Bell training success...

[maynard001]

Well...we've been bell training for a week now and our 1-year old seems to have gotten the hang of it! She rang the bell about a dozen times yesterday. The only problem is she rings it whether she just wants to go out and play or has to go to the bathroom...either way we're fine with it. Definitely better than going in the house.

I think the key was the fact that we got baby gates so that we could keep her in the family room and kitchen areas...not giving her free run of the house. We learned the hard way that she only needs about 30 seconds out of eyesight to sneak off to a quiet part of the house to relieve herself. Keeping her in the room with us at all times definitely helped.

 

[Net45582]

Yea! You go girl!...but keep ringing the bell first!

 

[e_estrada17]

Well...we've been bell training for a week now and our 1-year old seems to have gotten the hang of it! She rang the bell about a dozen times yesterday. The only problem is she rings it whether she just wants to go out and play or has to go to the bathroom...either way we're fine with it. Definitely better than going in the house.

I think the key was the fact that we got baby gates so that we could keep her in the family room and kitchen areas...not giving her free run of the house. We learned the hard way that she only needs about 30 seconds out of eyesight to sneak off to a quiet part of the house to relieve herself. Keeping her in the room with us at all times definitely helped.

that is awsome...

could you please describe the steps? i want Mimi to learn the same...i do not trust her 100% when it comes to relieving herself.

thanks!

 

[agilityboxer]

The only problem is she rings it whether she just wants to go out and play or has to go to the bathroom...either way we're fine with it. Definitely better than going in the house.

LOL my youngest does it the most "just to play," but my girls will even do it if they want me to get up and give them some attention. Like if I’m watching a movie or to involved in the computer.

 

[kidzarme]

We just started the bells this morning. I think Shae will have to 'play' with them too but I will let her out no matter how many times she 'rings' !! Actually, the past 2 weeks has seen a marked improvement in the housetraining. So maybe adding the bells at this time will work great! Good luck with yours!!

 

[Biff]

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Well done!​

 

[maynard001]

Estrada....

I'm sure we didn't do it "by the book"...but here's what we did.

Our kitchen and family rooms adjoin. Off the family room is a hallway back to the rest of the house. Off the kitchen is the dining room. We put baby gates up between the family room and hallway, and between the kitchen and dining room. This kept her in either the kitchen or family room (where we spend 90% of our time).

We hung bells on the doorknob of our backdoor. We just used some x-mas bells that we had in the attic. Every time we took her out to use the potty (roughly every 2 hours) we would get her attention and make sure she saw us ring the bells. After doing this a few times, we started taking her paw and making her ring the bells before going out.

After a couple of days, she started ringing the bells on her own. Now, we don't quite trust her enough to give her free reign of the house. We'll probably keep the baby gates up for another couple of months. If we're still accident-free by the end of the year, we'll probably take them down.

Let me know if any of this doesn't make sense....

 

[Donna1969]

that is awsome...

could you please describe the steps? i want Mimi to learn the same...i do not trust her 100% when it comes to relieving herself.

thanks!

Really not a whole lot to it but hang something that makes noise that you will hear (jingle bells strung on a piece of leather worked for me, but you can use anything that will get your attention).

1) put the bells on the doorknob of the door that the dog uses to go outside.
2) everytime you let the dog out ring the bell and say outside, potty..whatever word you want
3) after you doing the bell ringing a few times, take the dogs paw or gently guide its nose to the bells so they ring it.
4) sit back and watch how fast your doggie catches on!

took my pups all of me ringing the bell 3 times before they started on their own. Of course they will ring it even if they don't have to go out, they'll ring it just to go out and play..but I'd rather them ringing it for potty and/or play outside than them going in the house!

My pups are a bit impatient, Carson will ring the bell and wait a few minutes, then if no response he hits it harder..and makes it ring louder and longer..if still no response, he kinda beats the crap out of the bells by slamming is nose into them over and over

Echo gives me exactly 1 minute to get to the door..and if no response rings once more..no reponse that time..she'll go on the floor. :mad: (my fault though, she's telling me she has to go)

I've realized that Carson will ring the bell when he starts to get the urge, so he can hold out longer. But Echo waits until she really can't wait any longer and then rings!

 

[Simmons99]

This may be a totally stupid question, but what about when you are away from home. Do they need the bells to go potty - or will they still go on command.

Chloe will go when you tell her "go potty" - would adding a bell nesecitate the need to ring a bell and then tell her to "go potty" so we are not outside a hotel for 20 minutes before she realizes we want her to pee?

 

[Biff]

I always take Biff's bell with me when I go visit - it's so simple just to hang it on another doorhandle, make sure Biff knows where it is, and he'll ring it when he wants out