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Jingle bells

5K views 15 replies 10 participants last post by  Mikey 
#1 ·
I had the hardest time housetraining Opal. She didn't completely stop having accidents until she was about 9 months old. Then someone told me about the jingle bell method and in three days we had Jasper trained to ring the bells when he had to go out. Both he and Opal continue to ring them every time they have to go out.

We took two bells and tied them to a long ribbon which we tied to the doorknob so the bells are at nose level to the dog. Whenever we thought Jasper needed to go we'd put him in front of the bells and he'd either touch them out of curiosity or we'd give him a nudge until they rang. He soon learned that ringing the bells meant to do his business outside.
 
#2 ·
that's a great method and I've met alot of people that do that.
My two Poms were sooo bad about going inside the house because when I was gone (I'm normally the one taking them outside) my parents or my sister would not take them out unless they would not stop barking or whinning...hence accidents. I was going to try that method...but we got them potty trained :)
 
#3 ·
This sounds like an excellent idea. Jynx is 11wks old and doing well with housebreaking, but she doesn't bark or whine she just goes to the door. If I am busy doing something and don't see her she eventually gives up an goes in the house. This would be great, I could hear when she needs to go. I am going to start this tomorrow. Thanks for the great idea.
 
#5 ·
Hi

I visited a friends house not long ago and they used the bell method for their dogs. I seen how well it worked for them and decided to try it with my dogs. I started it 2 days ao and my lab, Colt, has already picked it up and started using the bell. My yorkies, Joey & Jacey, haven't quite mastered it yet, lol, but I keep trying it with them. I know yorkies r harder to train them some other pups, but hopefully soon they'll b doing it. Good luck on everyone else trying it!!:dog-tease:
 
#6 ·
that bell method works great!! I taught my pom a few years ago, and she still does it to this day. It really helps when you are across the house, and that is the only way they can let you know. I use sleigh like christmas bells for my front doors. It is really cute to see them do it also.
 
#7 ·
Yay! I'm so happy to hear all the jingle bell success stories! We take care of my mom and dad's poodle mix sometimes and my two dogs taught her to ring the bell so now my mom has bells on her door. :D
 
#9 ·
depends....I was honestly shocked to see so many success stories in this thread...

heres my take on it...your dog might accidently ring the bells when they have to pee and from that moment on your pretty set.

otherwise you have to train it, how well that goes depends on the trainer :p

the other thing is the dog learns to ring the bells so the door opens ...not I have to pee so I should ring the bell. if you have a dog that just likes to be outside...they are still going to bug you ringing to be let out...lol



 
#10 ·
oooh this is something i've been thinking of training clover to do! it is really hard to tell when he is asking to go out bc he likes to sit/lay on the rug by the door...i'd move the rug to be sure, but we need it to keep all the outside from being tracked into the inside.....
i was hoping to teach him that ringing the bell meant the door was opened...but afraid he wouldn't make the connection about doing it to potty:ponder:i guess, it couldn't hurt to train him to ring the bell and see what happens
 
#11 ·
in theory the dog will learn potty only outside first...and that the bells are his key to get him outside...but making that connection happen isn't as easy as people think...

I think the dog wants to go outside...and just happens to pee out there...so people think the dog wanted out to go pee....I think the dog just wanted out and happened to pee.

most of the time at least... Iam sure that it can be taught like a behavior chain and the dog can understand it, but I don't think thats what most people are really seeing, at least at first.

did that make sence? Lol

either way no harm...you can always take the bells down. :)



 
#12 ·
Well my dogs are fire drill trained, so any bell causes alertness.. ( And the alarm training- the alarm goes off and they wait for me to call them.. I think I shared my fire alarm training with ya all... ) I would think it would be easy to get them to ring a bell to go out. Mine just " thump the door" with the paw like " OPEN THIS THING WOULD YA????!" - BUT THEY are sighthounds so what else can I say.. lol )
 
#14 ·
Well my dogs are fire drill trained, so any bell causes alertness.. ( And the alarm training- the alarm goes off and they wait for me to call them.. I think I shared my fire alarm training with ya all... ) I would think it would be easy to get them to ring a bell to go out. Mine just " thump the door" with the paw like " OPEN THIS THING WOULD YA????!" - BUT THEY are sighthounds so what else can I say.. lol )
i don't remember this, but it sounds very interesting, please share more!



 
#13 ·
he hasn't pottied in the house for a very long time, holds it during the day, its about 6 hours from the time i leave in the morning until i let him out on my lunch break, so i think we've got that outside is where we potty...
as far as teaching the behavior chain, that would be the last thing in the chain and the hardest to teach and the most important...
so far i've just been having him do a "touch" fist target just before i open the door...i don't even have a bell yet...as far as my next step, i was thinking i would teach him a touch target on the bell in my hand? then hang the bell on the door?
really it isn't a big deal, i was mostly hoping to help him be able to indicate the difference between hanging out in a favorite spot and waiting by the door to be let out...for right now, we go out everytime i see him anywhere near there...he'll squeeze out atleast a drop almost everytime i tell him to go potty...



 
#16 ·
That's funny-I only knew people who used this, as Crio said-to ask out. Not for potty training but so that they didn't scratch at the door or bark.

We are actually thinking about doing this for Mikey because he won't 'ask' in, he just sits at the door and waits...
 
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