Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/dog-doorbell/
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people have been staying home and even working from home. As a result, dog adoptions have skyrocketed and people are finding more time on their hands to spend with their pets and teach them new tricks.
If you’re a dog owner, you’re all too familiar with the frequent potty breaks that animals need. Several times a day, they need to be let outside to do their business and we have to wait at the door to let them back in when they’re done sniffing around.
During COVID times, having this break could be a welcome activity, but it can also be a bit of a nuisance. One dog owner got tired of playing the guessing game of their pups timing and waiting around for their dogs to be ready to come back inside from the yard so they decided to get creative. Rather than wait around, they got their dogs their own doorbell!
After a short training session, the dogs were able to ring the doorbell and alert their owner that they were ready to go come inside after a potty break. A video of the pups in action was captured and shared on Instagram. The video said, “The dogs now have their own doorbell…best purchase ever.”
Watch them in action below:
Training a dog to use a doorbell is actually a pretty straightforward matter. According to Rover, it’s a helpful skill that allows your dog to alert you, via a doorbell, that they need to go out to potty or come back inside.
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The AKC details how to train a dog to use a doorbell on their website. According to them, there are three primary steps involved in the training:
1. Get your dog comfortable with the bell. Hold the bell close to their nose and when they touch it, give them a treat and say, “yes.” Work on this step until the dog is comfortable and eager to touch the bell.
2. Hang the doorbell near the door where your puppy can easily reach it. The AKC says, “Encourage your puppy to touch the bell, and as soon as he does, say ‘yes!’ and treat. Repeat until your puppy readily touches the bell when you give him the cue.” Make sure to give your pup plenty of positive affirmation and praise.
3. Finally, you’ll want to train your dog to ring the bell to go out. When the dog rings the bell, say “yes!” and open the door to let the dog out. Continue this until the dog catches on.
It’s that simple!
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
