Now that we I am back to running errands after Sandy (did not want to waste gas) ran to food store for a couple days provisions and back. Too many people needed gas to keep warm..no need for me to waste it.

I was finally able to make it to the craft store to pick up bells to try the bell training. I must have driven people nuts ringing all the bells trying to figure out which one my ears would hear!

Our girl just turned 5mths old. For the most part, she is very good about going out. However, I have missed her sign of standing by the back door looking outside. I am afraid that if I am in another room, I will not see it at all. So, I am trying the bell method. I have looked up some of the great posts and suggestions.

I have the bells hanging on the door that we will go out through when she needs to go. She has started nudging them and the first time actually had to go...all just by chance I am sure. I know that each time she rings them walk her. She has started to bark at them because she wants to play with them. Are there any other suggestions or warnings that anyone would have? Can I leave them on the back door (same door we use to go into the yard)?

Other more experienced people here might have much better understanding of the methods to train this, but what I did was to begin the training with a touch command.

I would probably go back to training kind of from the beginning because now she is used to barking at the bell, right?

- I would put my hand near the bell, treat etc, and go nearer and nearer the bell until she touches the bell with her nose.

- Then you could raise the criteria by making her touch only the bell with her nose. (you could use your "touch" hand to point at the bell and help her).

- For one day or two, I would take a moment to train this: leash her up, when she touches the bell with her nose, you would immediately open the door and step outside with her. Go inside again, she wants to go outside, she will touch the bell again. Repeat that some times, but not too many so would not be a boring game.

I feel the main problem people have with using the bell is that our beloved fluffy balls will ring the bell much more often than they actually need to go potty. My Pira uses the bell and I very happy about the results. She does try sometimes to ring it when she "just wants to go outside", but I have learned to distinguish the two different kind of rings. I took me a very long time to figure out these differences.

1) Whe she hears something outside (another dog barking, etc) she would excitedly go to the door and BELL! But she does not stop at the door and wait, she keeps walking around with her tail wagging. Same happens when she does not hear anything. She would still be very excited and just be walking in circles with a ball in her mouth. I have learned that with Pira, that means *no potty*.

2) If she rings the bell and looks intensely at us, sits or lay down in front of the door and waits patiently, that means she *does* need to go potty.

I know every dog is different, so I don't know what kind of other signs dogs give unintentionally that would be easy to differentiate between time go potty or just wanting to go outside to play and sniff around.

Good luck! Keep us posted! )

All best,
Tania

__________________


__ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __

i am very very lucky to have her.

(ah, double post, can't erase the second one)

__________________


__ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __

i am very very lucky to have her.

Here's a vid that explains it pretty well. Both of my dogs use bells.

__________________

Sorry, I have no idea why that posted twice, maybe I should go back to bed

__________________

I have taught all my dogs to ring the bells to go out....it was very easy to train them, and all my dogs have not been goldens. I didn't watch the video, it may be the way I trained mine...if you have any questions ask me, I'll be happy to help! Good luck. All mine were trained with in a few days, I'm sure yours will be too!

__________________
Misty & Gemma Misty and Holly
Sandy and Riley...miss you girlies

Ah!! I like Zak! I always watch his videos!
The only thing that I don't like about using the bell with the paws is the the nails can get caught. Or if you have a wood door, it would eventually get scratched. That's why she touches with the nose. It is a bell that does not have any sharp ends, actually it is a jingle bell! hehehe

__________________


__ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __ .. __

i am very very lucky to have her.

Bells are so great! Good luck with your training. We have been using them with Cooper since we got him at 8 weeks. We rang them every time we brought him out to go potty and within 3 days he was ringing them on his own. He also has different ways he uses the bells: ring the bells and then sits by the door and looks at us=I gotta go!, ringing the bells and walking away=I'm bored and am looking for attention, ringing bells and walking to water dish=I need a drink. Pups are so smart! I'm sure your doggie will learn quick too!

__________________
--Briana--