From: Drew Vogel drew@drewvogel.com
Subject: Bell Training your dog
With an early start and concentrated effort, it is possible to train your dog to ring a bell whenever they want to go outside to relieve themselves. Bell training is not difficult, but it requires a great deal of consistency and dedication during the training. Here’s what you need to prepare for the training:
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Get a dog.
(I chose a Jack Russell Terrier and named him Stanley.) -
Get a bell (I got a “Large Brass Parrot Bell” at my local pet store).
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Get a cord to tie the bell to your door (I used an old nylon leash).
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Tie the bell to the cord.
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Attach the cord to the door, at about dog-paw height (for Stanley, the bell is about 6 inches from the floor).
Recommended:
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A crate for the dog. The crate should be large enough for the dog to stand up, lie down, and turn around in. If your puppy is going to grow into a big dog, you can buy a crate for the size they will grow to be, but temporarily partition it down to the correct size for your puppy. There are several compelling reasons to use a crate, but the most relevant to this discussion is that dogs are reluctant to mess where they lay, and this will encourage development of bladder/bowel control. However, be aware that puppies cannot hold their bladders for a full 8-hour work day! They need to be given the chance to relieve themselves frequently.
The Training:
I got Stanley when he was 5 months old and started bell training right away. I’ll be anxious to hear about successes with younger dogs.
At first, I fed Stanley only twice a day — once at 8:30am and again at 5:30pm. (Stanley is now a self-feeder. I don’t meter or time his feedings.) About 45 minutes after each meal, I’d take him to the bell hung on my back door. Then, I’d take his paw, hit the bell with his paw (VERY important — the dog must strike the bell, not you), verbally praise him, and take him outside. We’d stay outside until he did his duty or a reasonable amount of time (5-10 minutes) then it was back inside with loads of praise and a treat if he did his potty while outside.
| Stanley was crate trained as well. I’m a big advocate of crate training — this allows the owner to leave the home without worrying about coming back to find an overturned garbage can, messes on the floor, or other signs of doggy-destruction, and a crate is like a little apartment for the dog — when Stanley is feeling tired or stressed, he’ll go lay down in his private space. I know that he likes having his own space a lot. Crate training assisted in Stanley’s training a great deal since dogs don’t like to mess where they sleep. When it’s time for me to leave for work in the morning, I say “Get in your box” and he goes right in and lays down.
However, some owners do not like the idea of crating their dog. In this case, consider creating a space where the dog stays when no one is home, for example, the kitchen with dog-proof barricades at the doors to prevent the dog from roaming the house. Dogs, when left on their own, feel the need to defend all of their space. If the dog has run of the house, they feel the need to defend the whole home. If they’re penned in the kitchen (for example), that is a more managable space. Even better with a crate. |
If the dog makes a mess in the house, they get a firm scolding over the mess (never EVER push the dog’s nose in it!). Then, clean the mess with paper towels and take the soiled towels outside and set them where you want the dog to potty. Go back inside and get the dog, ring the bell with his paw, praise him for ringing the bell, take him outside, allow the dog to smell the soiled paper towels and praise him. Though this may seem a little odd to a human’s way of thinking, this makes perfect sense to the dog.
The hard part is this — a short time into the training, the dog begins to get the idea that ringing the bell means that they get to go outside. They want to test the idea. Every 30 seconds. I mean it. Every 30 seconds. And guess what? You have to follow the steps listed above each and every time during this, the most critical, training time. This is when the dog is learning and making the bell training their own, and when you’re most likely to get frustrated. You’ll certainly get your exercise opening the door for them! Stay strong and take the dog out each time — a little inconvenience at this point will lead to a well-potty-trained dog.
| During this time, Stanley and I were also doing light Alpha Training — training that establishes the alpha order in the household (essentially, who is the “boss dog”). To accomplish this, I would lay Stanley on his side on the floor in front of me, his back to my crossed legs, and I would gently hold him down for 30 minutes a day each day for a month or so. He could do anything he wanted while laying there — sleep, look around — anything except get up. Once 30 minutes had passed, I’d let him up, give him just a little bit of praise (nothing extravagant since he’s just obeying me, something he’s expected to do anyway), and let him go about his business. This type of training is essential for a well-behaved dog, and especially important if you have a dog that will grow large. |
That’s the gist of this training. The alpha training and bell training is very much worth it — Stanley hasn’t had an accident in the house in a long time, and if he rings the bell to go out and I don’t respond within a minute or so, he rings the bell again. And again. It’s great!
