How do I get my dog to tell me he has to pee?

You could get a set of bells to hang on the door for your pup to ring, or you could teach them to speak or paw at the door. This way, you will be able to hear them ask to go outside even if you are in a different room. To start teaching these signals, you still need to begin by paying attention to the small signs that they need to go. When it’s time to go, get up and lead them to the door. Then, open the door just a crack–enough for them to smell the outside, but not enough to stick their whole head out. Wait for them to make eye contact with you, then get them excited to go out. Ask something along the lines of “You need to go potty?” then wait. In just a few seconds, your dog should get impatient and vocalize (either by whining or barking) or paw at the door to be let out. Say “yes” or “okay” and let them out as soon as they do. Bells are an excellent way for your dog to signal that it’s time to go outside since they are a distinct sound that you won’t mistake for anything else and are loud enough for you to hear from almost anywhere in the house. Show the bells to your dog, and reward them for any interest or interaction they have with them–sniffing, nosing, pawing at them, etc. With a few weeks of consistency, your pup will start ringing them by themselves when they need to go.

Before diving into training your dog, know that they may already be telling you that they need to go out. Keep an eye out for the following signs: Sniffing and circling the area, Whining, Pacing or fidgeting. Developing a routine for your dog’s potty breaks will help alleviate the uncertainty. Creating a pattern for feeding and going outside will help them get into a routine. Reward them for going outside with affirmations and treats immediately when they’re finished to condition the act. Training your dog to ask to go out involves adding an extra stimulus into their housetraining routine. The most common technique trains your dog to ring a bell when they need to go out. You may prefer teaching your dog to ring a bell when housetraining, rather than to bark or stand quietly at the door. This technique trains your dog to pair ringing a bell with their need to relieve themselves. With enough repetition, your dog will learn that ringing the bell means going out to potty. This requires a lot of repetition, patience, and participation from everyone in your household.

When I started training him I made a mistake of leaving the backyard door always open so he could go whenever he wanted to. When the door is open he knows that he has to go outside and he always does but when the door is closed he just relieves himself in the house without showing any signs. So what I want to achieve is him to start barking at the door when he wants to go outside. We have tried the bell method but I've noticed that the bells aren't loud enough for me to hear if I'm in another room other than where the door is. Make sure you check out our WIKI for recommended resources and articles about common problems.