# Qustions: On the Bell System



## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I am pretty sure I can train Dexter on the bell system, but how do you get the pup from not wanting to play with it all the time or trying to get at it all the time. 

Dexter thinks anything new can be a toy or eaten or chewed with...any suggestions?


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

When I figure that one out, I'll let you know. :biggrin1: Kodi knows what to do, because if I ask him to ring the bells, he will do it. Shelby is a slow learner, but she picked up the bells with lightening speed. She rings them all the time, because she loves to go outside. When she gets really annoying, I usually take them off the door for a few hours.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

That was funny! I guess it is not time for the bells yet...... I will stand on guard like a hawk until Dexter finally gets it!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

We have started the "bell system" today. I will post on our progress. Dexter 4 1/2 months old. I made my little bell system from one yard of wide ribbon, bell, and a loop to hang the bell from and hung bell from the front door.

Prior to the bell system, Dexter will go to the door occasionally, sometimes we would see Dexter and sometimes not. Oh! Dexter would never have an accident near the door! Only in his favorite spots! 

Dexter is potty trained at night, he stays in our room at night next to the bed. In the early morning, Dexter will whimper softly or jump on the side of the bed to get our attention to take him outside. 

During the day, he is nowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww being tethered to me because of the many pee accidents during that last few days (raining).

Let's see how the bell system goes......


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## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

I've been trying the bell for about a week. Tess runs the other way whenever the bell rings and then won't come past it to go out the door - sort of defeats the purpose! - and Cody doesn't seem to like to touch it. I haven't figured out if he doesn't like the sound or maybe the smell?

I think I read somewhere that when you first start training with the bell you need to make sure and take them out every single time they ring it and if you want it to be used only for "potty" you should go out with them on a leash to limit their activity?


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## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

We hung up the bells the day we brought Miley home at 12 weeks. I would ring them everytime I took her outside to go poddy. Didn't take her long to know when to ring them. I also wait for her to go poddy when I take her out. If she gets distracted, I remind her to "go poddy, and you get a treat". Then she goes about her business. Every once in a while she'll ring the bells because she's bored and wants to play in the yard, but generally, she only uses them when she has to go poddy. It's funny...when she has to go BAD....she rings them really hard, and several times. I can tell she has to go bad, because she HURRIES to find her spot in the yard. I love the bells...wish we had had them with our first dog...


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Thank you so much for replying. 

Dexter has been sleeping a lot today or we have been running errands in the car, so I have not had to much of a chance to use the bell yet today....still waiting to play the game again.


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## DAJsMom (Oct 27, 2006)

The bells are funny. Dusty rings them just to go outside. We worked with her to ring the bells and she just ignored them for several months, and long after we had given up, she started ringing them to go outside. At this point she usually tries looking anxious by the back door before she tries ringing the bell.

Indie, on the other hand, learned to ring the bell to go out within just a couple of days. The trouble is, she has decided they are her butler bell. She rings them to go out. She rings when her water bowl is empty. She rings when she is hungry. She rings when she wants attention. She rings most often when she is hungry for a meal and we have just sat down to dinner! Drives me crazy, but it works for her!

We taught the dogs to ring the bell by using their paw or nose to ring it, then opening the door and giving them a treat outside. We did this several times in a row for a few days and it did the trick. We've just started working with Jackson on it today.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Well, I thought for sure that Dexter would be playing with the bells as a toy, but out of sight out of mind. 

Dexter will ring the bells, when he is leashed and told to, then we immediately go outside to potty. 

I am waiting for the moment that Dexter rings the bells on this own. 

We attached the ribbon with the bell attached to a little cup hook on the door frame, so the door does not ring every time we open the door. 

The fun of training! I love it!


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## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

DAJsMom said:


> Indie, on the other hand, learned to ring the bell to go out within just a couple of days. The trouble is, she has decided they are her butler bell. She rings them to go out. She rings when her water bowl is empty. She rings when she is hungry. She rings when she wants attention. She rings most often when she is hungry for a meal and we have just sat down to dinner! Drives me crazy, but it works for her!


ound:ound:I like Indie's style! I need a bell like that!


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## Brady's mom (Dec 1, 2006)

Dugan is with Indie. I refer to them as "cookie bells" since DH always gives the boys a cookie when they come back inside. Shockingly, they like to go out all the time. Dugan will ring the bells, jump out the door and back in, and stare at my DH for his cookie. He also will ring them to get me off the couch to play with him. All in all, they are worth it though.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Time will tell.....I hope my little Dexter does not "abuse the bell system." No treats here for pottying, just "good boy," "Hurry up."