Should you need any further help, or want to talk about the finer points of bell or alpha training, please let me know via email. Please let me know how it goes — it went so well with Stanley that I swear by the method. I’m anxious to hear your story.
On this day...
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Tags: drewvogel
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Drew, I thought my dachshund puppy was getting the bell training. She was doing well with it and of course was also ringing it for attention, but we took her out anyway. For some reason, the last week she hasn’t wanted to ring the bell at all. We continue to have her ring it when we take her outside, but she won’t do it on her own anymore and has started having more accidents in the house which is very frustrating to us. I’m not sure why she is now refusing to use the bell. Do you have any advice as to what we can do? Thanks. Tara
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Hi Drew
We have recently adopted a 3 year old Havanese. Since they rarely bark we have been trying to bell train her to let us know when she has to go outside. We have been at it for a week and a half and she doesn’t seem to be catching on.
We ring the bells over her nose or take her paw and hit the bells each time before we open the door. She has never rang the bells on her own.
I watch her every movement and once she went and sat at the mat in front of the door and I praised her, rang the bells over her nose and then took her outside. She still didn’t catch on.
Do you have any suggestions? Apparently she had a doggy door at her last home.
Thanks Daisy -
@deb… CONGRATULATIONS! Sounds like your dog is well on their way to becoming a bell-trained dog! Keep up the good work!
@Tara… Daschunds are very willful critters! We’ve got one of our own. My advice, which I hope you’ve already been doing, is to keep at it — keep ringing the bell with the dog’s paw. Eventually, they’ll catch on.
@sullivan… My suggestion is that you continue the bell training exactly as indicated in the article. A week and a half is simply not enough time for the dog to learn it.
Please let me know how things progress!
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Drew my shih tzu is 5 years old and very stubborn I would say he is only 95% potty trained. I want to teach him the bell technique is he to old to do this? Is this technique only for puppies?
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Drew,
It has been one week since we started bell training our 3 month old rat terrier. He caught on within a few days. We are now in the frustrating stage, he is ringing the bell every few minutes. (Even more frustrating, it has been hard to get him to listen to me and come back in, I can tell he is testing me all over again) About how long do you think this “stage” will last? -
@TJ: It’s never too late! Start with the training!
@Deanna: Awesome that your rattie has caught on so quickly! Don’t lose heart during the “frustrating” stage — it is worth it in the end when you have a bell-trained dog! Sometimes the stage lasts for a short amount of time (several days), and other times it lasts longer (3-5 weeks!). Depends on the dog. Remember that he’s learning that the bell==outside. Worry in the next step about convincing him to come back when you call (obedience training is a great help!).
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Years ago I accidentally discovered this technique with our Chocolate Lab puppy, Lady. I have always had bells on the doorknobs of our outside doors and made no attempt to associate ringing the bell with going outside when house training Lady. I was very surprised one day to hear the bell ring while I was working in another room. I went to check the door and there was Lady, waiting to go outside. She made the association on her own, and has been ringing the bell ever since! I am now house training our new Toy Poodle puppy and will be adding another bell on a longer cord so she can let me know when she wants to go outside!
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yay!
i’m just so glad all these comments are here. it’s great to be able to learn from the experience of everyone else!
we’ve been rehabilitating a puppy mill dachshund for the last 6 months. it’s been a long, long road. we assume he’s about 1 year old now (although he is incredibly small due to undernourishment as a pup). while he still on occasion has accidents in his crate- he’s come a LONG way from urinating all over himself. and yes, that’s what we started with… he was so bad that the vet worried he had neurological damage. he wouldn’t look you in the eye, made no contact with us or our other dog and would simply lie on the floor and pee and poop on himself. that’s all he did for a month- but love and our other dog have turned him around and he’s a complete rascal now- very much a ‘normal’ dachshund! he loves his crate, his toys, his treats, and almost loves my 5 year old (we’re working on that one…
)anyway, a few days ago, i noticed that while he was still having a couple of accidents a day, he was having them near the back door almost exclusively. i finally realised that he must be making the association between going out and ‘potty’, but he was unable to go outside on his own and couldn’t tell us. so i got a bell… and you know the rest of the story!
we are still training him- it’s only been two days- but WOW… he already gets it. we’ll see how long it truly takes, but considering all he’s overcome, i imagine this will be a cake walk for him.
amy
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@Amywithlemon…
I applaud your decision to rehab a puppy mill puppy. The fact that he’s a dachshund only makes it more wonderful — I’ve got Buster, a large-mini dachshund and he’s awesome!
