Poochie bells. Who is training whom?

[Camus]

I bought poochie bells for Camus (9 weeks old) about a week ago.  The first day was pretty bad because Camus tried to play with the bells as he plays with his toys, but very soon he learnt that ringing meant "going outside". That is obvious because now he rings and then sits waiting for us to fasten the leash (he is obliged to sit before we click the leash).  The problem is that he rings too often and many times just because he wants to go outside to play not because he needs to. I feel like I don't know any more who is training whom.

I noticed some difference between calls: he rings gently and humbly when he needs to go to the toilet; and very loudly and enthusiastically when he just wants to go outside for pleasure. 

I'd like to know if this is going to work properly some day in the future or it will be always like this with many false alarms? Are these bells really a good idea? Does anyone use them?

UPD: yes, we take him outside always on leash because there are holes in the fence that are big enough for his 13 lbs to escape. 

UPD 2: we stopped using poochie bells about week and a half ago. Camus learnt very soon how to communicate with us quickly. He seats at the door and whines. No accidents in the last 6 days. (nock nock on wood)

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

There are a lot of people that use them, some successfully and some have the same problems you have, Although I personally do not use them, I believe what I've read is that when they ring them, they go outside, on leash, to their potty spot and only their potty spot.  There is no play time.  If they potty there is lots of praise and reward, and if they do not potty, they come back inside and go into the crate for a little "time out".  This is supposed to make them realize that ringing the bells is potty only and not play time.

[Camus]

 Thank you! That's what I thought. If there is no potty, we go inside quickly.

We take him outside always on the leash and only to the backyard (he doesn't have all his shots yet). And we don't use crate. Don't even have any. I will follow your advise about praise and reward for true alarms. 

[BG and Gavin]

Camus sounds like a smart pooch!  I have often said that Gavin trained us to open a door by ringing a bell.  Seriously, stick with it.  Lucy and Sophies mom has great advice.

[Camus]

Thanks. We'll give it more time. :)

[Camus]

I see. True that it is not necessary for an adult dog that goes outside on your terms. Was it easy to stop using it? Any problems when stopping? How old is Stanton?

[Camus]

I see. I agree that it's not difficult to understand when a house-trained dog needs to go outside. I had a dog before and never used bells. I saw this "device" in US for first time and liked the idea, that's why I decided to try them. Thank you for your answers.

[Chelsea and Bailey]

We used the bells with Bailey and absolutely love them.  She is now 9 ish months and has been fully trained for a couple of months, but we still keep them up at the door.  She rings them a lot less (obvioiusly because she has bladder control) and sometimes uses them to play, but that is ok to us because she has learned what we wanted her too and now it is just nice that we can hear the bells wherever we are in the house and we can let her outside if we want too.

[Camus]

Thank you. :)

[Lori]

I just wanted to post that I don't think the crate is supposed to be used for a time out....I heard that the pups/dogs are to have only good associations with their crate...anyone else hear the same thing?

[Jane Smith]

Agree, their crate should be their safe haven, not a place of punishment.   I don't think dogs "get" what a punishment is.  They need to me redirected, not punished. IMHO

[Camus]

I agree that crate shouldn't be a punishment. But I think dogs get very well what a punishment is. IMHO :). I punished Camus once for peeing on the floor and when he did it again, it was enough just to say: "Camuuuuu..." and he ran under the chair tail down.

Have you seen this video? :)

[Gayle Miller]

agree!  agree!