How Do I Teach a Puppy to Tell Me He Has to Go Potty?

An important part of housebreaking your puppy is realizing when he needs to be taken outside to do his business. Our dogs give us signals, like sitting near the door or circling an area, but often we can miss those signals if we are not paying complete attention. Teaching your dog to ring a bell when she needs to go out gives you an audible signal and can help prevent accidents.

  1. Get a Bell

    • Attach the bell to the door that the dog uses most often to go out. Start using this as the only door to avoid confusing the puppy. Adjust the bell to a height that the dog can easily reach with his nose.

    Ring the Bell

    • Every time you take the pup out, tap the bell with your foot or shake it a little so that it makes a noise. Be careful not to ring the bell at any other time.

    Teach the Dog to Use the Bell

    • Some dogs need a little help learning to ring the bell. You can help the pup touch his nose to the bell on your way out the door.

    Take the Dog Outside

    • When the dog rings the bell on her own, take her outside right away and give her lots of praise and a treat. Be sure to take the dog outside any time she rings the bell, so that she learns to associate it with going outside.

    Give Commands

    • Once outside, give a consistent command for going to the bathroom. It is often helpful to have two different commands, one for urinating and the other for fecal elimination. Giving a command helps keep the dog on task.

    Do Not Give Time to Play

    • If the puppy does not eliminate within five minutes of going outside, bring him back in. Do not allow playing when it is potty time. This will discourage the dog from ringing the bell just to go outside and play.

    Retrain as Necessary

    • Keep a close eye on the dog̵7;s progress and retrain her if necessary to ensure consistency and avoid accidents in the house.