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I have taught Willow to ring the bell by the door when she needs to do her business outside which has been working fantastic but lately she rings it just because she wants to go outside!! How do I discourage her from doing this? How do i teach her that the bell is only to be rang when she has to potty?

I would love to let her out every time she hits the bell because she wants to go out to play but I live on the second floor of an apartment so It's is a pain to bring her out every 15-30 minutes when she rings the bell.

She gets 2 walks a day and free run in a yard during the week and I bring her for LONG walks on the weekends (usually dog parks and trails). I have a porch and let her go out there sometimes just so she can be outside instead of me going all the way down stairs (not to potty, just for fresh air).

Any advices would be appreciated!!

Thank you

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No suggestions, other than to note that this is why I have NOT taught my dog the same trick. (He LOVES "outside"; I can't even spell the word without his rushing to the back door).

 

I did let him train me some last summer - if he brings me a toy, he thinks the appropriate response is for me to let him outside. There are days when it's yucky muddy wet and I have to try hard to ignore the growing pile of toys at my feet. I knew while I was allowing him to train me that I would live to regret it. But at least it's less of a distraction than bells a'ringing while I'm trying to work.

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No suggestions, other than to note that this is why I have NOT taught my dog the same trick. (He LOVES "outside"; I can't even spell the word without his rushing to the back door).

 

I did let him train me some last summer - if he brings me a toy, he thinks the appropriate response is for me to let him outside. There are days when it's yucky muddy wet and I have to try hard to ignore the growing pile of toys at my feet. I knew while I was allowing him to train me that I would live to regret it. But at least it's less of a distraction than bells a'ringing while I'm trying to work.

 

LOL and the bell noise is loud!! She hits the bell so hard with her nose, sometimes picks it up and drops it too and she doesn't stop until I come over or I ignore her for about 5 minutes, which is sooo hard!!

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Never taught my dog to ring the bells. Nor do I know your routine. But can you try when she rings the bell to go outside take her outside but on leash and ignore her. If she doesn't do her business in x amount of time bring her back inside and kennel her. As if she isn't potty train? Hope that makes sense?

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Never taught my dog to ring the bells. Nor do I know your routine. But can you try when she rings the bell to go outside take her outside but on leash and ignore her. If she doesn't do her business in x amount of time bring her back inside and kennel her. As if she isn't potty train? Hope that makes sense?

She is only crated when I'm not home so she doesn't destroy the house. I would love to know a different way then too put her in the crate when she doesn't potty. In my mind it seems like she would think she was punished for ringing the bell. I don't want to discourage her from telling me she does have to potty and starts to pee in the house again. But that you for the suggestion :)

 

I may just take down the bells and see if that helps. I will take her out every hour or so on the leash and if she doesn't go potty within 5 minutes I will bring her back inside.

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I know it's probably annoying, but I can't help but chuckle at this. Smart little things!

 

Hannah falls into a perfect heel on our walks when she wants the ball I have in my pocket, even after I've given her play time and would like to get on with the walking/excercise for my own benefit as well as hers. It is hard not to look at her, looking up at me and heeling perfectly as she does, but I have to extinguish that behavior (throwing the ball when she heels) in myself that she has 'shaped' while training me. :lol:

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This is why I do not teach my dogs to ask to go outside -- They can certainly let me know if there is an emergency, but otherwise I teach them from the beginning that I will let them out before they need it -- So they go out when I go out and that's when they need to do their business.

 

I have no doubt that if I taught my dogs a signal that they used to let me know they needed/wanted to go out, it would be going off every 10 minutes. Sorry, it's not their choice when we go outside.

 

And for the record, everyone is required to go potty before play time begins.

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I would probably remove the bell and work on setting a schedule.

 

Back when we adopted Dean it was just before Christmas and I had a jingle bell on the door. He figured out that I would let him out to potty if he rang it with his nose, but, wild child that he was, he never rang it unless he actually needed to go.

