Potty Bells and potty bell training for my Bull Terrier

With Mila I am using a potty bell and both of us find that very convenient. She has the chance to let me know whenever she needs to go outside for potty business and I benefit by not having scratched doors or “oopsie’s” in the house.

Choosing the right potty bell will depend on your dog. If your dog likes toys, in general I would suggest to stay away from those cute “toy-style” ones. Chances are high that your dog will mistake it as a toy and try to play with it once you leave it outside within your dog’s reach.
I made the “mistake” to order this one.

Mila fell so madly in love with that little blossom at the top that she tried to play with it all the time. Eventually I gave in and detached the blossom and gave it to her as a toy – to this day she loves and cherishes it.

Learn how I trained her to operate the potty bell in this essay.

Some potty bells are being hung at doorknobs and operated best by the dog’s nose. Others are designed like buttons or hotel bells and operated best using a paw.

If you are buying the “jingle bell style” ones, make sure that the product does not contain lead, because the dog will touch it with the muzzle and get in close contact. Also those bells have little metal balls inside that are easy to access for a crafty dog and can easily be swallowed. For some dogs a button-style ringer may therefore be the better idea.

Here are two more examples, but there are tons of other products on the market:

Hanger style

If your dog likes to play, such a very clean and simple version may be a less enticing choice. However, if the dog tends to chew and swallow things, the pieces on this one may be too small and not safe.

Button style