[Sherryabear]

I go by the instructions that came with the bells I ordered:

Hang bells on the inside of the door(s) that your pet typically exits your house from. Your dog only needs to nudge any part of the ribbon to ring the bells. The bells should stay on the door or next to the door on a small hook at all times , so that your pet can access whenever he/she needs to.

Each time you take your pooch outside state a simple command phrase, we suggest " Outside....Ring the Bells"
All member of your household should be consistent and use the same wording and actions with your pet.

Start stating your command phase, ring the bells in front of the dog. The dog should see AND hear the bells.

After ringing the bells and saying the command phase, follow through with praise to your pet and allow him to go outside.

(You should not reward your dog with a food treat otherwise your pooch will start to ring for those treats)

Do this everytime your pet is to go outside , Consistency is Key.


After several weeks of this conditioning , start just using the phase each time your dog wants to exit . Tell him "Outside ...Ring the Bells", wait for is reaction . Point to the bells. If he rings the bells ....praise him and allow him to go out. If he does NOT ring the bells......ring the bells for him, restate your command phase and then allow him outside.

Each week that follows , repeat this conditioning until your dog starts to ring the bells on his own. It is critical that you praise the dog on his newly learned behavior to reinforce this action.


I have been working with my baby (Gordon) for about a week and a half......my phase is (Go Potty.....ring the bells). He is now ringing them when I say .....Ring the bells He hasn't rang them on his own. I did find him this afternoon sitting in front of the door , looking at the bells ...so I gave him the command and he rang the bells, I told him Good boy and clapped and then took him out.......he potty as soon as I took him out.

I can't wait till he learns to ring them himself without me telling him. Before the bells , he had know way of letting me know when he wanted out......he never barks. Before I started using the bells....I did find him sitting infront of the back door and I said Potty? ....he started jumping on the back door ....i took him out and he potty.

I hope this helps......
Let me add.....when I first hung the bells and I rang the bells....Gordon was scared of them.....so I took them off the door and sat on the floor and played with him , leaving the bells on the floor next to me. Every once in a while I would gently ring the bells.......he would stop and look..gradually he got over his fear of them.......but I didnt let him play with them....just did it calmly so he would get over his fear.