If you're never quite sure when your dog needs to get out, you may think that it would be great if the dog would beckon you! This idea may seem like a lot of demanding on a dog, but it's actually very easy to train a pet to do. Depending on you and your dog's preferences, you may choose to train him to ring the bell, give you a leash, or bark.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Using the Bel. Method
Step 1. Hang a bell near the door
Make sure the bell is within reach of the dog and rings loud enough that you can hear it even if you're not in the same room. It's also important that the bell should be durable enough that it won't be damaged by your dog.
- You can also use a wireless doorbell, as long as your dog is able to press the button.
- If your dog seems frightened by the sound of the bell, try to reduce the sound by covering it with a small amount of adhesive tape. Next, let your dog get very used to the bell and gently peel off the tape. As soon as your dog is no longer bothered by the sound of the bell, you can start training.
Step 2. Let your dog ring the bell
At all times, before you take your dog out, gently lift the paw and help your dog ring the bell. Then let the dog out immediately. Continue doing this training for a few weeks until your dog learns to ring the bell on his own.
- If your dog is really unmotivated by the outdoors, feed the dog while you let him out to help reinforce the training.
- If your dog is in the practice of going to the bathroom outside, be sure to reward him if he does too.
Step 3. Be sure to provide a response
As soon as your dog is trained to ring the bell, be sure to respond when he does, by letting him out. If you don't let him out when the dog rings the bell, the dog will get confused and may stop doing it.
Continue to reward your dog with food for successfully ringing the bell for a few weeks, if not longer
Method 2 of 3: Training Your Dog to Put on a Leash
Step 1. Leave the dog leash in an accessible location
If you want to train your dog to give you his leash when he wants to get out, you'll need to start putting it somewhere where he can easily reach it.
The area near the door is an ideal location. Try to put it in a basket so it's easy to reach
Step 2. Let your dog bite the leash
To begin this training, take the leash and give it to your dog before letting him out, waiting a few seconds while the dog bites him. Then give him a gift of food and let the dog out. Repeat the exercise until your dog seems eager to bite the leash and bring it to you.
If your dog drops the leash, pick it up and put it back in its mouth and repeat until the dog holds it for a few seconds
Step 3. Walk away
As soon as your dog gets used to biting the leash in his mouth when you're with him at the door, that's the perfect time to take that higher level of training. Once you've given him the leash to nibble on, start walking away slowly. Stand a few feet away from your dog and encourage the dog to come to you on a leash, rewarding him with food if he does. Repeat this exercise until your dog seems comfortable with the habit.
As your dog gets used to this condition, it may start following you by biting the leash without you calling
Step 4. Slowly increase the distance
As your training progresses, it's a good idea to be able to walk further away from your dog until the dog will eventually give you the leash on its own, without any help from you.
- This method may not be effective for dogs who don't like picking up (objects).
- When your dog gives you the leash, be sure to respond by taking the dog outside. For the time being, continue to use food rewards to reinforce the habit.
Method 3 of 3: Train Your Dog to Bark When He Wants to Get Out
Step 1. Train your dog to bark on command
Before you can train your dog to bark as a signal to get out, you need to train him to bark with the command "speak." This trick is relatively easy to teach your dog, but you may want to avoid it if your dog has been barking a lot.
- To start the exercise, make your dog happy by waving his favorite toy around, making a noise, or doing other things that will make him bark.
- When your dog barks, give him a piece of food as a treat. Try to reward him for one bark, because you don't have to encourage him to keep barking.
- As soon as you can get your dog to bark consistently in this way, add a hand signal or verbal command. Use the cue/command consistently until the dog learns to bark when the cue/command is given.
- Continue to practice and reinforce the habit by giving him a piece of food when your dog barks on command.
- Don't reward your dog for barking unless you specifically ask him to do so.
Step 2. Let your dog bark at the door
As soon as your dog can bark on command, you can start training him to bark as a signal to get out. Start by going to the door and telling your dog to bark. When your dog barks, let him out immediately.
As with other training methods, if going outside isn't enough of a treat for your dog, give him food as a treat while you let him out
Step 3. Be consistent
The more consistent you are with the exercise, the faster your dog will learn. Allow your dog to bark every time you go outside, and in no time, the dog will learn that he can ask for an exit by repeating the habit.
Tips
- All of the above training methods work well for dogs who have been trained not to pee indoors. Training a dog to use the bathroom outside is a separate task from training him to let you know when the dog wants to go outside.
- No matter what training method you use, it's important to know what motivation your dog has. For most dogs, the motivation is food, and for some, the use of a different reward such as a toy will work better. Some dogs are so out of the house that they may not need any additional reward to learn this trick.