 

I actually left it there, and I think it is still there, but nobody uses it.

 

Had he started ringing it every time he wanted to go out, I would have removed it.

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Never taught my dog to ring the bells. Nor do I know your routine. But can you try when she rings the bell to go outside take her outside but on leash and ignore her. If she doesn't do her business in x amount of time bring her back inside and kennel her. As if she isn't potty train? Hope that makes sense?

 

 

I second this. My Robin rings the bell to go out. My trip is a little easier than yours - just out the back door. I taught him to not overuse it by bringing him straight back inside if he doesn't have any specific "business" to do. Though Brodie has rung the bell on two or three occasions, it clearly is Robin's property and when I answer it, I find Ladybug, Brodie, and even the cat lined up behind him prepared to go out the door.

 

This is only the first of many times your BC will outsmart you :).

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My Simon was doing the same thing, he used to only ring the bells when he had to go potty but figured out bells = outside anytime. The bells are now removed from the door because he would go in and out every 15 minutes or so if allowed. If there is a potty emergency, he whines, paces, and spins circles at the door; otherwise, it's only out when I take them out.

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I took the bells down and so far so good. It was funny, she was looking for them after I took them down, haha. I have been taking her out every 1-2 hours since taking them away. Of course she still sits at the door when she wants "outside time". I try to ignore it and go on with what ever I am doing.

 

Since we are on the subject... I would really love to let Willow have the run of the house when I am not home instead of the crate (which I still am not a huge fan of). I have tried numerous times to let her have the run of at least the kitchen and would leave her about an hour. I come home and she peed, I never had an issue with my other dogs growing up. Any suggestions on what I can do? I know she can hold it, she holds it while I'm at work in her crate and when we go to bed about 8hrs. I do not put her in the crate at night, she sleeps on her bed in my bedroom. She is awesome other then this issue, for some reason she doesn't want to hold it while I'm not home...

Thank you

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My border collie, Charlie, abuses the bell sometimes. But, I know when he's ringing it because he needs to go outside and when he's ringing it just to get attention (that's how he abuses it). When he's ringing it just to get attention, I tell him to stop and go lie down, which he does. That doesn't mean that he won't try another tactic to get attention, though, LOL! But, at least the bell ringing will stop.

 

One night, Charlie kept ringing the bell and I kept getting up to go let him outside. He normally wouldn't ring the bell late at night unless he needed to be let outside. I would get up and open the door to let him outside and he would just stand there, so I'd go back to bed. Then, he'd ring the bell again. So, I'd get up and open the door again and he'd just stand there, staring at the bookcase next to the door. Finally, I thought to look under the bookcase and, sure enough, there was a hoof under the bookcase that he couldn't get to. So, he knew that if he rang the bell, that would get me to come to him. I guess he figured that eventually I'd figure out why he needed my assistance.

 

Charlie also taught one of my foster dogs how to ring the bell. I thought that was pretty smart of my foster dog to figure that out just by observing what Charlie did.

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I would really love to let Willow have the run of the house when I am not home instead of the crate (which I still am not a huge fan of). I have tried numerous times to let her have the run of at least the kitchen and would leave her about an hour. I come home and she peed, I never had an issue with my other dogs growing up. Any suggestions on what I can do? I know she can hold it, she holds it while I'm at work in her crate and when we go to bed about 8hrs. I do not put her in the crate at night, she sleeps on her bed in my bedroom. She is awesome other then this issue, for some reason she doesn't want to hold it while I'm not home...

Thank you

 

Isn't Willow still a puppy? Personally I don't think there's anything at all wrong with crating a pup or young dog until they've demonstrated that they can have the run of the place and not abuse the privilege. That Willow has peed in the house suggests she's not yet ready for this freedom. Nothing wrong with that!

 

The length of time a dog can hold it depends, in part, on how active it is. Thus, a dog can hold it for a longer time while crated or while asleep at night than during the day if it's free to walk around.

