house training a dog

Do you believe that house training a dog can be simple? Well, I do. If you can teach your dog how to tell you when he needs to go outside, house training a dog becomes simple and fun. One of my favorite things to do is to simply teach your dog how to ring a bell when he needs to go outside.

…Dogs love to play games and learn tricks.

This method — which I call “Ring a Bell to Go Out” — works so well because your dog warns of thinking that it was his idea all along! If you want to teach your dog to ring a bell when he needs to go outside, all you need to do is follow these easy steps.

(By the way, if you want to see a complete step-by-step video on how this is done, visit this house training a dog entry on the Best Dog Ever blog. It’s fantastic!)

*Step 1. Find a bell. You want to be using a light-weight bell here and. (You want to make sure you don’t use something too heavy, like a cow bell.) Of course you need to choose the right size for your dog’s breed. (For example, a poodle doesn’t need a bell it’s as big as a German shepherd would need.)

*Step 2. Hang the bell from a door knob …in easy reach of the dog’s nose. (Don’t forget that what exactly nose level is is going to be different for different breeds.)

*Step 3. Every time before you take the dog out, say “Outside? Do you want to go outside?” Now, go out through the door, and manipulate the string so that the dog can’t help but bump into it and make it ring. (Don’t be afraid to shake the bell if you have to to make it ring.) All you have to do is repeat these steps for a couple days. What happens is that your dog starts to link up the sound of the bell with the behavior you want, which is going outside.

*Step 4. Once your dog isn’t watching, you can then place a small amount of cheese or peanut butter on the bell.

*Step 5. Now what? Well, wait and watch. There are generally two things that might happen …and both of these are good! A few dogs will immediately smell the food you’ve placed on the bell, go to it, and ring it right away.. 
Perfect! Say “Outside?” …So now it’s time to get the door open, take the dog directly to the potty area, and say “go potty.* Make sure to always give the dog a treat and praise when she does what you want.

Other dogs might have to be encouraged a little bit more if you want them to find the bell. 
If that happens to you try this: 
Hold the bell close to the dog’s nose so the dog smells the peanut butter, licks it, and rings the bell.

You can help your dog by shaking the bell so that it makes a sound, if your dog’s touch is too light to make it actually ring.) When the bell rings, now is the time to use your happy voice to ask “Outside?” … Now you want to open the door, lead your dog to the potty area, and tell her to “go potty.”

While the dog is pottying, softly repeat saying “go potty.” Then, Reward the dog with praise and a small food treat.

*Step 6. After the dog easily rings the bell, without your help, ask the dog “Outside?”…and now it’s time to wait patiently by the door until your dog figures out what you want and rings the bell. Then, of course, you want to take the dog outside to have her do her business.

Learning smart techniques for house training a dog is great for dogs of all ages! Don’t forget that older dogs will often times need more frequent bathroom trips. …However, the bell reminds us.

For some dogs is easy to learn the difference between what they’re allowed to do inside and what they’re expected to do outside.

Any dog that lives in a house without a doggy door will keep your home accident-free when they learn how to ring a bell. I love to use this trick whenever I’m traveling with my dog as well.

Simply bring the bell with you the next time you go away and attach it to the door of your room. …accidents won’t be something you have to worry about!