I have a 12 week old cockapoo puppy. I'm currently at home and trying to housebreak her. She's doing really well and most of the time she sits at the door to be let out. If I miss this signal though, she'll go in the house. I've waited as she sat by the door hoping that she'll eventually bark but she either lies down or something distracted her or I'll see her starting to go to the washroom near the door so I have to get her outside quickly. I'm trying to teach her to ring a bell by the door to signal me because she doesn't bark however the bell doesn't seem to be working she rang it only once. Is there any way I can get her to bark or will she start barking when she gets older?

I woulnd't teach any dog to bark for what it wants - I did, and I ended up with a dog who barks when she wants to go out, when she wants to come in, when she wants feeding, when she wants a fuss, when she's stuck............. With hindsight, what I'd do now is teach her to ring the bell - but teach it seperatly (probalby using clicker training techniques) from the occasions at the door, then bring the two together....

Thanks, she's actually started to ring the bell, only problem is that she rings it every 10 minutes, because she knows there's a treat associated with her ringing the bell - going outside. I've left her outside for a while by herself to teach her and that seems to stop the unnecessary ringing. What is the clicker method, I've tried a search in the various forums to find out what it is, but can't tell exactly. However, it does sound interesting. Is there a book I can read about it?... is it an actual clicker?... do you get this thing at a pet store?... or is this just a training technique.
Your help is appreciated.
Dionne

When she rings the bell take her outside on lead and give her the instructions you use to tell her to do her business. If she does it she gets a treat, if she doesn't she comes in. She will soon learn that ringing the bell gets her out on lead to do her business only, not to play. When she 'gets' this you can start letting her out again offlead for bell-ringing.

Wendy

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Thanks
I've tried both brining her in and keeping her outside by herself when she rings the bell for the treat. I've just started to ignore her when I know she doesn't have to go... I think that's working.

We have just started puppy classes with our 16 week old Westie and were given a clicker by the trainer. It's a small box with a button inside which 'clicks' when you press it. I've only been once but what we were shown to do is get your dog to sit (by holding treat above head). when they've done that you then click the clicker behind your back and hand them a treat. You only click though when they get it right. They soon learn to associate the click with the treat. You then progress this on to other commands. Not sure where you actually buy them from but I have seen a book in the pet shop which I think was about £8 and tells you about clicker training.

Our little monkey already knows how to sit though so she just sat there waiting for the click and the treat!

Ginger knows how to sit, stay, leave it, take it, settle, down, go into her crate (go to bed) and retrieves toys and brings it back when thrown to her, so is the cliker training necessary for her to not ring the bell unnecessarily because she wants the treat and doesn't have to go to the bathroom?

cockapoo?? ive seen those advertised in a nottingham paper are they half cocker and half poodle what do they look like??

I teach my dogs to bark one wont but the other dose,
the thing is you teach them to bark for things you ask them to, but you also need to teach them not to bark all the time to. its easy to do when there young just say no barking and then they know when to bark and when not to.

Yes, she is a hybrid, half cocker and poodle. They can be a toy, mini, or medium dogs to very large - depending on the size of the poodle. They have either a curly or straight coat. The curlier the more poodle and the less shedding and dander - which is great for allergy sufferers.. And of course the colours can very. Ginger is a straight haired cockapoo with curly ears. Her ears are long like the cocker and they have the strong bone structures of the cocker. Very cute.