Everyone knows that potty training a puppy can be difficult. Even when you stick to a regular schedule, your pup may still have accidents inside when nature calls before your schedule allows you to respond. To try and avoid these mishaps, you can teach your dog to communicate when they need to go outside.
Signs Your Dog May Need to Go
Some dogs instinctively signal when they need to go. Their tell may be obvious, such pawing at the door or whining insistently at you. Other signals that you may not be picking up on include:
- sniffing at the ground in a searching-for-a-good-place-to-go manner
- circling or pacing back and forth
- moving to a corner or another room where you can’t see them
- staring at you for an extended period of time
If your dog does not exhibit any of these behaviors, or if you have a difficult time noticing or picking up on their cues, you can teach your dog to perform more obvious behaviors.
Bells to Help Them Communicate
One way to teach your dog to communicate in an alternative way is by utilizing bells.Not only are they visual, they are also audible so that you can hear your pup “asking” even when you are in another room.
Steps to Teach Your Pup to Ring a Bell:
- First, obtain your bells. There are some that come on nylon straps that are made to be hung on doorknobs, or you can make your own by tying a cowbell or jingle bells to string. Make sure the bells hang within reach of your dog’s nose.
- Every time you bring your dog outside to use the bathroom, ring the bells. Use an audible command as well, such as “touch”. Some people say the command they use when encouraging their dog to eliminate, like “go potty” or “do your business”. It is your choice as to the command you use; the important thing is consistency and creating an association between the command, the bells, and being let outside to go.
- After you have been ringing the bells yourself for 1-2 weeks, teach Rover to touch it with his nose. First try saying the command and pointing to the bells; often the dog has already begun to form the connection and can understand that the bell needs to ring before the door opens. If they need encouragement, have treats on hand. Hold the treats close to the bells and give them to him once his nose makes the bells ring.
- Remain consistent. It may take a few weeks before your dog gets good at ringing the bells, but you must insist they ring them before you open the door. Be sure to celebrate the first time your dog rings them on their own! It is such an accomplishment and relief the first time your dog wanders over to the door and nudges the bells without any prompting from you. This shows that they understand that ringing the bells means they get to go outside. Even if they do not need to go to the bathroom, you should still take them outside and reward them for using the bells properly.
The experts at Gulf Coast K9 Dog Training have a deep bench of knowledge, and are ready to help you train you puppy in the best way possible. If you have any questions or concerns about your dog’s behavior, give us a call today.