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

Scooter has done really great with them! If he has to go he'll ring over and over until we take him out but if he just wants attention he'll ring them and then walk away or lie down. Then one of us calls him over for a pat or a toy and he's fine. It's gotten much better the older he gets and I love knowing when he has to go out. I was afraid I wouldn't notice him at the door and I didn't want him to scratch.


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

I love them for Tucker, too! He learned to use them to go out, reliably, in just a couple of weeks. Our cat even learned through watching Tucker! (Ha!) It is very important that you open the door each and every time they ring the bells, though, as they learn. It was tedious at first, but well worth it before too long! 

Tucker did ring them more at first, but he outgrew that as the novelty wore off, and he just rings them when he wants the door open now. That is almost always when he wants out to go potty, but occasionally he'll ring them because the cat wants in, (he's such a gentleman!) or if he wants to sniff the fresh air.

When we traveled to another state to visit family, he had no trouble ringing them in that house to be let out for potty. It was very handy, and nice to not have to worry about him having an accident when we couldn't see him back by the backyard door.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

We are getting closer! Dexter rang the bell after he was leashed and at the door without me reminding him to ring the bell.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I have to tell SOMEONE! People at work will think I am crazy! My husband called me from home to let me know that Dexter rang the bell all by himself with no one near the door and dh heard it, took wonderful Dexter outside and peed! :whoo:


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

HavaneseSoon said:


> I have to tell SOMEONE! People at work will think I am crazy! My husband called me from home to let me know that Dexter rang the bell all by himself with no one near the door and dh heard it, took wonderful Dexter outside and peed! :whoo:


I'm sitting here laughing out loud at your last sentence...but, I'm assuming that it is Dexter who peed, not your husband when he took Dexter out...:biggrin1: But, I couldn't help but chuckle!

Meantime, YEAH, DEXTER! Good boy! You guys are doing a great job with him!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

ound: That is too funny!


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## Cheryl (Mar 17, 2007)

When you train your dog, your dog also trains you. We used the doggie door bell and Brutus was great about ringing it to go outside. Then we got Roxie and he would show her how to get me downstairs: ring the bell. 

We eventually evolved to a doggie door.


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## MaddiesMom (Apr 1, 2007)

Yay Dexter! Now that he knows the bell will get him outside, be prepared for lots and lots of bell ringing. Or maybe Dexter will be a good boy and only ring it for pottying. Maddie on the other hand, will ring it just 'cuz she wants to go outside. Or she'll ring it to tell me its dinnertime and I'm late fixing hers. Kimberly had to take Maddie's bells down when she stayed with her while we were on vacation. Maddie would ring them incessantly to go out and play. 

Good work training Dexter!!:clap2:


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Observation I made the other morning. I work nights, so I come home around 7:30am. Dh usually takes Dexter out around 4 or 5 am when dh gets out of bed. 

So, I get ready to take Dexter outside when I come home, because I am not sure if Dexter already had a potty break....., leashed Dexter, and I tell Dexter to ring the bell and he will not ring the bell after several commands. Dexter is usually very excited to ring the bell to go outside. I ring the bell and we go outside.

Well.......Did Dexter not want to ring the bell because he did not want to go outside?

He peed very briefly, so I am thinking that Dexter was already taken outside earlier. 

Dexter does give me the look when he wants to go outside when I am sitting in the living room. I have also noticed that Dexter can be on the other side of the room and I ask him, if he wants to go outside and Dexter shows no interest. 

Just wondering just how smart these dogs are?


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## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

These guys are smart....if they could only talk.
I would guess Dexter didn't have to go, so didn't see any point to ringing the bell.
I'm sure he was thinking "Geez lady, I JUST went poddy!?!"
I'm sure there are many times when Miley just agrees to do something to appease me...


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Linda,
That's such a smart little guy, as I'm convinced all these Havs are. It made me smile to read Dexter didn't want to ring the bell. I wouldn't be at all surprised that he just didn't need to go outside to go potty.

Tucker doesn't always want to go out, like when I'm about to leave and need to make sure he's had a potty break. I'll insist he goes out, then I wait for him to go potty. If he's not going, I wave my arm out over the yard and tell him "I've got to go bye bye, and you need to go out to potty." There have been several times when he practically sighs, trots on out, and half-heartedly raises his leg while looking back over his shoulder at me to make sure I'm watching. I tell him "good boy" and he runs back to the house. I've checked the spot where he "went" a few times after these episodes, and it's dry.