Please keep us informed on the progress with your bell training!
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Hello Drew,
How great that you have kept up this page for over 2 and a half years. Thanks.
I just recently heard about bell training, and since I just recently got a puppy (an 8 month old rescue mix) I am excited to try it.
We are doing rather well with crate training… but I think we need to offer our puppy a way to tell us when she needs to go out.
My question for you is that we want to set up three bells since we have a three-level town home, so that when she is with us on whatever level we are, she has a potty-bell to ring.
Our plan is to train her was to ring the bell on the level we are on and then go downstairs by the door and ring that bell and then go out.
Do you have any experience with that or know of anyone that does?
Do you think it will work?
Thanks,
Holly -
@Holly… I’ve never tried a multiple-bell setup. I think you’d have to approach it as multiple (in your case three) trainings for the dog, but I think it could work. Please give it a shot and report your findings!
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Hi Drew
So far the training has been slow. My theory is that the bells aren’t loud enough and are hung to low. So we have some new bells coming and are going to hang them a bit higher (so she doesn’t hit them with her tail).
I’ll keep you posted on progress.
Holly
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My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is for the most part bell trained. Our only problem is what you mentioned, she rings it ALL the freakin time!!! She thinks it is funny coz i open the door and she just sits at my feet. Or she will go outside and then cry before i even shut the door. How do i fix this? Also, what do i do when i take her to a friends house or when they are babysitting? She hasnt had an accident at my house in weeks but i left her for one night and she peed all over the place! How do i fix that?
Thanks,
Stacy -
Hi,
I am going to try this Bell method with my Silky Terrier (Sophie). She is very smart, I am sure she will catch on quick. She still ocassionally pees/poos in the house. The only question I have is about crate training. We adopted her at one year old ( about 3 mths ago) She was abandoned and has separation aniexty. She is okay when I leave her outside, (with our other dog, who is fully trained) but I cannot leave her in the house, in a crate because she whines constantly, freaks out, and breaks out of the crate. If I don’t put her in the crate, she pees somewhere in the house, gets into trouble. Now I was wondering if the type of Crate I am/was using was the problem? I was using the kind that is used for traveling. Should I try a larger metal cage type? Also could part of the problem be that she is in the kennel by herself, while our other dog(Dora) is free to roam the house? Dora has never caused any trouble being on her own in the house. We have had her since she was a puppy. They get along pretty good now that they have established who is dominant (Sophie), that’s my theroy any ways.
Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks muchly,
Wendy -
Hello,
Thank you for your great information. We have 2 18 month old Cocker Spaniels from the same litter, both males (Tucker (neutered) and Logan (not)). We got Tucker first (about 1 yr ago) and then decided we had to have Logan as well. Logan spent about 10 weeks away from us with a handler showing. So, Tucker’s life has been a little more consistent in terms of routine. Tucker house trained very well, and we made a 100% improvement with him while Logan was away. Tucker is really smart and he responds well to positive reinforcement. He will often go to the backdoor and scratch (not my personal favorite for the sake of my door but at least he tries). Logan is stronger willed and very independent. We have a fenced in backyard. and both dogs are crated in the house at night and when we are away. Logan has had about 3 accidents in his crate during the night since he came home in July. Over the last 2 weeks or so we have seen a big improvement with him (no crate accidents and no accidents in the house). Now I want to try a bell. Just wondering how to bring it in now that we are sort of house trained. Tucker loves things like this where there is a cause and effect, almost a game. For example, he knows that we put his special kibble in the kitchen cabinet last week. So, now he goes and sits next to the cabinet, cries, and licks the cabinet hoping we will give him a kibble. Logan does not have those same natural “communication” skills, so I am wondering how to motivate and train each one. Will the same technique work for each? Also, often Tucker will refuse to go out unless he thinks I’m going too or unless he “chooses” to go on his own. Logan will go out as long as Tucker goes. I want to teach them both to tell me they need to go out, and then to actually go without me having to go with them every time. Thanks. Sorry for such a long post. -
Hi, we have a shih tzu who just turned 1 year old. He is doing pretty good with “peeing” outside although I’m not sure who is trained him or me. The problem is he still “soils” in the house, almost daily. I do know his “favorite spots” and if I see him going near them I get him outside quickly….sometimes thats successful and sometimes not. At times he will come in from outside and 5 minutes later do his “business” in the house.
