Bell training??

[natesprinces]

I have read several comments on bell training for the dogs when they need to go potty, could someone further elaborate?? It sounds interesting and I would like more info, if you could help!!!!
Thanks!!!

 

[MACKS_MAMA]

I have several friends that"bell train". I believe the idea is to wiggle the bell (placed on the door knob by a string, long enough for the dog to hit)as you bring the dog out during housebreaking, then once the dog is trained it remembers to ring the bell when he/she needs to go out. I am going to try this with our pup, I just haven't found a bell that would work!
Macks mom

 

[gmacleod]

Well, bell training is basically just a way to give a dog the means to let you know that they need (or want) out. Not every dog (or even most) actually thinks of barking or scratching at the door But all can be taught to ring a bell when they want the door to be opened.

What it isn't is actual housetraining. It doesn't teach the dog that they should potty outdoors. It is purely a means of giving you an audible signal that they require the door opened. Once the dog is properly housetrained by normal methods though, then the bell training comes into it's own as a means for them to let you know that they need out to potty. Up until then, it's just a means of letting you know they'd like you to open the door (for whatever reason).

And it's reasonably simple to teach. You just need to hang a bell - or any other thing that will make a noise loud enough for you to hear and that you'll recognise - beside the door. You then teach the dog to hit said item with it's paw or nose prior to you opening the door. You'd have to do that every time you're going to open the door for the dog, whatever the reason. And you'd also need to respond any time the dog rings the bell - for whatever reason (including, initially, when he only wants out to play). Once he has it properly set in his mind that hitting this object will result in you appearing to open the door, you're well on the way to a bell trained dog and can start to be a bit more discriminating about when you answer (ie. can start to ignore the requests to go out to play).

 

[Hobart Ave.]

Basically, you hang jingle bells from the door knob of the door your dog goes through to potty. Every time you go out you ring the bells. The dog should figure out that when the bells ring he goes outside and will start to nudge the bells by himself. Once the light bulb goes off about this you might be hearing bells every few minutes but you can curb false alarms by coming right back inside if he doesn't go right away. We had jingle bells hanging from our door as a left over holiday decoration and Hobart started ringing them himself when he was around 13 weeks old (I had him for a week at that point). It can be a fast and easy way to housetrain your dog provided you go out with him and praise when he goes until he understands that he's supposed to go potty outside.

 

[RoxiesEcho]

I had never heard of bell training until I found BW so we tried it with Bella. Once I felt she had been housetrained enough to know that she was supposed to do it outside I hung a big bell on a cord over the door knob. When she would go to the door, I would make her touch her nose to it before she could go outside - I just sort of pushed her towards the bell. As long as she touched it, even if it didn't make a sound, I told her she was a good girl and let her out. It only took her a matter of days and she got the idea. The ring was rather faint but I think it depends on what type of bell you use. Within a couple weeks she quickly learned to use her foot because it makes more noise!

Just have patience and be consistent. I don't consider myself to be very good at teaching my dogs anything, I'm too much of a push over for my own good! But these babies are smarter than any dog I've ever had and they will get it in no time flat!

 

[kidzarme]

THought I'd add my 2 cents here.......I looked for a few weeks for the bells I wanted to teach Shae. Looked in every dept. I could think of and any store that might have it in our small city. I finally thought of 'sporting goods' at Walmart and bingo-there they were! They were shaped a little like cow bells, coppery colored, and have a clip thing on top so you can clip them to whatever you want-like a cord or whatever. They were in the fishing section, made to clip onto a fishing pole to alert the fisherman to a hit. Around $2.00 for two in a package. They're loud enough that I can hear them from the other end of the house. I put them on the door on Monday, showing Shae the routine and by Wednesday, she was using them perfectly!!! Smart doggies we have!!! Recently we were at my daughters for a month, in another state and I took the bells but she didn't really use them. She would go to the door and look at us when she needed out, waiting for us to come. Did great, no accidents. Good luck!

 

[My Guinness]

Hi everyone-
My neighbor who has a lab told me about the bell training. She uses the sleigh bell type, but since I already had that type on my door to begin with, I decided to try the type like they have at the dry cleaner--you know-the one like you "ding" for service?
I will be honest, it took close to a year of diligence to get Guinness to "ding" it every time, but he does it 100% of the time now. In fact, if you don't come as fast as he'd like, he rings it repeadely until you come! LOL
I just took his paw a dinged the bell and announced (loudly and happily) "OUTSIDE!" and then opened the door. My friends, and dog trainer too, think I am really cool at teaching him this.
And my screen door is not taking the beating anymore!
I got my bell at Staples office supply. Good luck!

 

[natesprinces]

Thank you all for your wonderful responses!!! I have been sooo busy here lately that I haven't had the time to get back on the site and check for responses. Now I have several great ideas and I am going to go get something today and start trying this out!

Thanks again!!!
Roscoe and I appreciate your help!