# Introducing Trixie



## MGMG (Mar 5, 2012)

Hello All,

I tried to introduce Trixie earlier, but did it in an existing thread so it kind of got buried. So I am trying again (Thank you to everyone e who already said hello ) . She is now 4 mos old and a very funny girl, keeping us all busy with her playfulness. I am including some photos that I posted before and a couple of new ones. I do have a question...what kind of bell does everyone use for 'bell training'. I did buy the kind that has five bells on it that hangs from the door. So far I have not been successful with Trixie using it. She sits by the door silently when she needs to go out, but no real attempt by her to 'nose' the bell even after we show her every time. Any advice would be appreciated.

Mishelle


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## Carefulove (Mar 20, 2009)

Mischelle, Welcome to you and Trixie. What an adorable little girl!!!


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## Thumper (Feb 18, 2007)

First, she is adorable!!! Just adorable!

We do the bells here and the best way is to spend some time each day teaching her, you sit on the outside of the door, maybe leave it cracked a wee bit if isn't glass/sliding (ours is) and hold a juicy, yummy treat and reward her and let her out when she knocks the bells, you could do it from the inside, but I found sitting on the outside of the door worked better when I was training Gucci. She just bats it with her nose/head/body.

One thing, once she catches on you MUST open the door every time she rings it and you will likely ask yourself *why*, as you are up every 10 minutes, just think of it as exercise and know that the novelty of it WILL wear off. I had about 3 days of her ringing the bell constantly and then it just stopped and now she mostly rings it to potty.

Congrats on your new baby!

Kara


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## MGMG (Mar 5, 2012)

Kara,

Thank you so much for your reply. Your suggestion is just what I needed. It sounds like something that will work! 

Mishelle


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

What a pretty girl, welcome to you and Trixie!


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## Rita Nelson (Jul 13, 2009)

Welcome Mishelle and Trixie. Trixie, you are just too cute. Tucker never used the bells and after 4 months of trying I gave up. He would stand up on the back door when he wanted to go potty. He'll be 3 on 4/4 and he now comes to us to let us know he wants/needs to go outside.


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## Ms Mithchell (Mar 9, 2012)

Trixie is such a pretty girl. I know she will bring you as much joy as Rio brings us.


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

What a sweetie.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Rita Nelson said:


> Welcome Mishelle and Trixie. Trixie, you are just too cute. Tucker never used the bells and after 4 months of trying I gave up. He would stand up on the back door when he wanted to go potty. He'll be 3 on 4/4 and he now comes to us to let us know he wants/needs to go outside.


That's what happened with us too. (Kodi will be 3 on 4/30) He was close to 2 yrs old when he finally started to TELL us he needed to go out. Until then, we avoided accidents because WE knew his schedule, and took him out at appropriate times.


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## Lisainidaho (Feb 1, 2012)

Trixie is a little doll - thanks for sharing the pictures. Sorry, I don't have any bell advice because I don't have my puppies yet. I pick them up on Thursday night though - can't wait!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Welcome and congratulations on your baby!! She is ADORABLE!!
I bell trained Tillie, and she caught on VERY fast, within a few hours of me juggling it with my foot (I have a bad back and can't bend over). At first she just sniffed it, it made a jingle and I jumped up praising her and let her outside... then it was MONTHS of her ringing the bell ALL the time and me NEVER 'ignoring' it. Now at almost 2 yrs old, when it is raining outside she ONLY rings it if she REALLY needs to go potty. If it is sunny outside... she will ring it more often. BUT we love the bell, she was completely potty trained by 4 1/2 months. Be patient and watch her for signs and signals..


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## Becky Chittenden (Feb 4, 2009)

Welcome to you and Trixie!


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## MGMG (Mar 5, 2012)

Best Wishes on your upcoming puppies!


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## MGMG (Mar 5, 2012)

Thanks for the encouragement. I will stick with it.


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

what a beauty! Love her coloring!!


