# Update on Cricket(16 weeks) and house training (pics!)



## Cricket_theV (Jun 14, 2014)

Hi all. Cricket is going to be 16 weeks this week and is doing well. Her biting has decreased dramatically--we use "no bite" and gently hold her mouth shut for a few seconds and she has improved immensely. The ignoring/yelping/leaving the room and squirt bottle never worked for us. She liked the water squirts  We got her on some birds this weekend and she showed enormous potential so we are super excited. She still does zoomies and has recently started some growling and barking but I attribute that to her as still being a puppy. 

Anyhow we are crate training her--I let her out as soon as she leaves the crate and she hasn't had an accident in a few weeks until tonight. During the day if she isn't sleeping I let her out every 30-45 min when she's active so she never really has the opportunity for an accident. Tonight she had one which was totally our fault--it had been too long but I'm wondering how to make her understand she has to ask to be let out. She has no problem with going outside when we take her. She goes almost immediately and we use the command "go potty". She has never pooped in the house only pee. I've heard using bells--is it too late to introduce that into potty training? I've read that other younger V's paw at the door to be let out. We live in a 4th story apartment so we have to go down stairs to the potty area and she doesnt ever have accidents in the stairwell and will wait at the door sitting while I put shoes on. She knows as soon as she leaves the crate (on a leash) to walk to the door to go out but I'm not sure how to instill in her that if she's not crated and roaming that she has to ask to go outside. Any help would be appreciated!! P.s. See pictures below


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## aliciavp (Mar 14, 2014)

I don't have a whole lot to contribute to this, only that around 5-5.5 months Lazlo regressed a little and had a couple accidents inside. He goes downstairs to be let out for toilet, but we don't have a bell.... wondering if now at 6.5 months is too late....

Gorgeous pictures, I follow this little one on instagram


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## Cricket_theV (Jun 14, 2014)

Thanks aliciavp! I don't think it's regression in her as much as not understanding yet. But I don't know. Haha. I've heard a lot of people have great success with the bells. We might try it and see what happens.


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## vangtt (Feb 27, 2014)

We crate train our guy too and it definitely helps with the potty training. We also started using bells when he was 10-12 weeks (don't remember exact age but it was quite some time after we brought him home). He took to it very fast and I'd imagine a 16 week puppy would too. We just rang it every time and said "go potty" whenever we took him out the for the first 2 or 3 weeks. Then eventually moved to saying "go potty? Ring the bell.". It was only the 2nd or 3rd time we started that before he would ring the bells himself. I do have to warn though...he now rings it to just go outside. That may pose a problem for you initially since you live on the 4th floor. 

This is how we eventually handled this situation in case you decide to go with the bells..At first we honored his ringing despite not knowing for sure if he really had to go. I was just happy he was telling us he wanted to go outside! But after awhile it started getting ridiculous...he'd finish his business and as soon as we got inside and closed the door he'd turn around and ring the bells! We now pretty much have to use our judgement on whether he really needs to or not. Sometimes if he's being really persistent I will tell him to "leave it" and that usually works. I was worried about at first that he'd associate this with me telling him never to touch the bells...but so far it hasn't - 1 or 2 hours later he'd ring them again if he has to go.


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## Duke14 (Jul 20, 2014)

vangtt said:


> Sometimes if he's being really persistent I will tell him to "leave it" and that usually works. I was worried about at first that he'd associate this with me telling him never to touch the bells...but so far it hasn't - 1 or 2 hours later he'd ring them again if he has to go.


Smart little bugger! Knows what the bells are for, tries to fool you, you call his bluff, but he still uses them properly instead of not at all!

This is encouraging as we want to bell train for the potty, we will start as soon as we bring Duke home. 

Any recommendation on what kind of bells to use?


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## vangtt (Feb 27, 2014)

I ordered PoochieBells off of amazon...but I've seen a few other comparable brands at pet stores also. The stores ones were all around $20. They all typically have 2 pairs of bells on a belt with a loop you that can hang on your door knob.


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## tknafox2 (Apr 2, 2013)

I have some lovely Tibetan bells that hang on a nob over our day bed in my office... Mr. Ferguson loves to just reach up, from his relaxed reclining position and ding the bells... have nothing to do with potty, or outside, he just likes the sound. It all started when he bumped his head into them by accident, and then again on purpose. Now he does it just to ding the bell. I Love it!!


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

I don't think it's ever too late to teach a dog something new... You CAN teach an old dog new tricks... and the bells are a great idea!! I have heard of people buying the kind of bell that you press on the top to ring, like the ones you see sitting on countertops, with the little sign that says "Ring bell for service". Of course, it would have to sit on the floor near the door to be useful to your pup. ;D ;D ;D


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## Sydney (Jul 28, 2014)

We are currently bell training our 11 wk old V. Sometimes he will ring the bell, other times he just goes in the house. I praise him tremendously whenever he goes "out" and whenever he rings the bell. My previous dog was a basenji, and we didn't bell train him. He just sat by the front door or looked at us and whined. Just do whatever suits you.


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