Potty Training with a Bell

Potty training with a bell is one of the easiest ways to potty train a new dog.  I personally used this on Cherry.  She was the hardest dog to potty train!  I have had numerous dogs and usually consistency and reward has always worked....  But with Cherry, she just wasn't getting it, she knew she wasn't supposed to potty inside, so would often go hide in the back of the house and potty...  She simply didn't know how to tell us she had to go!  So as a last resort we went to bell training.  I didn't really feel like this would work, but at this point I was willing to try anything!  I felt like only little fluffy dogs used potty bells, but this was the best thing we ever did!  Cherry picked it right up and it was a beautiful thing.

Bell Training 101:

1.  Place the bell on the doorknob or hook next to the door your dog exits to go out and leave
it there so it is accessible at all times for your dog to ring.  You can buy those fancy potty training bells at pet stores, or I just used a left over Christmas craft bell tied to a ribbon.

2.  Every time you let your dog out to potty, bring the dog to the bells to sniff, ring them, and state a command such as "You wanna go potty?", praise the dog, then take him/her out to potty. We do not recommend playing or giving the dog a treat at that time. You want him/her to associate ringing the bells with potty time only.

3.  Then take your dog outside, if they pee or poop then reward them with a treat or praise.  If they do not pee or poop, then no treat and no praise.

4.  Throughout conditioning, continue your command, be consistent and praise your dog for their attention and wanted behavior. Consistency is key.  Remember:  You must get up and take the dog out every time it rings the bell, no exceptions.  Just no praise/treat if nothing happens outside

5.  Repeat this training method until your dog begins to ring the bells on their own. Make sure to praise your dog on their newly learned behavior to reinforce the action.

Helpful Hints:
Don't forget to bring your bells with you when travelling with your dog away from home or for the pet-sitter or grandparents- your dog will be looking for his communication tool while on the road as well.

If your dog is a little hesitant about the bells, take your bells off of the door and let him/her sniff them
and touch them on the ground. You may also want to put a dab of cream cheese or peanut butter on them so that he/she knows there is no fear or harm in it for them. Then hang them back up and start your training.