Bell training your dog?

Has anyone tried this or know someone who has? It sounds so interesting.

My friend was telling me you can put a bell near the door and ring it each time you are about to take them out to the potty and eventually they will learn to ring the bell with their nose to alert you that they need to go out?

Re: Bell training your dog?

My Circuit (boxer) does it. Rigel just sits at the door and stares and will eventually bark and Walter just waits for one of them to let us know he has to go out.

You can contact me for a free in home consultation to see if SuperPaws Dog Training might be able to help you accomplish this (and so much more!)

-Kimberly

Re: Bell training your dog?

I've never heard of anyone doing it, but I have to say, my dogs are very good about letting us know when they need to go out. It's impossible to miss the signs once you've come to know them.

Re: Bell training your dog?

Re: Bell training your dog?

My friend's dog does this. Its pretty cool.

Re: Bell training your dog?

It is fairly easy to train here are two common approaches:
There are two different methods to train this exercise - both work well.
Method One
This method has two parts:
First: You will teach the dog a "targeting" behavior. Use the palm of your hand first. Have a bag
of treats ready and your clicker too. Put your right hand out with your fingers facing the floor and visible
to dog (you can rub a bit of hot dog onto the palm if you like). Once your dog sniffs your palm, then click
and treat (with your other hand, of course). When your dog touches his nose to your palm any time you
ask (you have done this atleast 30 times and put it on cue), then the next step is to hold the bell by the
string at nose height and ask the dog to "touch" it. As soon as he rings the bell with his touch, c/t and jack
pot. Now do this 20 times. Hang the bell by the string from the door handle low enough so the dog can
easily touch it with his nose, ask for "touch" and then reward when he touches the bell hanging from the
knob.
Second: Next we tie this behavior to going out. When you think your dog might have to go out
say something like “do you have to go out?" As your dog heads towards the door, say "touch". Your dog
should touch bell. If he forgets then ring it your self or just point it out to him ask again. Once he touches
(ringing the bell), then give a treat and let your dog out. After you have done this 20 times, the dog is
going to "ring" the bell himself. When you hear him ringing it on his own, yell out "Yes!!!" And ask, "Do
you have to go out?" Let your dog out and give treat only if he goes to the bathroom. Make sure you put
your dog on a time schedule - 2 minutes to go to the bathroom once he has been let out after ringing the
bell. If he doesn’t do his business in that time, put him in his crate when you come back into the house or
make him lie down for 2 minutes. Otherwise you will end up with a dog that rings the bell to go out side,
but doesn't need to go to the bathroom.
Method Two:
Decide on what bell you are going to use, then put it in a place so dog can get to it. Now, when
your dog might need to go out ask, “do you have to go out?” When your dog gets to the door, YOU
"ring" the bell. Next time you feel your dog needs to go out, again ask, "do you have to go out?" and go
right to the door. Then at the door, use your finger to almost touch the bell luring the dog's nose to the
bell and let him ring it. After doing this several times the dog should do it on his own. When your dog
looks and nudges at it say "YES" and give him a treat. Let the dog out. Once he has gone to the bathroom,
reward the dog again. I would start only allowing the dog 5 minutes to go to the bathroom. If he doesn’t
do anything, then put him back in crate or make him lie down for 2-3 minutes by your side. Now at some
point the dog will on his own 'ring the bell'. You must get up and praise him. Give two treats the first
time dog does it by himself and ask, "do you have to go out" and take the dog out. Once the dog
understands to 'ring the bell' you will no longer have to give it a treat just letting it out will be enough.
REMEMBER DOGS DO WHAT WORKS!

Re: Bell training your dog?

My rottie is 8 and he has been ringing the bell for probably 7 of those years best thing we ever did! We kept the bell on a long string then shortened it as he got bigger.