SOS -- Poochie Bell Training, HELP!

[Patty Van Wagoner]

Hi all!   My little Riley is approximately 10.5 weeks old, almost 11 weeks.   We've had her home for almost 2 weeks now. I really want to bell train her for when she has to do her business. But, I'm not exactly sure what to do here.   We ordered poochie bells and was waiting for its delivery.  In the meantime, I had bought a string of make-shift bells that I hang down from the door knob.  I'm doing exactly what the "books" tell you to do -- when its potty time -- I ring the bells and have her touch them with her paw and say "let's go potty". I then take her out, she does her business, I praise her and bring her back in.  After 15 minutes back indoors -- I take her out for playtime without ringing the bell. I've been doing this religiously. Problem is -- when I introduced her to the bells -- she attacked them, dragged them with her mouth--and frankly, just didn't like them.  The poochie bells came yesterday and its almost as if she's afraid of them...she backs away from them.  
But, here is what i can't grasp.  You put them on the door your exiting, right?  Well, if she's in her play pen I have for her --- how does this work?   I've not yet allowed her to have full reign of the house, I feel she's too young still.  I tried hanging them in the playpen -- but she attacked them. 
What am I doing wrong -- and what can I correct? 
Thanks in advance :-) 

[Kris and Sawyer]

With Sawyer, we left the bells on the door the whole time. We rang them *every* time we went out. I wanted him to equate the bells with outside. He got it pretty quickly. He did go through a phase of ringing them constantly but it passed. He uses the bells for any time he wants to go out. Sometimes it is just for fresh air. I wouldn't worry so much about her "getting" it yet. At this stage I would be taking her out consistently at short intervals...and ring the bells every time. Hope that helps.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

I agree with Kris- it may take more time, just keep ringing them each time you take her out.

[Marie and Hoka]

She is too young to really use them yet, but can get used to the sounds and idea.  Keep them on the door. Take her our obsessively, and ring the bells each time, Give her a treat and make a big deal when she pottys outside.

Now, I do let them ring the bell to go outside and play as well.  I ring the bell every time we leave the back door.

It took until 14 weeks, then something clicked and now Hoka is ringing them reliably.  I do, however, also let them out when it is a convenient time for me.  

I did have an older dog who eventually lost her bell privileges!  LOL.  She started using them like we were her butlers… if she wanted ANYTHING she would ring the bells.  (for you Downton fans think Dowager Countess) Ring, ring, ring… go downstairs and she is barking at food cabinet, etc.  She was super-stubborn and could always outlast us!  Anyway, don't play that game and the ONLY thing they get when they ring the bells is the back door opens.  :)

[Jondell Ritchie]

We kept the bells on the door and rang them every time we went outside and alway used the same door to take him out.  I'd almost given up on Teddy ever getting it, cause he would never ring the things.  He would just sit in front of the door when he wanted out.  Then one day, we heard the bells.  Took us a minute to figure out what it was, he rings them all the time now and like Sawyer, it's even if he just wants to go outside to play.  Not sure what finally clicked for him, but don't give up.  He was approximately 9 months old (we've had him since he was 4 months), so hopefully Riley catches on quicker.  As far as her being in the playpen, you'll probably just have to continue taking her out at set intervals until you're comfortable letting her have more freedom around your house.  I wouldn't suggest putting the bells in there or she may equate them to getting out of the playpen vice going outside. 

[Christy&Riley]

Don't feel bad if she doesn't get the bell concept. Our Riley just thought they were a great toy. I finally took them down to prevent ruining my door. I was concerned I wouldn't know when she had to go but she eventually came up with her own signal. She will pace in circles by the door and puts her nose up towards the handle. If we aren't reacting, she will start making big loops in front of us while we watch tv as if to day "Um, need some assistance here!" When she was little and in a pen, we took her out regularly to avoid accidents. It took her several months before she was really giving us a signal. Have fun with your new little one!

[Kelly]

Skeet just gives us the "eye". The stare like a Mom gives when her children are doing

something bad. No noise, no bells, but no accidents either.

[BG and Gavin]

I would not bother trying to make your pup touch the bells.  Just ring them yourself each time in and out.  She will catch on eventually.  I will bet it was nearly two months of doing it for us before the coin dropped for Gavin.  He touches them with his nose to ring them.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

When the bells arrive there are instructions with them that tell you to put the bells on the door you will be taking the puppy out to go potty.  They say to use another door to go out and play.  But that all being said, I hung them on the glass sliding door to yard. Charlie barely nudges them with his nose.  On the other hand, Beau loves to really ring them.  When Beau was a puppy he would hang from the bells and play with them.  Needless to say he destroyed two sets and I finally took an old leash and put bells on and made my own. LOL.  Now that he is more mature (1.5 yrs), he has stopped playing with them and just rings them like he is supposed to.  I bought a nicer set made out of leather a couple of months ago and it still looks like new. 

I do not think I would hang them in his play pen.  I would put them on the door, so that he associates going out the door with ringing the bells.  He is still quite young and he will probably get it.  However, my breeder told me that about half of her dogs use the bells and the other half just quickly paw at the door.  So, maybe there are those that do not like them - I do not know for sure.  Keep us posted on Riley's progress.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

With other dogs we used the touch command and I do think sometimes they do not want to touch the bells with their noses.  With Spud, we started by teaching shake or high five. 'High five the bells'   He learned to paw them instead of nose them.

Now, he  just leans against them to ring the bells.  No paws or nose. Just leans against the hanging strings and they ring. 

As for 11.5 weeks... good grief, this pup is a baby.  Start training now so by 5 months your dog will START to use them.  It takes a long time but it is so worth it in the long run.

[Abigail *George & Juno*]

When we first got the poochie bells George was JUST 9 weeks old. It took her a full week to get it. We got them on a Thursday and all weekend she was afraid of them. Would run the other way when I rang them. I just started holding her paw and touching them, then open the door. She hasn't had one accident after that first week and she's four months old now. She bites them or rings them with her paw depending on how feisty her mood. Rings them when she wants to go outside and run around or needs to use the bathroom. I would ring them every time you go outside, also we dont have a pen for George but we had her crate, and when she goes there during the day it has never been an issue for her. She knows she gets to go outside right before and right after crate time. :)

[Lauren and Kona]

I'm in the process of trying to train Kona to ring the bells as well! She is nine weeks. Funny though, she's also afraid of them. She'll slowly approach them, touch them with her paw, then run away and hide. Lol! Hoping she catches on soon. Good luck!!!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

I agree....EVERY time you go out with her, she rings the bells.  We started Enzo the day she walked into our home @ 8 weeks and she caught on what the bells were for in a weeks time.  LOL....ring the bells and pee'd if we weren't there within seconds!  I put a plastic mat by the door, until she was totally housebroken.  My point is, she is NOT too young to understand the concept.  But I do think, ringing them only sometimes would be too confusing for her at this point.

  There have been some who said, their pups never got the idea....but others have had great success.  We still have the bells up at 9 months.  Great for when I am in the back of the house and she needs out.  I can hear the bells from where I am.