Teaching your Bull Terrier to “tell you when it needs to go”
In order to help your Bull Terrier or any other puppy to indicate that it “needs to go” some people teach their dogs to indicate that by barking or – MY favorite – a POTTY BELL. We’re actually using such a bell at our home. And it works like a charm.
However, especially when you start using a bark or a potty bell as an indicator, knowing your dog’s approximate potty intervals, times and frequency can be VERY helpful.
This is because, if your dog is anything like my Bull Terrier Mila, it will LOVE to be outside and use every chance to get there, potty being the last reason for it.
So, it will likely start and try using the bell/ barking as a general indicator to get outside.
Therefore it is vital to know your dog’s potty routine or chances are that you will become the “door butler” for your dog whenever it pleases to be outside. 🙂
Only reacting to “real urges” will limit these efforts of your dog.
When you are outside for potty, wait outside with the dog until it has relived itself. Avoid any distractions, toys or play outside during potty time. Any distraction could make the dog forget the real purpose of being outside at that moment.
PRAISE enthusiastically once your dog “goes”, give a treat if you want and connect the situation with a keyword. Our keyword is simply “go potty” or “potty”.
Today Mila knows exactly what that means, because I kept using it EVERY TIME we went outside for potty business.
If your dog is prone to indicating its wishes by barking and barks to be let out anyways, this is a no-brainer. But the same precautions as mentioned above apply.
Barking is usually rather undesired by owners. But if you don’t mind it, training your pup to bark once it needs to go is easy, PROVIDED your dog has already learned to bark on command. In that case you only have to make your dog bark right before you go outside for potty every time and soon enough it will connect the dots and “call” you for potty.
This however will be hard to do, if you do not know how to make your dog bark on command. In that case it will be just another challenge to master for you in addition to the original potty training.
Establishing a “potty bell” with a dog that does NOT already know how to bark on command, is the easier and more immediate way.
In this post I am explaining how you can teach your dog to use a potty bell:
Dog trick tutorial: Teaching a dog how to operate a potty bell
And in this essay you will find some information on different styles of potty bells:
Potty Bells and potty bell training for my Bull Terrier
Learn more about effective puppy potty training and potty pads on the next page