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## rlewis (Sep 20, 2011)

I just bought a couple of bells for a bird and tied them on a rope and they hang down on the door handle. (Not even the door he goes out) Just the door in the family room we hang out in most of the time. I bumped his nose with it for a few times then said good boy and we would run to the back door. I one afternoon he had it all figure out. I just pack up the rope and bells when we travel and put them on motel door or whoevers house we are staying at and he will ring them to go out. He is 10 months old now. I think he has used the bell since about 6 months.


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## Charleysmom (Dec 6, 2011)

what a beautiful little girl. I love her markings.


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## MGMG (Mar 5, 2012)

rlewis said:


> I just bought a couple of bells for a bird and tied them on a rope and they hang down on the door handle. (Not even the door he goes out) Just the door in the family room we hang out in most of the time. I bumped his nose with it for a few times then said good boy and we would run to the back door. I one afternoon he had it all figure out. I just pack up the rope and bells when we travel and put them on motel door or whoevers house we are staying at and he will ring them to go out. He is 10 months old now. I think he has used the bell since about 6 months.


Thank you for sharing. Trixie is now 4 mos 2 weeks and is doing super at her potty (house) training - just not 'nosing the bell'. She has had less than a handful of 'accidents' (no. 1 only) and never no.2 (very interesting - she is extremely predictable though). We trained ourselves to be so vigilant about bringing her out. The latest break through was her letting us know that she needed to go out by her sitting at the door. We have had the bells hanging there from the day we brought her home (at 8 weeks) and ring them for her (putting them to her nose gently)- she just doesn't do it. An earlier suggestion was to do it with treats. I admit I have not done that yet, but will. I like your suggestion as to putting the bell closer to where we are in the home - I have wondered if I would hear it from a distance away. Thanks!


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## nlb (Feb 26, 2012)

Hi again! Your pup is still adorable!


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## RickR (Feb 15, 2007)

Trixie is super cute. Have fun with her.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

I have bell ringers! Whatever bells are loud! It may take more bells to make them loud. Lower the bells on the door so your pup can reach or bump into the bells. I actually hang my bells on the lower part of the door frame.

It took Jack awhile to catch onto the bell system, I about gave up. Then months later he rang the bell! Now, he is my bell ringer for NO good reason! Got to love these rascals! 

Every time you go out, you ring the bells. Let the pup see you ring the bells or have his paw touch the bells.... And say...."Ring the bells, let's go potty."


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## dogluv (Nov 13, 2011)

Trixie is gorgeous!!! What a beauty! Where did you get her? I was looking at a puppy that looked similar so I'm curious if she's from the same litter!


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## Beau's mom (Oct 6, 2011)

I worked with Beau to ring the bells, giving him a treat and taking him out every time he nosed them (5 bells on a ribbon -- loud enough to hear from anywhere in the house). This went on for weeks, but he really only did it when I asked him if he wanted to go out. It was frustrating. Then one day I realized that the bells were on the front door - between the storm door and the main door - which was closed when the weather was really cold. I moved the bells to the deck door (where I let him out on a tether). Within an hour, he was ringing the bell on his own. Of course, he challenged me for awhile by ringing over and over. But, I allowed him to go out every time. That was our turning point in housetraining!! Now, he finally rings the bells to tell me he needs to go out (almost) every time!!eace::whoo:


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## MGMG (Mar 5, 2012)

dogluv said:


> Trixie is gorgeous!!! What a beauty! Where did you get her? I was looking at a puppy that looked similar so I'm curious if she's from the same litter!


Thanks! She is so special to us. We got her from a breeder in Las Vegas. I so wanted a chocolate pup and we think she is perfect for our family.


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## MGMG (Mar 5, 2012)

A big thank you to everyone for sharing your stories/experiences with training your bell ringing pups. Trixie and I will get get at some point ! We are on our way with all your suggestions.


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## Eddie (Feb 11, 2012)

Welcome What a doll, her colors are beautiful.


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## rlewis (Sep 20, 2011)

What a cutie!!


