[Lunareclipse]

How do I get the dog to signal when it needs to go out? It doesn't do anything in the house, but it will go to the door and wait and wait and wait. Sometimes I have no idea how long it has been waiting. I have no way of seeing the back door from other rooms. So how can i get my dog to bark, scratch, pester me, or something to let me know when it needs to go out?

Just like with any sort of training, positive reinforcement is the key. Encourage the desired behavior with rewards such as treats, and over time your dog will get the right idea.

Whenever we have pups in the house we hang a bag of collar bells on the door, everytime they are sitting at the door to go out we kick the bag a few times then open the door, overtime the dog realises if it wants to go out s/he should just shake the bag to let us know. Always worked for us.

[crstev]

Everytime you go out the door to take the dog out, ring the bell hanging on the door. Eventually your dog will ring it when he wants to go out.

This bell method worked perfectly until someone in the family started taking the dog out the front door (no bell). Now the pup is confused and seems to have forgotten the door with the bell.

Bottom line - consistency is the key - we need to use the same door every time.

[wishbone]

Make a schedule, maybe around every two or three hours. Scheduling wake up time, meal time, play and exercise time and of course potty break time is much easier routine.

[lil mutt]

this is the first time i read about this kind of training...

[Lunareclipse]

the bells sound like a great idea. can you get them at the pet store? What do you hang them from? We have metal doors. Would hanging them beside the door work also?

[Lunareclipse]

I got the bells. Really great idea. I like it, but the dogs.....they don't like to be more than 2 feet away from me and won't leave my side long enoguh to go ring the bell. The puppy will if I go with him to the door. But only if i go with him.

[Lara's mom]

Those bells sound like an amazing idea! I wish I'd thought of that when Lara was a pup. She never tells me when she wants to go out, unlike Bailey who lets me know in no uncertain terms! I take Lara out on a regular schedule but, if I get distracted and am late, she goes on her paper. I wonder if she could learn to "ring the bells" at a year and a half old?

[sandyh]

Originally Posted by crstev

Everytime you go out the door to take the dog out, ring the bell hanging on the door. Eventually your dog will ring it when he wants to go out.

This bell method worked perfectly until someone in the family started taking the dog out the front door (no bell). Now the pup is confused and seems to have forgotten the door with the bell.

Bottom line - consistency is the key - we need to use the same door every time.

Try putting bells on all doors leading to the outside.