Training Your Pooch to Use a Dog Doorbell

1. Your first challenge is to teach your pup how to door bells for dogs. Hold it close to their nose and once they touch it say “ yes! ” in an encouraging and enthusiastic voice and give them a treat. You may need to draw them towards the dog bell at first by holding a treat behind it or by dabbing something really tasty on it. Peanut butter can work very well.
2. You can consolidate the learning process by repeating this over and over again. Eventually, your dog will readily touch the door bells for dogs but you must give plenty of praise and a treat. Some dogs take longer than others to get the hang of this so be patient. Once they can confidently touch the bell, start adding in a simple word such as “bell”. This is the cue word for them to ring the door bells for dogs.
3. Now you can hold the dog bell a little farther away from your pooch so they have to move towards it. Use the cue word to encourage them to touch it.
4. Place the dog potty bell on or beside the door that your dog will use to get out of your house when they need a pee or poop. Encourage them to touch the dog door bell using the cue word and when they do praise them enthusiastically and give them a treat.
5. Now that your dog is familiar with the dog bell, they can start to learn to use it to control how you react. Walk towards the door with your pup, say the cue word and as soon as they touch the dog door bell you need to open the door and take them outside at the same time as praising them. Eventually, they will learn that they can make you open the door by ringing the dog bell.
6. You may need to discourage your pup from door bells for dogs just to get you to go outside to play with them! They need to know that the dog bell is just for potty time. You can do this by clipping on their leash when they dog door bell and walking them to the spot in your yard where they eliminate. Stay with them for a while. If they don't do their business at this time, just take them back inside. If they do poop or pee, give them praise and a treat.
7. Training requires consistency and repetition. Make sure that everyone in the household is following the same method. Pups have a short attention span so several short training sessions are better than one long one.