Bell Ringing

[Marmielin]

I taught Tink to ring the bell to go outside. She knows to do so, but never does. What she does is ring the bell and runs to the other side of the room when we get up to let her out . She never lets us know she needs to go pee or poo. We just take her out at various times of the day and she does it. Fortunately, she seems to be housebroken unless she is hiding it very well in the house. Anyway, the bell ringing is now the issue at our house. When she rings it, if my dh sees me get up, or I suggest he get up to let her out he says there is no use because she won't go. I think if she rings it, she should be made to go out so she knows this is NOT A GAME . I know I have heard others say they have had similar issues with the bell ringing and I'm curious if this is an ongoing problem, or is there a way to resolve it.

Lindab

[bubba]

Sorry, I had to giggle. Ours use this method too, but sometimes just so they can go outside to bark! Now that is has been so nice out, the back door is normally open w/the baby gate closed, so Cooper will either walk around to the back side of the door, or just bark once and then come look at you if you didn't get up (ie - if you are my husband!). Yoda, on the other hand, has not mastered this, he just comes in, jumps in your lap, and puts his face in yours!

pat.

[wellygoggles]

or is there a way to resolve it

Simple - get a dog door installed. I got fed up of being Fergus's doorlady or else sitting in a freezing cold room with the ranchslider wide open. Not sure if they can be installed in wooden doors though as mine is in a ranchslider.

P.S. He got too fat for the catdoor

[Teri9672]

Tabitha has a certain spot she will stand when she wants outside. As others have said it's not just outside for potty, it's just outside period!

I cannot have a doggie door. I have 2 ponds in the backyard and we also get snakes because of this.

[Marmielin]

Terri,

I wouldn't have a doggy door either if I had snakes - eeeeek! Also, we have so many squirrels around our place that I am afraid of them coming in. One night I even had a possum on my porch. Tink is just a stinker. She doesn't really want to go out, she just wants us to get up. Maybe she thinks we need the exercise

Lindab

[toomanypaws]

No doggie door here either due to snakes. We don't have the bell system because I know little Hannah would love nothing more than to ring the bells and run. My cairns all get treats when they go outside to do their business. We have a small fenced area off the side of our garage that is strictly for their bathroom duties. Hannah will jump at the door to go out and fake going just to run back in for a treat. I have to stay firm when she does this, but it sure is hard not giving in when they have their ears glued back with that adorable puppydog looking face.

[bubba]

Snakes....in a doggy door? And I thought a burglar was bad in a doggy door!!! I think I'd prefer the burglar.....

He actually came in thru a 9x21 inch window and was just putting the stuff out the doggy door when I came across him......doggy door no longer exists and I would never recommend one to anybody.

pat.

[TheScotts]

Doggie Doors RULE! 14 years of one with my Westie and now the pups LOVE their doggie door and they are pretty well house broken at 5 1/2 months. No burglars and no snakes, no worries. The cat dragged a bunny in once.

[wellygoggles]

Cairn-size dog door here, not Great Dane size, leading out to a courtyard surrounded by an 8ft high wall. (I live in a converted dance hall)

(Visions of an agile circus midget trying to lug a flat screen tv over the wall )

[bubba]

My dog door was westie sized.....but so was the meth maggot burglar!! To get in, he fit thru a 9 x 18 inch window seven feet above anything he could stand on, so it was no problem to squeeze out a dog door!

[Eliz222]

We used the bell method for Scout. She caught on quickly, but soon found out that there were other things to do outside other than potty! She started ringing the door constantly so we just took it up. She had other ways to tell us she had to go outside, so this was not a problem. We took the bell out when we got Finch, but she wouldn't use it. Guess who did?? LOL! We took it down after a few weeks because Scout was ringing it all the time to go outside and play!

[Guest mrskti]

I got bells out, but all they did was bark at them! I'd love a doggie door but i'm afraid I'd have coons, possums, squirrels and hard telling whatever is out there! We have around 80 acres of woods at the back door!!

[Guest girliejr]

I have to go out WITH Jack to make sure he "does his business". If I am not out there, he will just run around the yard and bark and "play" with the squirrels! I wouldn't be able to use a doggie door because I have to "supervise" his outside time to make sure he is doing what he is supposed to be doing!

[Brigette]

I love our doggie door, but I never even thought about snakes. You have no idea how deathly afraid I am of snakes. I hope my boys will protect me. The worst problem we've had so far with it, is that our Lab will steal things off the counter and take them outside to devour.

[Marmielin]

I have to go out with Tink or she doesn't go potty. She just sits on the deck. I've never had a dog that wouldn't go out by itself, but she won't. She just rings the bell for fun. When it is potty time, we both go

Lindab

[Teri9672]

I have to go out with Tink or she doesn't go potty.  She just sits on the deck.  I've never had a dog that wouldn't go out by itself, but she won't.  She just rings the bell for fun.  When it is potty time, we both go

Lindab

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

same thing with my girls.

Tabitha WILL NOT go outside unless you walk out the door first. If I ever put her out by herself she never gets off the patio.

I want to see them go before they can come back inside.

Tabitha will also "fake" potty just to get a cookie.