Stop back later today for the Quilt Square Quilt Along….
About four weeks when I was shopping in the pet section I saw that they had a bell that hangs on the door for puppy training. Supposedly if you hang the bells on the door handle of the door that a dog exits to go outside from, the dog can eventually learn to ring the bell to tell their owner that they want to go outside. I was skeptical but the bell was only about $10 so I decided to give it a try. Trust me, I have spent $10 more foolishly.
Ruby has taken to this like MAGIC. The first few times I would take her nose, push the bell with it, then put her outside. After doing that about five times, she did it on her own. Gradually she started doing it more often. She didn’t do it every time, but often. For the last two weeks, she has been really consistent. I was nervous that she would forget how to ring the bell while we were away for the wedding, but she didn’t. Yes she still has a few accidents. Once in a while it’s because I don’t get to the door fast enough after she rang the bell but all it all she is doing amazing.
When we hear the bell, everyone in the house jumps.
I am completely and totally sold on the bells. You can see them hanging from the knob of the door. I told the vet about this when Ruby got her shots last week. The vet said the bells are very effective with dogs. She went on to tell a story about a couple that had a dog. They would hide the bells and the dog would find them and ring them when it wanted to go out. She said the couple even took the bells with along with the dog if they visited friends. The dog would ring them to go outside then too.
I honestly think these PoochieBells Classic Dog Potty Training Doorbell in Bad to the Bone Black and White Wording
What a wonderful idea! Wish I’d had that when we trained our black lab…now those were “big” accidents! Hmm, wonder if it would have worked with the twins too??? ;-))))
Hugs and happy bell ringing!
I have these bells too for my poodle. My husband thought I was nuts when I got them but they work like a charm. The funny thing is sometimes when you make her wait she hits them again harder as if to say , “Did you not hear me!” Glad they are working for you.
Have a relative with 2 King Charles Spaniels (who are 2 of the sweetest dogs) and they trained them to ring the bells to go out. Works great! Wish I had known about them when we had dogs!
That’s awesome. My family is looking to get a new family member after the first of the year. I will definitely give this a try. Thanks!
I guess it depends on the dog. We had the bells hanging for years, and tried to get our dog interested in them, but he never rang them. Every little neighbor that came in, though, loved to play with them.
I have a friend who’s cat would ring a bell when it wanted out. She never had to have a litter box because the cat preferred to go outside. I never thought about using that for a dog. Thanks for sharing.
My sweet dog Sophie learned to do this… and taught me! I had hung two (working) Christmas bells on red ribbon on the back door. I’m guessing the first time she did it she was sratching the door, but i let her out. No more sratching door, just ringing the bells.
I sure miss her.
Your stories @ Ruby are delightful; thanks so much for sharing them.
Brilliant…not just cute as a button but smart too!! Ruby is adorable!
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I’ve never heard of that, but I can see how it would be a great tool. Ruby is adoable and getting so big!!
The bells work for cats too. No more litter box!! In fact, my cat taught my dogs to ring the bells. My pets are inside/outside critters so I’ve hung bells outside too and they ring to come back inside. Sounds like a tiny knock at the door. It’s gets louder if we don’t respond. I made my own strings of bells from brass clapper bells purchased years ago at Pier 1.
Great idea, Jo. We will have to try this. Brody never asks to go out because we take him out way before he has a chance to ask. We even have some bells that would work perfectly. Does Ruby ever ask to go out just to play? I have a feeling Brody would do that. He loves being in our fenced backyard so much.