12, 2006)

> I have been ringing the bell for the last 3 weeks to no avail....LOL... Cody will sit in front of the door but not ring the bell. Mia won't even sit in front of the door.....with her she goes everytime Cody goes. I can imagine what Cody is thinking...this dumb lady rings that loud bell to catch my attention and all I want to do is go outside!
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Just keep at it. It took a couple weeks for Linus to even touch the bells. Even when he started, he would just barely touch them. Now he seriously bangs them around.


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## cindysilver (May 15, 2005)

I'm still ringing the bell every time we go outside, and if he even gets near it with his paw or face I give great praise and treats like mad. I think he may be picking it up, slowly, but ... geez, I guess it takes a while!

Love!


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## ShilohsMom (Jun 25, 2007)

> We trained Linus to ring bells by the time he was 4 months. We started with pads, and moved them closer to the door each day. When we saw him by the door, we'd take his paw to ring the sleigh bells, and say "Let's go potty!" It took about a month for him to do it on his own. Now (2 yrs later) he rings them when he's bored, but still to go outside.[/B]


LOL...I like that...he rings it when he's bored too


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## Linus McDuff (Jul 12, 2006)

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The little stinker is too smart for his own good!


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## phesty (May 30, 2006)

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Josie has rang to get me to put my snack down so she can grab it while I go to the door! I couldn't even be mad with her as I pried the string cheese out of her mouth, I was impressed with her critical thinking skills.









Josie says: My mommy is so trained! Everytime I ring the bell, she gets up and goes to the door!!!


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## dsstoube (Jul 27, 2007)

Hi, I just wanted to say that getting a bell by the door is very helpful. Go to the office supply store and buy a bell that you use in a store when you need to call someone for help. Sit it next to the door. When you take your dog outside to go potty then take the dogs paw and tap the bell . Do this EVERY TIME he needs to go potty. Make a big deal that he pushes that bell. If you do this after awile your dog will go to the door all by himself. When he rings that bell on his own, go to him right away and give him a treat. He will learn this is what he needs to do to go potty outside. YOU have to be the teacher and don't give up! GOOD LUCK!
Debbie :biggrin: 



> Hi everyone, it's been a long while! Lately I've been super busy with MD/PhD work and this summer, house and dog sitting for my parents. I'm happy to show some pictures of my mom's' new dog Miel (a cream-colored cocka-poo), getting bigger every day (he's now nearly 4 months old! how time flies!)
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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

Ollie has been "bell trained" since he was 4 months too. There's actually a namebrand of doggie bells that you hang on the door called "poochie bells"--if you do a google search you should find it right away. They actually come with a set of directions that may be online as well. The others have explained it well for you, too. Anyway, Ollie got it within just a matter of days. If your dog is afraid of the bells you can put a dab of peanut butter on them to enourage him to actually touch them and then take him right outside for potty.

My first malt Camden (RIP) was afraid of the bells and wasn't picking it up as fast as Ollie did. He liked to tug at my pants and bark when he had to go which got confusing because he also did the same thing when he wanted to play/get attention.

Anyway, Ollie also rings when his food/water bowl is empty, or when something just isn't "right" like he's looking for a family member who isn't home, etc. They are just so smart!


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

<span style="font-family:Comic Sans MS">I used a "touch stick" when clicker training with Zoe. Every time she touched the little ball at the end of the stick with her nose she would get a treat. So after that, when I want her to touch something with her nose I use the touch stick to touch the object I want her to touch and then treat. Zoe learned in under 10 minutes to ring the bells that way. Then every time she rang the bells, we would treat and go outside. It only took a day for her to figure it out. But like others have stated...ringing the bells has its draw backs. She too will ring them if she is bored. If I ignore her, she rings them with such gusto I think they will crack the glass in the patio door! LOL  </span>


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