For whom the bell tolls?

sharona1973 · 10-10-2005, 06:57 PM

Hi guys....

I've been trying to teach Mocha how to ring a bell to go out to potty. I had started with a service bell (the kind you see in hotels and offices) and he didn't seem to catch on, so I switched to a jingle bell tied to the door. He didn't seem to get it either. He would touch the bell with his nose sometimes, but it wouldn't ring.

So last night I put the service bell back on the floor and rang it before taking him out last night.

Well, my SO was working the evening shift tonight and so was at home. Guess what? Mocha rang the bell....TWICE!!

So...I'm home now and Mocha has yet to attempt ringing the bell with me home.

However, I'm beginning to wonder if it's actually dependent on who he is ringing the bell for. My SO doesn't pay as much attention to him and I do. I pretended not to see what he was doing tonight and he sat by the door, laid by the door, sat by the bell...about 5 times before I finally got up and took him out because I was afraid that he would mess up and potty in the house. I think maybe he doesn't ring the bell for me because he knows I'm more intune to when he needs to go? I'm the primary doggie person and the one that always takes him out...I wonder if he trusts that I will get him out on time? At least that's what I'm telling myself!

I'll let you know if he rings the bell for me. Anyone else with a similar experience?

mistyd5770 · 10-11-2005, 04:13 PM

How long have you been bell training? It took Harley about a 1 1/2 to really catch on.

sharona1973 · 10-11-2005, 07:42 PM

I tried training with him with the service bell for about 1 week and then bought a jingle bell and used that for 2 weeks. When that didn't work, I went back to the service bell. He would try to touch the jingle bell and it wouldn't ring, so I thought to go back to the service bell.

It's just that he has rung the service bell for my SO twice on Monday and has yet to ring the bell with me. Tonight, he has been pacing back and forth at the patio door and even started pawing at the door and whining.....but did not ring the bell. I finally walked over to the bell and told him to ring it.....he did twice (after a lot of prompting)...once with his nose and once with his paw. I gave him treats and took him out after the second ring.

I'd take any advice!

Jamilupine · 10-11-2005, 08:56 PM

If he was nosing at the bell but not making noise, I would have considered that a step in the right direction and let him out with lots of praise. Once he's doing that consistently to get out, I would have required a stronger response. This can ususally be accomplished by standing there and waiting him out. Sometimes Lucy stands and paws the air next to the bell, but doesn't hit it. Then she looks at me like - hey, let me out. I just stand there and look at her. She gets frustrated and hits the bell. But you have to make sure he is consistently touching the bell, even a little, to get out. Then, when he really wants out he'll hit the bell harder if you don't respond the first time. Patience.

Just some advice, but use whatever method or bell that's working!

sharona1973 · 10-11-2005, 09:12 PM

Hi Jami,

Yeah, the jingle bell on the door was just not working for us. Mocha would try to nose it sometimes and it just wouldn't make a noise. I finally put the service bell back on the floor and he did ring it twice on Monday for my SO...but he hasn't done it for me yet. I'm just bummed out that he doesn't do it for me!!!!

Like tonight...again, he did his little dance at the door....even stood on his hind legs at the door and sniffed it several times and even laid down by the bell....all told he did this for about another 20 minutes and I finally caved in because I was scared he was going to mess up. So I walked over to the bell and told him to ring it and then I took him outside.

Hopefully he will catch on soon....I'm just wondering if he is selectively ringing the bell?

Jamilupine · 10-11-2005, 10:40 PM

He might be. Just keep up making him ring the bell before he goes out. It may take some time, but he will get it. This whole puppy business takes some patience!

Make sure you don't let him out without ringing the bell and he should pick it up eventually!