 

I kept my dog crated when he was home alone until he was somewhat over a year old. He's virtually never crated now (the last time I did so was when we were at my in-law's for Thanksgiving and we were out all day). Personally I think that crate training is the best thing since sliced bread. Almost nothing, EVER, chewed up; peed in the house probably less than five times total, and pooped in the house only once that I remember (illness excepted). And he's never, EVER, tried to counter surf or sneak food that doesn't belong to him (like the cat's food).

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Isn't Willow still a puppy? Personally I don't think there's anything at all wrong with crating a pup or young dog until they've demonstrated that they can have the run of the place and not abuse the privilege. That Willow has peed in the house suggests she's not yet ready for this freedom. Nothing wrong with that!

 

The length of time a dog can hold it depends, in part, on how active it is. Thus, a dog can hold it for a longer time while crated or while asleep at night than during the day if it's free to walk around.

 

I kept my dog crated when he was home alone until he was somewhat over a year old. He's virtually never crated now (the last time I did so was when we were at my in-law's for Thanksgiving and we were out all day). Personally I think that crate training is the best thing since sliced bread. Almost nothing, EVER, chewed up; peed in the house probably less than five times total, and pooped in the house only once that I remember (illness excepted). And he's never, EVER, tried to counter surf or sneak food that doesn't belong to him (like the cat's food).

See my parents; especially my dad gets upset with me that I crate Willow. He thinks it’s cruel and I hear it constantly from him when he sees me. He keeps telling me dogs are meant to roam and protect not to be locked up. I always felt the same way since we never ever locked our dogs up growing up and they learned in the matter of weeks. I have had Willow for a little over 3 months now (she is 7 months old) and I feel she should know that going potty inside is bad. How do you know when there ready to be outside the crate when your not home?

O and I love the fact that the rescue I adopted her from said she was potty trained! <_<

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See my parents; especially my dad gets upset with me that I crate Willow. He thinks it’s cruel and I hear it constantly from him when he sees me. He keeps telling me dogs are meant to roam and protect not to be locked up. I always felt the same way since we never ever locked our dogs up growing up and they learned in the matter of weeks. I have had Willow for a little over 3 months now (she is 7 months old) and I feel she should know that going potty inside is bad. How do you know when there ready to be outside the crate when your not home?

O and I love the fact that the rescue I adopted her from said she was potty trained! dry.gif

 

Seven months? Then she's still definitely a baby. She's old enough to stay home uncrated when she can do so with no chewing, peeing, or pooping inappropriately. You gave it a test and it didn't fly. Keep her crated a few more months and then try again.

 

There was a time when I would have agreed with your father. That was before I educated myself on crate training and gave it a try. Not only is it a huge aid in housebreaking and general household "manners", but there are also many times when you find that you need to crate a dog for its own safety, and you might bless yourself for investing the effort. For example: someone I know has a dog who jumped out their car window. It cracked its pelvis on landing, and had to be crated for a couple of months. Really crated, not just put into an X-pen. This dog had a crate phobia as well as separation anxiety. It meant that the owner had to sit RIGHT next to the crate (or enlist someone else to do so) for the duration (and they also had to keep the dog sedated). Not fun for anyone.

 

Perhaps you can give your father some links to read.

 

As far as the rescue goes... potty training is a process, and you're never sure it's taken 100% until some time has passed. I'm sure Regina had the beginning steps firmly figure out from the rescue, but she's still a baby, and her bladder has limited capacity. I think the standard rule of thumb is one hour per month of age plus one. If she's been holding it for 8 hours while she's been younger than she is now, then you're ahead of the game.

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I call my 4 1/2 month old foster puppy, Joe, "house trained" because he hasn't had a single accident since I've had him. But that is because we are very much on a very strict schedule and I don't let accidents happen. When he goes to his new home, they can't just assume that because he's never had an accident in my house that he'll automatically be good to go a full day in a new house.