The vet suggested that since I allow food to be in the bowl (we also have an older dog) at all times that is would be easier to train him if we followed a closer feeding schedule.
He is crate trained and sleeps there at night. My question is since he is already 1 yr. old do you think the bell method for work for him. Sometimes I think he is just a bit stubborn and high strung to concentrate on what he should be doing!
Thanks for your answer and help! -
Hello, I have a 16 month old Pit Bull that was crate trained and going outside ever since he was 3 1/2 months old. I just got a miniature schnauzer that is about 2 1/2 months old, Being that he was smaller the breeder had him paper trained. I tried to continue with the paper training but now my Pit Bull has decided to try and use the paper also and that did not turn out so good.
So my question is if I try to train these two different breeds at two different stages in life, am I looking at every 10 seconds I will be going to take each dog out or will my Pit bull get extra potty walks? -
i have a question, my dog bruce is about 6 years old…will bell training work?
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Dear Drew,
I have a 6-month-old Chihuahua. He has caught on to ringing the bell but will not ring it on his own. What should I do so that he does it on his own?
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Hi there! Keep working with him… He’ll get it eventually!
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Hi, I am bell training my 17 week old pom. He is touching the bell with his nose when we get to the door…My question is….should I continue to walk him to the door with the leash or allow him to run (hopefully) to the door once I let him out of his crate?
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Thanks for your message! For the time being, I encourage you to keep him leashed as you walk him to the door… Once the concept of “bell = outside” is firmly set, you can work on letting him find his own way to the bell.
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Hi Drew. I am about to start bell training my six month old rescue: a mini pin, dacschund, chihuahua. Quite a little mix! I’ve had him for three months and he is approximately six months old. He is peeing and pooing near the door (when I’m not looking). He has been crate trained, and has done well (generally) with that. my question is: should I put the bell near the door (on a small hook so he can reach it) or on the door? my concern with putting the bells on the door is that it will confuse him because if the bells are on the door they will ring everytime I go in and out, rather than only when he is going out. if I put the bells right next the door at his height for him to ring they will only sound when he is doing it. any advice, thoughts? thanks soooo much! Vivian
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Hi Vivian! Thanks for your message. You can put the bell ON or NEAR the door; it doesn’t matter to the dog. The important thing is that they associate their ringing of the bell with being let outside. I didn’t find any trouble with having the bell on a door that gets used, but your mileage may vary. If it works to put it on the wall, I think that’s fine! Please let me know how it goes, and of any additional questions.
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Thanks Drew! I started the training yesterday. I have to remember though to let him ring the bell, as you said, rather than me ringing it! I hooked up the bells next to the door, only about six inches from the floor, because he’s a realy shorty. I’ll check back in a few weeks. thanks again! Vivian
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My puppy lab/pit was very well bell trainned at my old house. He pick it up with in three weeks and he was only 9 weeks old and I real had no pottying in my house. But since I have moved to a new place and put up his bell. I have shown where the bell is and what door will be his potty door. The bell is right next to the potty door. I make sure to use the same door each time for his potty. But since I moved he will not use it. He is now 9months old and I have been living in the new place for about 3 months now. I try tieing treats to the string that the bell sits on. I have had him ring the bell to go out side and give him a treat after he is done. But since I have been here he has had a lot more actadnets in the house. Becouse he real never barks so if I do not see him at the door he will just go in the house. I am not sure how to get him to ring the bell for me again.
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Hi Alicia. Thanks for your message. I encourage you to start over with the bell training. It’s clear that he “got it” the first time, but something has changed for him. Starting over with the training will hopefully put him back on the right track. Let me know how it goes, and good luck!
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