# Training to use bells.



## Rockporters (Jan 14, 2010)

After seeing how well Vegas did with using bells placed by the door, I decided to try the same with Jasper. 

I hung the bells next to the door, encouraged him to touch with his nose and then would praise and treat. Of course we would then immediately go out. Well it didn't take long before he lost interest. I'm still trying to encourage use but at this point he just looks at me as if to say "Duh, who are you kidding? We're going out whether I ring the dumb bells or not." :doh: Occasionally he nudges me and wants me to ring them. I guess one of us is really trainable LOL.

Any tips on how to train him to ask to go out using them?


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## Lincoln Love (Mar 9, 2010)

For me I left the door slightly open so the bells were hung at the perfect height so that when Lincoln wanted to go out he would accidentally hit them sometimes. If not, I would hit them when we went out. When the door opens, it automatically rings also so they get the idea sooner than later. It took a few weeks and now Lincoln rings the bells to go out. It's great because he doesn't scratch for wine/bark to go potty.


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## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

Don't touch them yourself ever! I never touched them at all, the only thing that ever touched the bells was Vegas's nose. When I was training him to do it I'd take his head in my hands and sweep his muzzle across the bells, saying 'Outside!' in a happy voice when I did, then the door would immediately open.

Sometimes he'll stand by the door to go out and look back and me and I'll say "What? I'm a stupid human, I don't understand. You'll have to show me," and I don't open the door until he DOES ring the bells.

I hope this helps!  Good luck training! I've been wanting to teach my four year old boxer how to do it so when I leave my parents will know when to let her out (they forget..) but it's harder to take her face across the bells since she resists and is fat and stubborn and heavy. :x


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## Rockporters (Jan 14, 2010)

Thanks for the tips! I've moved the bells back to the wall by the door. I've been brushing his nose across as suggested. It's a little tricky right now because he's dropping canine teeth like crazy. I may have to wait until his mouth isn't under attack LOL.


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## bigpoodleperson (Jul 14, 2009)

I did the same thing with Ry that FS is doing. I took Rys head in my hands and rang the bell with his nose. Everytime we went out for a day i did that. After literally One day he was ringing them himself to go outside!


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## Rockporters (Jan 14, 2010)

Well, so far no luck. I've been brushing his nose across the bells. He's such the stereotypical male (sorry guys!!)--why move your own nose across the bells when I am there to do it for you?? 

He seems to be thinking it's just something we do on the way out. He knows we're supposed to do it, and he expects to do it. He just doesn't see it as his key to going out when he wants/needs. We'll keep working on it.


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## myfunnyvalentine (Mar 9, 2010)

In my experience with Ivan learning bells, it really helped that he loves outside. He was motivated to do almost anything I asked to get back outside.


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## Birdie (Jun 28, 2009)

Hm, I hit the bells myself during training. At first, I had him hit it with his paw, like it was a trick, but he didn't understand that hitting the bells got him outside, he thought he was just going outside anyway. Then, I would smack the bell with my hand right before opening the door every single time we went out. After a point, I would look to him and see if he would ring them before me, if he understood that the bell and the door opening were sequential. He did! He caught on very quickly that the bells mean the door is opening and he goes out to potty, and eventually he began to ring the bells without me "prompting" him by initiating the trip outside. 

Good luck! Persistence is key here. If he won't ring it, I believe you have to. I don't really know about the making him do it by moving his face, I don't think he would really "get" it, but that's just me. It may work, but in my experience, forcing a dog to do something doesn't get the message across (like pushing him into a sit or pulling him into a down, I just don't think it's a very clear method).


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## Rockporters (Jan 14, 2010)

Yeah, moving his nose across isn't working either. I think at this point we're just doing a lot on the way out the door. Between putting on his collar and leash, and my coat and shoes there's a lot going on by the door already. I think if we had a fenced yard and could just let him out the message might be clearer.


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## Birdie (Jun 28, 2009)

Keep at it, Rockporters! Don't worry about it being too busy. Ring the bells every single time or else he really will lose the connection. Even if he knows that you putting your coat on means you're going outside, ring the bell anyways! I had to do the same thing (putting on the coat/shoes/etc) for a while during winter, and it is a bit harder since it's so busy and would have been a ton easier if we had a backyard, but he'll get it. Poodles are smart! Ring the bell for him, let him know that that is how he gets outside, not you putting on his collar. 
Dunno if this would work, but maybe you could try periodically getting ready to go out without actually going outside, or ring the bell and go out without your coat (brr! I know, but it's only for a second. There were many times I ventured out in freezing weather in shorts and a tank top to let him pee lol) so that he will only associate the bell consistently with going out. No matter what, the bell always rings when he goes out to potty, coat and shoes or no.


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## amerique2 (Jun 21, 2009)

If a dog is trained to make the bells sound when he wants to go out, what happens when you travel or go to someone else's house? Do you have to take a set of bells with you? ;-)


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## Birdie (Jun 28, 2009)

amerique2 said:


> If a dog is trained to make the bells sound when he wants to go out, what happens when you travel or go to someone else's house? Do you have to take a set of bells with you? ;-)


Yup! That's what I did whenever I went to my dad's house. I took the set of bells and had to sort of re-train him to do it, but it was easy since he already knew it. But I took them down at my dad's now, he has to be tethered there anyway (which means he can't even get to the bells/door to ring them), so I just take him out on a schedule.


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## puppylove (Aug 9, 2009)

I hung tiny windchimes on the door knob and every time I opened the door to let them out it would tinkle (not the dog, the chimes!). One day Jackson went to the door, nosed the chimes to get them to tinkle and I let him out to tinkle! It was the first thing he learned to do that he didn't learn from Hoot (who still comes and stands in front of me, staring, until I let him out). Of course my poodle is extremely smart (and if I was half as smart I would know how to insert an emoticon here)!


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## Rocketagility (Apr 27, 2010)

I a thinking some of you might be asking too much from your dogs lumping in the entire behaviour as one. How about teach a hand touch then teach the dog to touch a target. Then you can have the dog target the bells. Now bring the trained dog to the door and target the bell and open the door. Break your training down to smaller peices you will have better luck. 

Also if you think about it I am sure this behaviour could be broken down to even smaller peices of training.


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## HiSocietyPoodle (May 2, 2010)

*Bells, bells, bells...*

Are the bells and special type of bells/ Are they like jingle bells from Xmas? 

I do have some tiny wind chimes I might be able to use. But the bells seem better. I have a male/Toy Poodle.

Where can I get the type of bells you use?


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## bigpoodleperson (Jul 14, 2009)

I literally pulled out a bell from our christmas chest, and then found some ribbon. Tied the ribbon to correct puppy nose length and hung from door. After a couple of years Riley just stopped using the bells on his own. Now we dont hang the bells (but i still have them). He just goes to the door and sits. Barks at us 1 time if we dont notice or he really has to go. 

With my new puppy i will use the bells also and train them the same way i told about as it worked so well for us (im sorry not many others had good results from this way, but literally ONE day and my puppy was ringing the bells on his own, but he has always caught on extreamly early).


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## Lincoln Love (Mar 9, 2010)

Welcome To Poochie Bells

You can find the bells here 

Use the coupon code "face" for free shipping below:
www.poochiebells.com


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## HiSocietyPoodle (May 2, 2010)

*bigpoodleperson * -- Great idea!

*Lincoln Love* -- Too Cool! Thank you I'm going to order some.


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