Smart little stinker! He knows he has to go out and lift his leg, pretending to go potty, before I'll let him back inside.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

Sheri-ound:


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## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

Sheri, that is SO funny!
Now I'm wondering how many times Miley has "faked" it. 
What they don't do to make us happy, huh???


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## baxterboy (Mar 17, 2009)

It took Baxter a while to learn the bells (about 3 weeks of me ringing them each and every time I opened the door for about 2 weeks, then about a week of me taking his paw and batting the bells each and every time I opened that door to take him out.) He didn't touch them until one day I was in the kitchen and heard the very faintest ringing.... and sure enough there he was sitting right next to the door. Now he rings them whenever he wants to go out.... but many times, he rings them when he just wants to go out to play. It's not that big of a deal since there's 5 of us.... dh, myself and the kids take turns. We have a fenced in yard though, and Bax will simply not stay out there without company. So sometimes, if he's just been out and has gone potty, then rings the bells shortly thereafter to play, I open the door and tell him to go play. He'll usually run out, grab a stick and immediately come back inside. Then I take the stick away, and that's pretty much the routine


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## nebraskahavmom (Mar 19, 2009)

I'm going to try the bell system today, as we've totally lost almost all potty-training in the last 2 days. Stormy has pooped in the house twice, and pee'd in the house twice in the last 2 days. He is sleeping thru the night, so that is good (he's 13 weeks old). I hope the bells work for us.


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

Diane,
The bells work really well, at least for those of us who like them! 

Stormy is very young, still, though, so it won't be the answer to potty training. I know there are a few people on the Forum who found their hav's easy to housetrain, but I sure wasn't one of them. I was extremely conscious of not wanting ANY accidents in the house, so had to take Tucker out A LOT, like every half hour, because he seemed to want to go a little that often if he was loose. (In his crate he was fine for 2-3 hours during the day, and longer at night.) Tucker was 5 months old when the light finally went on in his little head "oh, she wants me to only go potty outside!" He didn't have a clue before that! 

Anyway, the bells work great to let you know he wants to go outside, but it only works once he realizes that he needs to go outside to go potty.

My cat also rings the bells, now, too! Ha!

Good luck, and have fun!


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

I'd say it took a while for Scooter to mostly be reliable too, but he did learn quickly. Just make sure to ring it EVERY time you go out for potty and keep saying "potty" when ringing the bell. Good luck, we love it!


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## Renee (Mar 27, 2008)

Miley has a "new" thing when she rings the bell to go outside. After she rings it, I walk over to let her out, and she rolls onto her back with her feet in the air, with her big puppy dog eyes staring at me. So I carry the princess outside (we have to go thru the garage to get to the backyard). Do you think she's trying to tell me something else? DH says she's spoiled and "doesn't want her precious paws to touch the concrete" in his hoyty-toyty voice. What do you think??


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

I think she wants a tummy rub! ound:


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## mitrus (Apr 6, 2008)

Daisy learned to ring our bell very quickly. We use a small wind chime that we hang on the wall next to the door. She was scared of it a first, but then I put a small piece of chicken on it. When she ate the chicken the bell rang and I took her outside. I did this for two days every time I took her out. Sometimes she would ring the bell looking for chicken and I would take her out. After two days she had it down, I was shocked with how quickly she pick it up. We have an older dog (terrier mix) that is 11, bless her heart she is not very smart but very sweet. About a month after Daisy started to ring the bell Piper started to ring the bell too. We thought that was so funny, she just learned by watching Daisy.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Be patient......your pup is very young and you will have accidents. I watched Dexter like a hawk and we took him outside every 45 minutes...lots of praise!


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Dexter is still......................... working on the bell system! :frusty: I think it is my fault for taking him out too much and I do not give him a chance to ring the bells when he REALLY needs to go outside. 

Today, I was sitting on the chair in the living room and I am seeing Dexter going to the front door, I cannot see him because of the sofa. So, Dexter comes to the end of the sofa to look at me.....I know what he wants.....so, I tell him, "Outside, ring the bell!" It took at least 2 minutes of me just sitting there and Dexter finally rang the bell! :whoo:

Dexter is just stubborn and wants his own way, he knows what I am saying! Dexter thinks he is the boss. :frusty:

It will be a constant training, but that is ok! I love being with Dexter and he gives me something to do.


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