Potty Warnings

[anance]

My boxer is 6 months and we haven't got a way of communicating when she needs to go "potty". She is really good at holding it as I am good at remembering to take her out. On the rare occasion that I don't take her out in time she will go in the house with no warning.

Any suggestions on how to get her to give a signal that it's time to go?

 

[gmacleod]

Had you considered bell training her? Bell training isn't housetraing, but it *is* training the dog to give you an audible signal that she wants to go outside. All it really entails is training the dog to ring a bell (or some other item that will make a noise loud enough for you to hear and that you'll recognise) any time she wants the door opened. Of course, that's going to include when she wants the door opened so she can go out to play (at least in the early stages). But in the longer term, once housetraining is full taught, it can be whittled down to just answering the bell for potty stops.

There's plenty of information on the forums about how to train (basically it's just getting the dog to ring the bell every single time you're going to open the door) until she catches on that ringing the bell = you opening the door. From that point, she'll ring it herself for asking the door to be opened. Generally speaking, it takes 2-3 weeks for the dog to catch on, but it's well worth it if she doesn't give you any other audible or visual clues.

 

[anance]

I am willing to try the bell or anything. Thanks.

 

[Kaybie's Mom]

Some people won't agree, but I first taught my dogs to "speak" (bark). After they fully understood that command, everytime I take them to the door to go outside, I tell them to speak and as soon as they do, I open the door. It only takes a very short amount of time for them to learn that if they bark at the door, they get to go outside. The only reason I didn't go with bell training is that I tend to take my dogs everywhere with me, and I needed to have them be able to tell me they needed to go out, even if the bells weren't available at someone else's house. Kaybie, my adult female, has gotten to the point that if she just wants to go out to play, she just stands at the door......but if she has to go to the bathroom, she barks.

 

[taryndanae]

I originally tried Kaybie's suggestion ("speak"), but everytime tried, Cassius thought someone was at the door LOL. He just did not catch on to that one

We did teach him the bell (he is 7 months now), and is 95% reliable with it (we don't have accidents, just sometimes we have to remind him to ring it). I also take Cassius with me to numerous places, and he usually stands by the door when he needs to go out. However, I am going to try and bring the bell with me (it is a cowbell hanging on a nail and therefore can bring it and hang it on the doorknob).

Hope you find something that works for you!!