# Bell training question(s)



## ivyagogo (Sep 11, 2007)

Hey all. I haven't been out here in a while, but things with Gryff and Jinx are pretty good. However, neither of them 6 years and going on 2 years are yet totally reliable. I've been back to square one a zillion times.

Sometimes they tell us they have to go out, sometimes they don't. I was going to try the bell method, but I have some problems with it.

1) The door we go out of is a zillion miles away from the area that my husband and I usually are. There is no way we will hear the bell.

2) I did just try a bell and both my dogs felt in total fear of their lives.

So the question is - can the bell be anywhere or does it need to be by the door? I also can't hang it from the door knob because then it would go off anytime somebody comes home or does the laundry. Also, then how do I get them not afraid of the sound?

Much obliged.

Ivy


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## Ruthiec (Jun 18, 2013)

Is a pet flap an option for you? It has transformed our lives - I'm no longer having to think for Charlie as he just takes himself off outside whenever he wants. Back yard is scure so no worry about him getting out.


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## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

Has anyone tried the Tell Bell? http://www.tellbell.com/

I wonder if you could train your dogs to hit the bell if it's in the room where you're at versus by the front door?

-Jeanne-


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Ivy, have you trained them to bark on cue. I would try that , because it's always available.


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## ivyagogo (Sep 11, 2007)

Dave - Gryff is pretty trainable in every way except consistent potty. Jinx is dumb as a brick! Well that's not true. He will tell me if he is out of water or wants something that is on the counter. He will sit for treats, but I still can't even get him to a down position. My dogs are like Bert and Ernie. It's actually pretty amusing. 

Sometimes one or both of them will come to me and definitely let me know they want to go out. That is all Gryff will do. Sometimes Jinx will stand at the top of the stairs and whine. Other times he may stand at the door to the garage where we go out and whine. Other times, he will just go on the floor. He does something else really aggravating. We will go out and I give them plenty of time to go. Gryff will take care of business right away and sometimes Jinx will too. Other times, Jinx won't go or will only do one. We go back inside and he immediately turns around to go back out. I take him back out and he will to or might not. This sometimes goes on three or four times before I've had enough of him and go back in. This will result in him either chilling out and taking a nap or going someplace in the house.

It's really getting frustrating after years of this. I never had troubles with my dogs growing up. They scratched at the door, they went out.

Ruthie - I wish. We are not fenced in and even if we were, we have way too many wild animals here. This summer, we had three huge hawks living in my yard. I've seen foxes, coyotes, and lots of bear poop although I have yet to actually see one.

Funny story - I let Jinx off the leash in the yard this summer once to potty because he was driving me nuts. I looked to my left and there was a young deer. I was sure he was going to chase the deer through the woods and not come back. What happened was that he tried to engage the deer to play with him. It was so adorable. When he realized it was a lost cause, I called him and he came right back to me.


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

How many doors do you have that the dogs use to go out to potty??
I almost feel like maybe there are too many options and that is confusing to them??


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## ivyagogo (Sep 11, 2007)

No, only one door. It's just not the door near where my husband and I spend most of our time.


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