Timmy the trainer

[jabojenny]

and what a good job he's doing. I'm HAPPY to report that Timmy scratches on the door to be let out to do his business. I consider myself very lucky that he chose this option of letting me know. Timmy is also very smart and knows if he scratches on the door I'll get up and we'll go out, even if he just wants to go outside and gaze at the stars. I've been putting up with this for quite some time but now that the weather is getting colder it's getting old. Lately if he doesn't do his business, in a timely manner, I pick him up and bring him inside. 9 out of 10 times he'll scratch again in a minute or two and I'll let him out to either do his business or it's inside again. Am I doing the right thing? Sometimes when he really has to go, and I ignore him, he'll come over and bark at me. He hasn't had any accidents with my new method. He turned one this past month so I know when he has to go he'll do it relatively quickly if not it's back inside especially at night!! Will this stop? Am I destined to be a Havanese Doorman?

[TilliesMom]

ha ha ha, sounds a great deal like bell training! lol

for the first several months I would ALWAYS, without fail OPEN THE DOOR when Tillie rang the bell.... then winter came and the bell ringing slowed down... then spring came. lol
I found that IF I know she doesn't need to go out to potty, I can tell her to "wait" or "in a minute" and she will either get distracted and find something else to do, OR she will insistantly ring the bell, in which case I will let her out.

[sandypaws]

Jen, my Bailey was a bell ringer, being taught to ring it from day one and catching on right away. As he got older, he would ring the bell and when I opened the door to let him out, he would just sniff the air, look at me and not budge. Finally, after doing this several times, I told him, in a firm voice, that if he rang the bell he had to go out. Well, it worked! I was amazed but, as we all know, these guys are very smart. I guess he knew I meant business. From that day on, that was all I had to say and out he'd go. I miss that look Tyler, on the other hand, never picked up the habit. He just goes to the door and looks at me. If I'm in another room, I think he would stand there all day waiting for me without saying a word or trying the bell which is still at the base of the door frame. (It's an old fashion cow bell, not the poochie bells). Good luck with with Timmy who, by the way, looks so much like Bailey that it's uncanny.

[Izzy-bella]

This really sound so familiar. We have a screened in porch and a dog door on that porch.
All spring, summer and early fall the house door ( to the porch) is open so they come and go as they like. Well colder weather has set in and I think they are confused. They ring the bell every hour or half hour. Sometimes not now works other times they really get insistent, It is a real dilemma.

Told my DH that we are going to have to stop letting them out so often and take our chances concerning potential accidents. They really like to be outside...more so in this colder weather it seems. Is that unusual for havanese? They also always go out andcome in together.

This all happens more in the morning and early evening...they are two busy puppies!
But wearing this senior couple out LOL........

[lfung5]

LOL! I don't have the answer for you, but Timmy sure is smart. I do like having a dog door because this way they can go out as they please.

[davetgabby]

Jen now that he's housetrained you could still go with using a bell. The key like you mentioned is to eliminate the many trips to have fun. I remember debating this topic on our IPDTA forum a few years ago, and not even experienced trainers could agee on the best method to avoid the ringing for joy rides. There is one method mentioned here that you could try. It's not foolproof but can work for your situation. http://www.clickertraining.com/node/1171

[Gerard26]

Timmy is doing well job, To train a dog is difficult then baby. Every one can't do it, for this purpose proper training will require, My grand pa is a senior dog trainer he retired from army. He train many types of dogs for army.