Morning Sun
Boxer Pal
In searching this board it looks like there are a lot of negatives to using a bell to indicate the dog has to go potty. It appears that there is "bell abuse". Does it work for anyone successfully?
Does the bell (to got out to potty) work for anyone?
- Thread starter Morning Sun
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mancin
Boxer Insane
I used the bell when I was potty training my boys. One of them ended up destroyed the string holding the bell and I had to take it down temporarily, but they continued to paw as if it were there, so I never put the bell back up. Now they just paw at the door when they want to go out.
Pearlywhirly
Boxer Insane
Yes, it works for me. Pearl came to me as an adult from a rescue. I had no idea whether or not she was housetrained so we started from scratch. I began by taking a really smelly good treat and holding it behind the bell. She had to move the bell out of the way with her nose to get the treat which rang it. I didn't want her to use her paw to ring the bell which would have scratched up the door in no time. BTW, she is deaf so the ringing does nothing for her at all, it's the action I wanted to train so I would hear the bell. She did get to a point where she was ringing it just to go out and play but I didn't care, at least she had gotten the idea. She's over that now and is perfectly housetrained. Good luck!
EAO76
Boxer Insane
I love the bell. In our house there is some abuse (they ring to go play) but it doesn’t bother me. If I know they don’t need to potty and I don’t want them to go out then I ignore the bell. The other night Rosco rang the bell at 2am (He usually sleeps all night) so I got up and let him out. He ran out and took a really long pee. He obviously really needed to go! So I am glad we had the bell or else I might have found a mess in the morning.
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taryndanae
Boxer Booster
Me too!!! And Cassius whom also usually sleeps through the night rang at midnight, went out quickly and then promptly back to bed!
There is minimal abuse (especially since it is winter
). There does tend to be more abuse when it is nice out, but then Cassius can play outside by himself forever!
AdamsBunch
Boxer Booster
We use the bell and it's very successful with our boys. Oscar was bell trained from the start and he is great using it. There have been a few instances of "bell abuse" but nothing worth complaining about. Rufus hasn't figured it out yet but I think he tells Oscar and asks him to ring the bell for him! The funny thing is now I'm bell trained, I jump up out of a dead sleep when I hear that bell! I love it! Especially at Christmas, it feels so festive! He he he!
bayleighmom
Boxer Insane
Bayleigh is bell trained and we love it!! There is some bell abuse but as EAO76 stated, if we know she doesn't need to go out, we ignore the bell.
The worst bell abuse is done by our cat. It seems like she waits til we are all settled in front of the tv and she will ring them. One of us will always get up and then realize Bayleigh is snoozing away and it was the evil kitty!
The worst bell abuse is done by our cat. It seems like she waits til we are all settled in front of the tv and she will ring them. One of us will always get up and then realize Bayleigh is snoozing away and it was the evil kitty!
Cainsmommy
Boxer Booster
rings the bell
When I was potty training our new boxer pup. I used the bell right from the start. Every time we went outside I would take his paw and hit the bell and say outside. It took him a few weeks to get the idea..And now whenever we hear the bell we know he needs to go out. On a nice day the bell rings constantly. But I don't mind. He's getting plenty of exercise. We also have a 6yr old lab who just started ringing the bell..our new pup taught our old dog a new trick.
When I was potty training our new boxer pup. I used the bell right from the start. Every time we went outside I would take his paw and hit the bell and say outside. It took him a few weeks to get the idea..And now whenever we hear the bell we know he needs to go out. On a nice day the bell rings constantly. But I don't mind. He's getting plenty of exercise. We also have a 6yr old lab who just started ringing the bell..our new pup taught our old dog a new trick.
trc4941
Super Boxer
"Ring the Bell" works great at out house too. Dino (14 mos) is just starting to ring it when I ask him. Rocco learned at about 2yrs. I showed him once by ringing it myself and then pushed his nose to ring it - thats all it took. After that one time he did it himself. He never really abuses it. I know he probably rings the bell just to go out and play sometimes, but that's fine with me. He has never done it in the middle of the night.
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