Poochie Bells
Dog Potty Training

Hang the loop of the Poochie-Bells on the inside doorknob (or hook) of the door(s) that your dog typically exits the house. Your Poochie-Bells will hang down approximately 25 inches. Each unit is made to accommodate both small and large breeds. Your dog only needs to nudge any part of the Poochie-Bells unit in order to make the bells ring. Poochie-Bells should stay on the door or on a small hook next to the door at all times so that your dog can access them whenever they need to.

Every time you take your pooch outside to potty, state a simple command phrase. We suggest "Outside...Ring the Bells". Get your family involved! All members of your household should be consistent and use the same wording and actions with your dog.

After stating your command phrase, ring your Poochie-Bells in front of the dog. The dog should see AND hear the bells.

After ringing the bells and saying your command, follow through with praise and allow your dog to go outside. It is important that you NOT reward your dog with a food treat, as they will associate the ringing the bells with receiving food. We suggest that you not use potty time to play with your dog outside so they don't associate ring time with playtime. You can always take your buddy outside to play at other times when you choose to. The dog will eventually associate ringing the bells with going and the praise they receive from their favorite person, you, is reward enough! DO THIS EACH TIME YOUR DOG IS TO GO OUTSIDE AS CONSISTENCY IS KEY!.

After several weeks of this conditioning, continue to say the phrase you’ve been using each time your dog wants to exit the house. Tell them "Outside...Ring the Bells" and point to the Poochie-Bells. Praise them once they ring the bells and allow the dog to go out. If the dog does NOT ring the bells, you ring the bells, restate your command phrase and then allow the dog outside. Step 6 Each following week, repeat this conditioning until your dog starts to ring the bells on their own. It is critical that you praise your dog on his newly learned behavior to reinforce this action. Remember to always listen for the bells, even if you are in a different part of the house from where you’ve hung your Poochie-Bells. When you hear them ring… let your dog out!! Your dog can now communicate without barking, whining or having accidents in the house.

A: Yes. On a standard door handle/knob, the bottom bells on a Poochie-Bells unit hang approximately 9-10 inches from the floor. Dogs use their paw, nose, even tail to ring the bells. If you have a teacup breed, you can hang your Poochie-Bells on a hook placed by the door. As long as the dog is able to touch anywhere on the Poochie-Bells, they will ring and you will know it’s time to take them out.

A: Yes. Consistency is key so it is important that you leave your Poochie-Bells available so your dog has access to them when she needs to be let out. Also, whenever the door is open, the bells will ring, thus reinforcing your dog’s associating bells ringing and going out as part of their training. Poochie-Bells are totally portable, so feel free to take them along with you if you travel with your pooch. Once the pooch is trained, you can move them over to a small hook next to the door for easy access or leave them on the doorknob.

A: Poochie-Bells are made to fit over any door handle/knob or hook placed by or on a door. For glass doors, we suggest using a sturdy suction hook to hang the Poochie-Bells. If you prefer to hang your Poochie-Bells next to the door, simply install a small hook. Poochie-Bells offers a fun selection of decorative hooks for your home.

A: Complete training instructions are included with every Poochie-Bells. We do not recommend using treats during your initial training period as the dog may end up associating food with ringing the bells instead of being let out. We recommend praising your pooch whenever they ring the bells effectively. Praise and their ability to go out afterward is their reward. If your dog is hesitant or appears to be afraid of the bells, you may initially provide a treat but only until they are used to the method.

A: Each dog’s ability varies, however, depending on your consistency in training and praise will make a difference in how quickly they adopt this behavior. Some dogs adapt to the behavior in a few days where others may take a few months. As with any training, consistency is important to the success.

A: As with any training procedure, it is important that you remain the authoritative leader. You can rectify this behavior by controlling the frequency you allow your dog to go outside. If your dog just went out and then rings the bells shortly afterwards, wait until a reasonable amount of time has passed (no more than once an hour) before responding to the ringing. He will soon learn not to abuse his new communication tool.

A: We recommend that the puppy be at least 12-16 weeks of age. As with any training program, your puppy needs to be old enough to understand the training concept.

A: Yes. Any dog can learn new behaviors, so Poochie-Bells are perfect for older dogs as well. As Poochie-Bells provide a communication tool, this is not a trick that your dog performs. Your dog will be thrilled to be able to effectively communicate with his family.