10-10-2005, 06:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
sharona1973 Proud mom of Mishka&Mocha Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Shreveport, Louisiana Posts: 161 Rep Power: 66	For whom the bell tolls? Hi guys.... I've been trying to teach Mocha how to ring a bell to go out to potty. I had started with a service bell (the kind you see in hotels and offices) and he didn't seem to catch on, so I switched to a jingle bell tied to the door. He didn't seem to get it either. He would touch the bell with his nose sometimes, but it wouldn't ring. So last night I put the service bell back on the floor and rang it before taking him out last night. Well, my SO was working the evening shift tonight and so was at home. Guess what? Mocha rang the bell....TWICE!! So...I'm home now and Mocha has yet to attempt ringing the bell with me home. However, I'm beginning to wonder if it's actually dependent on who he is ringing the bell for. My SO doesn't pay as much attention to him and I do. I pretended not to see what he was doing tonight and he sat by the door, laid by the door, sat by the bell...about 5 times before I finally got up and took him out because I was afraid that he would mess up and potty in the house. I think maybe he doesn't ring the bell for me because he knows I'm more intune to when he needs to go? I'm the primary doggie person and the one that always takes him out...I wonder if he trusts that I will get him out on time? At least that's what I'm telling myself! I'll let you know if he rings the bell for me. Anyone else with a similar experience?

10-11-2005, 04:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
mistyd5770 Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 41 Rep Power: 0	How long have you been bell training? It took Harley about a 1 1/2 to really catch on.
mistyd5770 Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 41 Rep Power: 0

10-11-2005, 08:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
Jamilupine We Graduated! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Modesto, CA Posts: 547 Rep Power: 72	If he was nosing at the bell but not making noise, I would have considered that a step in the right direction and let him out with lots of praise. Once he's doing that consistently to get out, I would have required a stronger response. This can ususally be accomplished by standing there and waiting him out. Sometimes Lucy stands and paws the air next to the bell, but doesn't hit it. Then she looks at me like - hey, let me out. I just stand there and look at her. She gets frustrated and hits the bell. But you have to make sure he is consistently touching the bell, even a little, to get out. Then, when he really wants out he'll hit the bell harder if you don't respond the first time. Patience. Just some advice, but use whatever method or bell that's working!
	__________________ ~Jami

10-11-2005, 10:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
Jamilupine We Graduated! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Modesto, CA Posts: 547 Rep Power: 72	He might be. Just keep up making him ring the bell before he goes out. It may take some time, but he will get it. This whole puppy business takes some patience! Make sure you don't let him out without ringing the bell and he should pick it up eventually!
	__________________ ~Jami

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10-11-2005, 07:42 PM	#3 (permalink)
sharona1973 Proud mom of Mishka&Mocha Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Shreveport, Louisiana Posts: 161 Rep Power: 66	I tried training with him with the service bell for about 1 week and then bought a jingle bell and used that for 2 weeks. When that didn't work, I went back to the service bell. He would try to touch the jingle bell and it wouldn't ring, so I thought to go back to the service bell. It's just that he has rung the service bell for my SO twice on Monday and has yet to ring the bell with me. Tonight, he has been pacing back and forth at the patio door and even started pawing at the door and whining.....but did not ring the bell. I finally walked over to the bell and told him to ring it.....he did twice (after a lot of prompting)...once with his nose and once with his paw. I gave him treats and took him out after the second ring. I'd take any advice!

10-11-2005, 09:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
sharona1973 Proud mom of Mishka&Mocha Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Shreveport, Louisiana Posts: 161 Rep Power: 66	Hi Jami, Yeah, the jingle bell on the door was just not working for us. Mocha would try to nose it sometimes and it just wouldn't make a noise. I finally put the service bell back on the floor and he did ring it twice on Monday for my SO...but he hasn't done it for me yet. I'm just bummed out that he doesn't do it for me!!!! Like tonight...again, he did his little dance at the door....even stood on his hind legs at the door and sniffed it several times and even laid down by the bell....all told he did this for about another 20 minutes and I finally caved in because I was scared he was going to mess up. So I walked over to the bell and told him to ring it and then I took him outside. Hopefully he will catch on soon....I'm just wondering if he is selectively ringing the bell?

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