These days it seems like everyone is adopting a dog from a shelter, rather than buying a puppy. This is a wonderful thing, however, many times dogs that are up for adoption, for one reason or another, are not potty trained. This can present many challenges for the new dog owner, but there is a home training method that is tried and true for both puppies and senior dogs; potty training bells Dog training bells are simply a strip of tape or cloth that has bells attached to it. This bell strip is then hung on the exit doorknob or knobs.
The saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is totally false. In fact, older dogs have longer attention spans than puppies, so they tend to be better students. If you are consistent and patient with your potty training bell schedule, you will find your senior dog to be quite a willing and happy participant. This training method is similar to what you would do with a puppy; however, you can simplify it a bit for an older dog.
Once you’ve hung the potty training bells, put your dog on a leash and lead him to the door he would go out to do. Show him the door bells and ring them yourself for a moment. Then, announce a potty training command such as, “Ring the bells, let’s go potty!” If he is a large dog, point his nose at the bells and have him ring them. If it’s a small dog, guide one of its front legs up and tap the bells gently.
As you listen to the jingle he’s caused, praise him generously: “Good boy, good bells, let’s go potty!” After introducing him to the bell, take him directly outside to make. Once he starts doing, verbally praise him and then immediately give him a dog treat that he finds irresistible. Don’t give him a treat until he does, even if he rings the bell by himself. You don’t want to accidentally train him to ring the bell for a treat! You need to make the connection between the act of going to the bathroom and the treat.
This is where extra patience is required; Older dogs may take time to sniff for a while before sniffing. However, if you’ve had your dog outside for more than ten minutes, chances are you probably don’t need to at this point. In that case, take him inside and try again in forty-five minutes to an hour. State his potty training command, help him ring the bells, and then immediately take him outside, on his leash. It is vital that you always keep your dog on a leash, as you want to be able to control him.
After repeating this training program several times a day, your dog will begin to understand what you want from him, and then he will begin to ring the bells himself. Although it may take your older dog several weeks to potty train, using housebreaking bells really works! It is a training technique recommended by both professional trainers and veterinarians. The reason this method works so well when it comes to house training older dogs is because it bridges the communication gap between dog and human.