Ring My Bell

[Sara and Roxy]

So, I finally taught Roxy to ring a bell to go outside. It took several months, but she has caught on with a vengeance. I decided to try the bell because I couldn't figure out her signals. She had been in foster care when I got her, so she'd been shifted around a bit. I figured maybe she didn't know anymore how to communicate her needs. I finally learned to read her particularly gentle signals. She jumps up and gives me hugs when she wants to go out or if I'm seated gets in my lap and basically makes it so I can't do anything else but pay attention to her. If I'm at my computer she wedges her body between me and the keyboard. It's pretty funny, but then that's it, so I used to just pet her. I thought she just wanted some cuddling time because she didn't seem agitated. And she didn't seem to have any words for it. How does a dog get to age 2 and not know "outside"? But that's the life of some of these shelter dogs, I suppose. Now I've come to see her pacing and hopping in my lap for what it is..."look at me, I neeeeed to go!". And I've taught her "potty" so when I ask her she responds by getting all excited and prancing around me in circles. All this time I had the bell on her outside door and tried to show her what it was for. So we could clarify what she needed and when. She didn't seem to catch on, but I left the bell on the door so every time we opened it to take her out, it jingled. This week she started ringing the bell when I wasn't paying attention to her other potty ploys. Then when that worked so fabulously, she starting ringing it about every hour. She ~loves~ outside. I've met dogs who could care less whether they were out or in and only needed to see grass to go potty. But not this girl. She wants to be outside all the time. So, now the real dilemma! How do I teach her to ring the bell when she needs to go potty, and not every time she wants to go chase the squirrels?!? :)

[Clifford, Cloud, Jake..and Kim]

Did you use the Poochie Bells or just hang a jingle bell on the door?

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I'm currently on my 4th foster and I have yet to have one that gave me clear I need to go potty signals (hummm wonder if they were all bell trained and I have no bell). Anyway, I've just spent a lot of time going out to be sure we hit it. The one I currently have at least understands Potty and if I ask her she goes to the door. Problem is she goes to the door every time I ask her.

I have the same problem you have though with my girls even though they aren't bell trained. Lucy barks to go out and Sophie has this little whine. If I don't go to the door quick enough for them they come get me with a more insistent bark or a louder whine. They do the same thing though in using it when they just want to go play. I can tell because I take them out to potty on a leash. So if I get the leash and they back away, I know they just want out to play. It normally doesn't work though. They don't get out when they try to fake me out.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Well, congratulations on the training success. But as for it being a little TOO successful...all I can say is GOOD LUCK with that!! LOL! I knew some people who had this same problem. They started calling them the "butler bells" because their dogs used the bells to "summon" them whenever they wanted outside-yes and to chase squirrels too!! The problem is you don't know why they are asking to go out until they ARE out and then its too late. If they are going for squirrels you've just reinforced it!! But regardless, in your case it is still a good breakthrough in you and Roxy's communication! Kudos for that!!