Puppy training bells are most commonly used to aid with potty training. Many accidents occur when owners don't realize that their puppy was trying to tell them it was time to go outside. The bell gives puppies a clear signal to alert their humans.
Using a Training Bell
Introduce the bell to your puppy as a game. Praise and reward him for ringing the bell so he knows that you want him to interact with the balls.
Once your dog is used to batting at the bell, place it near the door you want your puppy to use. If there is more than one, you should place a bell by each door.
When it is time for your puppy to go outside, place him on leash and lead him toward the door. Either encourage him to ring the bell, give a bell command or pick up his foot and use it to ring the bell. When he does this, praise him and open the door.
Reward him for relieving himself outside.
From now on, your dog should never go out the door without ringing the bell. Any time you hear the bell ring on its own, praise your puppy significantly and let him outside. Go with him to see if he relieves himself. Reward if he does.
Selecting a Bell
Any type of bell will work for this training, but there are many bells on the market now specifically designed for this purpose. These bells are on decorative lanyards that can hang from your doorknob or on a nail near your door. Many pet stores and online sites offer these products, assuring you that they are "trainer recommended."
However, if you would like to try a different product or make one yourself, any type of bell will work as long as that is the bell you use for training. You could make one yourself with a bell and a rope or string.
Make sure that you can hear the bell elsewhere in the house. Though your young puppy won't have house freedom for awhile, you still want to select a product that can be heard from the farthest corner of your house, just in case.
Disadvantages to Bell Training
Dogs often enjoy going outside, not because they need to relieve themselves but because they want to play or bark at the neighbor's cat. Dogs can learn to abuse the bell system by ringing it often just to get your attention and get you to take them outside.
In addition, bells are difficult to ignore. Thus, if you usually ignore your dog when he's begging to go outside, a bell will make this much more difficult. Your dog also may ring it late at night or early in the morning when you may prefer him to use a potty pad.
However, if you think that you need a clear cue from your dog as to when he needs to go, the benefits will outweigh the disadvantages. It won't change the process of potty training, but it may make it easier for you to determine when your dog needs to relieve himself.