We tried this with Cedar when she was a puppy (appr 6mo) and she didnt pick it up quickly. We got tired of ringing the bell after few weeks and gave up.
Fast forward to THIS week, with both Willow and Cedar over a year old. Willow introduced Cedar to a scratching habit--scratch at the door to go out. While the door is glass and the scratching doesnt hurt it (aside from the dirty paw prints!), it's annoying and I dont want other doors to get damaged. SO... I thought I'd give the bell another go.
We used a bell-for-service type bell that just has to be tapped on the top button to ding. We rang it for Cedar about two days whenever she scratched to go out. We also got her to play with it, so when she accidentally rang the bell, we opened the door.
It's been THREE days, and now I wish I never taught her to use the thing!! Cedar has figured it out for sure. She's even tried to manipulate what it means. For instance, she rang the bell to go out. I knew she didnt NEED out, but hey, she rang the bell and so the door must open. Well, she went out, I shut the door, and then she barked to come back in. I opened the door, she came in, rang the bell, and went outside, turned and looked at me. I shut the door, she barked. I opened the door, in she came and immediately rang the bell. she turned to look at me, so I opened the door. She steps out and looks back and barks--apparently, the bell is SUPPOSED to mean that *I* go outside WITH her, not just that she gets to go outside!!! DUH -ME! Dont I know anything?
I wasnt going to have any of that, so I called her in, shut the door, and moved the bell away from the door next to the sofa (still on the floor). Thirty minutes or so go by and Willow and Cedar cuddle with me for a bit (cuddling is second best to playing in the yard, I guess!). When Cedar woke up, she got down, went straight to the door to go out. I heard her snit like she does when something doesnt go the way she wants. Next thing I see is her trot past me on the sofa, straight to the bell. She rings the thing like a pissed off hotel customer demanding service!! And, since I'm still thinking I have to reinforce the bell, I get up and open the door. Both girls dash out like I was being unreasonably slow.
Go figure!! I think I created a monster....