# Signal for puppy to go potty



## FrancoD13 (Aug 9, 2012)

Hello,

Love the forum, I've learned so much with all your posts and responses. We have a 10 week old Vizla named Bryce and are in the process of housebreaking. We have read a lot about some sort of signal for Bryce to let us know when he has to go. I'm picturing a bell by the door, but have visions of the bell constantly going off when everyone enters and leaves, and worse the dog just playing with it as a toy. Any suggestions for something to use?


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## lilyloo (Jun 20, 2012)

FrancoD13 said:


> Hello,
> 
> Love the forum, I've learned so much with all your posts and responses. We have a 10 week old Vizla named Bryce and are in the process of housebreaking. We have read a lot about some sort of signal for Bryce to let us know when he has to go. I'm picturing a bell by the door, but have visions of the bell constantly going off when everyone enters and leaves, and worse the dog just playing with it as a toy. Any suggestions for something to use?


I think the bells would work. You don't put them on the door, but by the door...so they shouldn't go off when people enter and exit. We have blinds on our back door and our pup rattles them with her nose or paws when she wants to go out. We didn't teach her to do this...she started it all on her own. Every time she does this I say "need to go outside? " and let her out. Works like a chaarm.


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## KB87 (Jan 30, 2012)

Franco, we did a bell with our boy and it's been great since he would previously stand silent at the door. We started it between 9 and 10 weeks. Within a week he understood the concept and used it. Every now and again he will play with but even then we leash him and take him out so he understands ringing it means going outside whether he's playing or not. We also say "outside" when we take him out so he understands what outside is. Even when we go to my parent's we take the bell and he'll use it there. We're thrilled with it.

We ordered it from eBay- a woman makes there in different patterns. Her bells also have squeekers to get their attention and she included instructions on how to start the training. I would definitely recommend trying the bell!


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## SteelCityDozer (Aug 25, 2011)

Personally we don't use anything and I don't think a tool is necessary. The pup will learn to whine or bark in front of the door or paw at it to tell you.


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## KB87 (Jan 30, 2012)

I have to agree with steelcitydozer- your dog will find a way to communicate with you somehow but for us the bell was a good stepping stone. We used the bell because he would previously stand next to the door (obviously knew what it meant to ask to go out) but would be silent. Too many times he went by the door without us seeing fast enough and would end up peeing by the door. That's when we implemented the bell to help him get our attention since our door isn't in a place we can see 100% of the time.
At this point he will tap the glass door with his paw to ask to go out and the bell isn't necessary but it did help us to get to this point. Without it I think we would have had a much longer housebreaking period so we're thankful. If your pup can find their own way to get your attention then you can do without the bell but it just might be helpful for you like it was for us.


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## tanners_mama (Sep 22, 2011)

It can be a bell or something else but the main thing to remember is CONSISTENCEY. Do the same thing every single time and your housebreaking experience will be a breeze  We used a bell because there were times we weren't able to keep a close eye 100% of the time when Tanner was a puppy. Listening for a bell made it easier for US. What made it easier for Tanner is letting him out IMMEDIATELY after he rang that bell, and a good praise afterwards!


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## Angie NG (Jun 6, 2012)

Bella is 15 weeks old and she now sits at our back door to go out, if we don't see her she makes a funny noise to let us no she wants to go for the toilet. Very impressed with her house training, we took her out consistently every time she woke, ate and was restless. This advice was given to me by the lovely people on this forum and its really helped


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