Bell training and working

[Full House]

I have a question about bell training. I have read many of the post on BW about bell training but could not get through them all and I still have a question.

My Scout is 7 weeks old. We have been working with her on housebreaking. We are considering trying the bell. I understand she is still very young and will have accidents. I am trying to figure out a way for her to let us know when she goes out. I like the bell idea. I work 7 hours a day, most of the time my husband comes home at lunch and lets her out. While we are gone she is in a crate. Here is my question; if she is bell trained and we trust her enough to leave her alone in the house what happens when she rings the bell and no one is home to let her out. Any experience with this?

 

[mancin]

I've heard that some will take the bell down when they are gone so the dog knows that s/he can't go outside.

 

[Jan]

As she is going to be in the crate when you are gone. It won't matter that the bell is there as she won't be able to get to it. Once she is housetrained, you won't need the bell anymore. That will happen long before you can leave her loose in the house, so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Full House]

Bell training

Maybe I don't completely understand bell training. Are you saying that you eventually remove the bell? If so, at what point do you remove it? I thought it was left up as a consistant way for them to let you know they wanted out.

 

[MybabyRosko]

Dont Take Down The Bell!!!!

When you bell train, it's for life.. don't take the bell down ever.. this is their way of communicating to you that they need to go out.. They (and you) would only be confused if you took the bell down later in life.. LEAVE IT UP ALWAYS!!!! I've had 3 boxers that were bell trained, and they rang it their whole lives.
~to answer your other question, the only thing you have to worry about is making sure she rings the bell (with assistance is ok!!) everytime she goes out that door to do potty, even if she has been in the crate all day.When you get home take her out to the door, make her ring the bell and taker her out and say your potty out command. Before long she will relate going out with the bell, and she will ring it!!

 

[BoxerRock]

We bell trained Carley but eventually put in a doggy-door. We took the bells down after she learned to use her door but she still uses them on occasion. When we go on vacation and leave her with the sitter or take her on trips in our travel trailer, she still uses her bells. I would still leave them up if not for her door. Keep up the bell training and leave the bells in place for the times when you are home and your baby's not crated.
The Rocks and Carley

 

[Melgoglia]

The bell training it really neat. Abigail will go over to the back door sometimes to just lay in the sun there ..other times she will hit the bells with her nose and turn to look at you. I know then it's time to go out. They can't talk so this is her way of saying "Hey I want to go out". She learned really quick we have a strand of bells hanging on the door knob. She just knocks them with her nose.. If we're not in eye site of her when she hits the bells we still hear them and let her out. It's worked great for us..

 

[PrinceOscar]

My boxer is 10 months - is this too late to try bell training? He still sometimes has accidents in the house and I don't think it is because he can't hold it or anything, I just don't think he knows how to tell us right away he has to go.

 

[jmgriffith]

Afriad of bell

I have a 15 week old boxer puppy that we are having trouble housebreaking. We decided to try bell training but she is afraid of the bell. She is to the point now where if I ask if she has to go outside she gets all excited and heads to the door until she sees the bell and then backs up and goes away from it. She won't go near the bell, which means she won't ring it and won't go out side! Now what?!?!

 

[dagney's mom]

i have a 7 month boxer and we started with the bell training around 4 months. he goes to the door and hits the bell about 90% of the time, especially if he really has to go. the other time, he just lays by the door.

we started training by letting his paw or his head touch the bell when it was tiem to take him to the bathroom. and lots of praise. eventually he associated the bell with wanting to go outside.

we even have to bell at my mother in law's house and he knwos to go to the bell there too.

we used a bell from pet smart that we found in the bird aisle- it has a little bell inside a green plastic ball.

as for the crate, we crate train too, so when you take the dog out for bathroom breaks during the day, make sure the dog makes contact with the bell. and don't take the bell down ever.

note: sometimes when my dog wants to go outside and play he rings the bell for our attention-- they are very smart