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

Wow! She is gorgeous!!! Welcome


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## PotatoHeads (Apr 15, 2012)

What a cutie! I can't get over how beautiful she is....


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## Blue_Persuasion (Jan 4, 2012)

Trixie is GORGEOUS, Mishelle. I haven't read all three pages yet to see if it's been answered (sorry) but she looks like a chocolate. She's breathtaking!

The bell I got was a simple big jingle bell, one, about the size of a ping pong ball. I have a sidelight next to my door that has a gathered curtain on it, so I simply pinned it to that. It cost me $1 at Michaels.

Bobby is about 5 1/2 months old and was bell trained at about 12 weeks. Within about a day and a half, he was trained and using the bell. In the one or two weeks afterward, he only had a few accidents, and all but one were on the pee pad we kept at the front door. So he knew WHERE to go, but we figure he either didn't hit the bell hard enough to be heard or couldn't wait for my husband to come up from the basement to let him out (I'm fortunate in that my husband works from home and has been able to actively work with him).

Hope that helps.


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## Blue_Persuasion (Jan 4, 2012)

MGMG said:


> Thank you for sharing. Trixie is now 4 mos 2 weeks and is doing super at her potty (house) training - just not 'nosing the bell'. She has had less than a handful of 'accidents' (no. 1 only) and never no.2 (very interesting - she is extremely predictable though). We trained ourselves to be so vigilant about bringing her out. The latest break through was her letting us know that she needed to go out by her sitting at the door. We have had the bells hanging there from the day we brought her home (at 8 weeks) and ring them for her (putting them to her nose gently)- she just doesn't do it. An earlier suggestion was to do it with treats. I admit I have not done that yet, but will. I like your suggestion as to putting the bell closer to where we are in the home - I have wondered if I would hear it from a distance away. Thanks!


I think when we started Bobby, we didn't really engage HIM with the bell as much as it was that WE rang it before he went outside (all the while saying, "Bobby have to go potty/outside?") and then ringing it again when we came back in saying, "Good boy for going potty/outside!" He doesn't so much ring it with his nose or foot as he rubs his body against it and then sits and waits for one of us to put his harness on. Like somebody else said, at least for NOW, we rarely ignore a bell ring -- even though more and more he does it at times because he's bored or wants to go outside and eat worms. LOL There have been a few times, maybe while eating dinner, that I've ignored him and told him to wait, especially if I know he went out not long before the ringing. If he's just bored, he'll let it go. Othertimes, however, he's been insistent -- and he's happily surprised me with a number 2.


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## MGMG (Mar 5, 2012)

Again, many thanks to all for the very kind compliments regarding our Trixie. Our bell ringing training has been on sabbatical, but we will get back on it. I am fortunate that we have no 'accidents' in our home - I am super religious on taking her out. I have caught her in the good act of going to the door, just no bell ringing. All the stories of how everyone else has accomplished it are great and I appreciate them. Thank you!


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

Trixie is such a beauty. I'm sure she will bring your family much joy. I have the bells on the back door but my troops don't really use them. They all let me know, sometimes quite vocally, when they have to go.


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## clare (Feb 6, 2010)

Trixie is terrific!Love her colour,we seem to have be getting a few Chocolate Hav pups on the forum recently,I love them.Looking forward to hearing more about her and seeing more pics please.


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## MylilangelBella (Apr 20, 2012)

She is so adorable!


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Sorry I missed this. Trixie is absolutely beautiful and you take great pictures. Welcome.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Welcome! I just love her name!!! Can't wait to see more pictures.


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## Iris (Jan 2, 2012)

Trixie is beautiful! You have so much fun ahead of you. Enjoy!

Rudi is bell trained. He is 6 1/2 months. From the first time we took him out, we touched the bells with his paw, then took him out. He only rings the bell to go potty. I think this is because we use another door to take him out for any other reason, such as a walk or outing. I hope that once we start playing in the back yard he doesn't decide to start ringing the bells just to play outside. It wouldn't surprise me. Havanese are so smart. 

Hang in there. I am sure Tricks will catch on.


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