Dogs of all ages ring bells to signal ‘I need to go’
Note: This is a sponsored post.
A company called Poochie-Pets recently sent me a product called PoochieBells for my dog Ace.
PoochieBells are a communication tool to help a dog signal when he needs to go potty. The bells are not so much about potty training. They are meant to be a communication tool for dogs of all ages. When the dog has to go potty, he simply rings the bells.
Why teach a dog to ring a bell to go potty?
PoochieBells are a way for your dog or puppy to clearly communicate what he wants.
“It’s such a great tool for any age dog to use and can easily be implemented at any time,” said Cheryl Pedersen, owner of Poochie-Pets.
For example, my 8-year-old Lab mix Ace whines whenever he wants something.
Unless he’s staring right at the thing he wants, I usually don’t know why he’s whining.
PoochieBells can potentially help him communicate.
By ringing the bells, Ace can tell me when he needs to go outside.
According to Poochie-Pets:
1. PoochieBells are a great tool for any age dog.
2. The product is very safe. No loops to get tangled in. Bells are lead free, made in USA.
3. The product is handcrafted in Connecticut.
4. The bells stay flat against any type of door handle. Hooks are also available for hanging the bells next to a door.
5. PoochieBell prices range from $17.99 to $24.99.
Do PoochieBells really work?
I know what you’re thinking.
“Come on! My dog will just ring that bell all the time!”
I’ve always been a bit skeptical too.
However, I also know many professional dog trainers recommend this training method, and PoochieBells comes with a clear training program to follow. I’m currently training Ace to use PoochieBells, and you can check back next Monday to read about our progress.
I’m always looking for ways for my dog and I to learn and communicate better, and PoochieBells is another great opportunity to do so.
Why should my dog have to wait for me to let him out every four hours? Now he can just tell me when he needs to go.
How you can win PoochieBells for your dog
Poochie-Pets is giving away free PoochieBells to two lucky readers of That Mutt. Must have a U.S. mailing address to win.
*Congrats to LeeAnn and Debra.
To enter the first drawing, just leave a comment to let me know why your dog would like to try this product. The winner will get to choose the color and style of the PoochieBells. You can see all the options here. The winner will be selected Aug. 8.
To enter the second drawing, make sure you’re signed up for my newsletter (you can do so below). Watch for my upcoming newsletter to learn more about the second drawing. My newsletter is a digest that goes out 3-4 times per month.
How does your dog currently tell you he needs to go potty?
*Check back Monday to learn how to train your dog to ring a bell to go potty, and hear about Ace’s progress learning to use PoochieBells!
Barbara Rivers
Sunday 24th of August 2014
We got a Poochie Bell when our pups were about a year old. I saw them at our local doggie store Doggone Natural in Ashburn, VA, and thought it may be worth a try. Also really liked the design. They weren't too interested in the bells at first, but eventually learned to nudge them when they REALLY had to go out. We used to have them on the front door of our apartment, and now use them on our patio door leading to the yard.
Lindsay Stordahl
Sunday 24th of August 2014
Oh I'm so glad they've worked for your dogs!
Carol
Tuesday 5th of August 2014
These look really interesting. I had seen something like this a while back & always wondered how they worked. They would be great for the new puppy we will be getting shortly. Thnx for the info about them.
Dawn
Thursday 31st of July 2014
I've seriously considered one of these, but like mentioned, I'm afraid my dog would ring it all the time. Pierson, I think, would be especially bad about it. He'd probably ring the bell every time he sees a squirrel outside, which is a lot. Maya would be easier to train for this. She likes being inside and will probably only ring it when she has to go... or at 7am when she's ready for me to get up.
Lindsay Stordahl
Thursday 31st of July 2014
Yes, I know what you mean. Ace is more like Maya, so I'm not concerned about him "abusing" the bell privileges. It would be interesting to see how your dogs take to it. And having two dogs makes it a little more challenging.
Jen
Tuesday 29th of July 2014
I read about this idea and tried to make my own, but it didn't ring loud enough for me to hear it. Now we live in a smaller house and I will have to try again.
Maria
Tuesday 29th of July 2014
I love Poochie Bells! My dog was the silent type. She was potty trained but would never get our attention when she had to go outside. She would just stand quietly by the door. If we were on another floor of our house -- we would never see her standing there waiting and then she would have an accident by the door. It was very easy to train her to use her bells. Now, my husband teases me that he wants his own set of bells because when I hear her ring her Poochie bells -- I go running. She will very rarely ring for something other than potty. She also polices my cats so they don't ring her bells.