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Training Videos › Potty Bells

Puppy basics · 2-minute video

Teach Your Dog to Ring a Bell to Go Out

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Does your dog sit by the door and stare at you, hoping you'll figure it out? Or worse, wander off and pee behind the couch? Potty bells give your dog a way to say "I need to go out!" Puppies and grown-up dogs can both learn it, and many start ringing on their own within a week or two.

What you'll need

Potty training bells

Get a set with an adjustable strap so you can hang it at nose height.

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Soft training treats

Tiny and soft so you can reward fast. Your dog shouldn't spend 30 seconds chewing.

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Treat pouch

Keeps treats on you, so you can reward the second your dog goes outside.

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Enzyme cleaner

For the oops moments. It removes the smell that draws your dog back to the same spot.

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The steps

  1. Teach the touch 0:12

    Hold the bells a few inches from your dog's nose. The second their nose bumps them, say "Yes!" and give a treat. Do 5 to 10 quick reps, a few times a day.

  2. Hang the bells on one door 0:38

    Pick the door you always use for potty trips and hang the bells at nose height, so your dog can ring them without jumping. Practice a few touches there too.

  3. Ring, then go 0:58

    Every time you take your dog out to potty, stop at the door and wait for a bump. (Point to the bells at first if you need to.) Bells ring, you say "Yes!", open the door, and go straight to the potty spot.

  4. Keep bell trips boring 1:24

    Leash on, straight to the potty spot, no playing. If nothing happens in 3 to 5 minutes, go back inside and try again a little later. When they do go, throw a party (and a treat)!

  5. Let your dog take the lead 1:48

    Once your dog rings without help, stop pointing. Watch for rings after naps, meals, and playtime, and answer every single one.

Not working? Try this

My dog rings the bells all day just to go play.

Smart dog! The bells have turned into a ticket to fun. Make every bell trip a boring business trip: leash on, potty spot, back inside. Save playtime for after they've gone.

My dog is scared of the bells.

Muffle the bells with tape or a sock at first, and pair them with really good treats. For sound-sensitive dogs, a push-button dog doorbell works the same way and is much quieter.

My dog still has accidents inside.

Bells don't replace a schedule. Take your puppy out after waking up, eating, and playing, even if they don't ring. And clean old accident spots with an enzyme cleaner so the smell doesn't invite a repeat.

Want the bigger picture on potty training? Read my post on the 5 most common potty training mistakes.

Still finding puddles?

Every dog is different. A private lesson gets you a plan built for your dog, your house, and your schedule.

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