 

I crate until I feel a dog is going to be trustworthy -- that's usually after about a year. I test with SHORT trips -- like if I'm running to the grocery store I'll leave the young one out with the others. Then I go to half days and eventually full days if they don't cause any trouble. It's never a good idea to go from crate to 100% freedom without a transition.

 

People who "don't believe in crating" tend to do a lot more floor cleaning and lose a lot more belongings. Dogs do not need to be free to roam when they are still very much in the learning stages. It is our job to keep them SAFE, and we do so using crates. The house training process goes much faster if the dog never has the opportunity to freely soil in the house, too.

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O and I love the fact that the rescue I adopted her from said she was potty trained! <_<

 

What I tell people who adopt dogs from me and ask if they are house trained is, "S/he is house trained at my house, but that doesn't mean s/he is house trained at your house." Dogs don't necessarily generalize from one house to another. You have to establish house training at your house. You say that she doesn't pee in her crate, correct? It could be that she was always crated in her foster home (when no one was home) and so, as far as they could tell, she was house trained. Dogs can also have relapses and there are many reasons why a dog can have an "accident." I have a foster dog that will soil her crate if she becomes stressed. And as Alchemist said, house training is a process. For some dogs, it takes longer for it to really "stick."

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One night, Charlie kept ringing the bell and I kept getting up to go let him outside. He normally wouldn't ring the bell late at night unless he needed to be let outside. I would get up and open the door to let him outside and he would just stand there, so I'd go back to bed. Then, he'd ring the bell again. So, I'd get up and open the door again and he'd just stand there, staring at the bookcase next to the door. Finally, I thought to look under the bookcase and, sure enough, there was a hoof under the bookcase that he couldn't get to. So, he knew that if he rang the bell, that would get me to come to him. I guess he figured that eventually I'd figure out why he needed my assistance.

 

:lol: I love dogs.

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Another thing about the crate, especially for a young dog whom you've only had for 3 months, is that all that house to 'protect' may be making her nervous. My human's not around to tell me what she wants! It might be mild anxiety that's making her pee inside.

 

You can try baby gating her in the kitchen for a brief time when you leave. If that goes okay for a couple weeks, expand the area, one room at a time. Some border collies don't do so well with change, so slower is better.

 

And make sure you clean with an enzyme cleaner. If you don't, she'll continue to smell her urine and she'll think it's okay to pee there.

 

Good luck,

 

Ruth

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My own young dog was not fully house trained untill he was about 9 months, there was just the occasional accident (sadly not peeing he had that figured) he was crated at night till he was about 11 months, and did not give up his day time crate till he was 18 months only because we did not fully trust what might go in his mouth. On the other hand the 8 month old foster who lived with us for 6 weeks, never made a house training mistake, never chewed, basically was a perfect dog, and this was coming from a home where they had no time for him, as opposed to my own first attempt at carefully raising a puppy. Honestly like with kids there is no perfect timeline each dog will need to move at a different pace.

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No advise but had to add our story.

Jazz is 15, she lives to eat. If it's close to dinner or breadfast time she will toss her bowl at you harder and harder to make sure you remember what time it is. Yes they do a good job of training us don't they!

 

Mine all go to the door and gaze out if they have to go potty. You can pretty much tell when they're just looking out or have to go. The stare is harder if they have to go.

 

Gotta love um!

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As others have said, some dogs graduate out of the crate sooner than others. My youngest is over a year and a half now and he still has to be put in an x-pen when no one is home. He's potty trained, but his problem is that he'll eat things. I almost lost him last year due to eating string. I tried several times to give him free roam of the house, but after several incidents of having to give him hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting because I'd come home and find that he'd eaten half a pillow case or something, I gave up and now he has to be in the x-pen. I don't like it, but it's for his own safety. The dog that I got before him has been loose in the house since about the age of 5 months with no issues. So, each dog is different.

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