Aww thank you! Happy training!

Ack! You could try using a less tasty treat, so her enthusiasm is a little less intense. Or, by teaching Paw first like this, she'll learn the idea of using her paw instead of her mouth: ukposts.info/have/v-deo/kJmDfWiebqx62mQ.html Keep at it! It may take several sessions for her to get the idea, and that's OK.

BKLN Manners: Urban Dog Training ok thank you so much I’ll try this

😂🤣

I'm not a dog trainer, but a speech-language pathologist. You might also try modeling/showing her by doing it yourself and pairing it with the word you want. :) I never thought of this. I think it's brilliant to try and teach your dog to use buttons!

🤣🤣🤣

Thank you!

Awww, thank you so much! You've got one clever Golden!

Thanks Lauren!

Aww thank you! Happy training!!

Awesome! Thanks!

Awww thanks!

LOL, thank you! 😂 ❤

Thank you! what a clever puppy!

Aww I love that!! Happy training!

@@katenaito Great video, new subscriber. I already communicate with my dog, without the buttons, however I can tell she wants to say more. Is there a specific type of buttons to get or work better? Thank you!

@@michelledcarter Good question! If you don't already follow Stella -- instagram.com/hunger4words/ -- I recommend starting there!

@@katenaito Thanks! Any buttons you can reccomend?

@@michelledcarter These are the recordable ones, so you can make your own words! www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Recordable-Answer-Buzzers/dp/B00HT5HBMO

Awesome! If your Chi isn't feeling the button, maybe you could try it as a nose-target to jingle bells hanging on the door knob. Happy training!

Great! Happy training!

A foot target! I love this idea!

Your so lucky I tried to get my dog to paw a post it note she literally ate the post it note until she ate the treat 😑😑😑

@@alissamoore3493 omg you must have my dog's twin

Thank you!

Thank you! Happy training!

Thanks! Happy training!

Going to start teaching this to my Shih Tzu! He already knows a bunch of tricks including paw, so I believe in him!

I wish I knew better when my dog was little. He refuses to do any commands now if there is no treat reward. He's only food motivated at 3ys old.

Hi Lisa! We are fans of The Crown, and the name seemed fitting for her personality. Ha!

In this video I'm actually using Margaret's dry food... But for higher value treats, consider chicken jerky -- it's a soft slab that can easily be broken into pieces. Something like this: www.amazon.com/Nudges-Health-Wellness-Chicken-Treats/dp/B0171Q366A Trader Joe's also has soft treats: www.amazon.com/Trader-Joes-Treats-Organic-Chicken/dp/B07G85W7FV Happy training!

Hi Diane, so glad you're trying this out! It took a few weeks for Margaret to really grasp the full trick. At first, we did formal training sessions, 5min or less, once or twice a day. But once she understood how to hit it on cue without the sticky note (which took a week or so, I think), I simply moved the button next to the door and only cued her to hit it right before I opened the door. Hope that helps!

@@katenaito Thanks so much for the reply. It really helps me gauge my training plan with my pup!

I'd recommend slowing down the training. Each step may take several sessions until your dog fully understands it and feels comfortable doing it. it sounds like you've made some progress already, so keep up the good work!

@@katenaito Thx :) I will jus watch and see how it goes from here. Update, She has pressed the button several times hard enough. She now scratches it a couple of times untill its hard enough to activate it. after she can properly press it Im gonna try to make her accociate it with going outide :D

Glad it was helpful! Happy training!

Yep, they do recognize which button is which, but the buttons should look noticeably different or be placed in specific spots. I place the buttons in different areas. So the "take me out" button is next to the front door. I also have a "hey, feed me" button near the kitchen.

Agreed! The buttons are not ideal. If you put your mouth RIGHT up to the mic on the button, you'll get a somewhat decent audio. If anyone out there has tips/tricks, I'm all ears!

True! Some dogs have a lot to say!

Taught my dog and he’s always saying “treats” and “play” lol

Awesome!

How's your training going? I want to try this on my chihuahua too

Though I'm not a cat expert, the general training process is the same. Instead of a "take me out" button, you could choose a different request that is particular to your cat. For instance, I also have a "hey, feed me" button for Margaret to remind me when it's dinner time, because that's what she really wants!

Day 2 for my cat with the recordable buttons and I have her pawing the button reliably (did not see your video, but she seemed to get it when I demo'd it and rewarded, and I didn't even need to us treats much as she likes getting brushed and was intrigued with the buttons) but she's not pushing hard enough and I'm having trouble getting that across. I rewarded with treats when it happened a couple of times accidentally when she rubbed her head on the button but I don't think she's getting it. I'm using "brush brush" as the sound which she already knows from before and brushing her for a bit when she paws the button. I've been demo'ing pressing it soft vs. hard, but she's just gently touching it with her paw which doesn't get the button to work. If she does press it hard enough for the sound to work, I will definitely reinforce with treats, but not sure what could encourage her to do that. Cats are a lot more gentle than dogs generally with this kind of thing naturally. I also have an outside button, which I've introduced (for her to look into the hallway outside my apartment. She already knows that word too, so I'm hoping at some point either one of those two things will be wanted enough that she emphasizes by pressing down harder.

@ThatOneGirl Thanks! She finally got it several weeks in (just before I was going to give up on it). I'm not even really sure what did it but we kept trying with me demonstrating and encouraging her to push harder ("more" "hmph"). Once she understood how to do it, she got into it. We have the set of four (we are using the words: treat, outside, brush, play and then treat turned into water. But I'm not sure how far we'll go with it). Good luck with yours!

A good question, Ginny! We start with a sequence of “push the button, get a treat, go outside.” Then once the dog is easily able to do this pattern, we switch the order to “push the button, go outside, get a treat after stepping outside.” Once that pattern is smooth, we fade out the treat, so the only reward is being let outside. Provided the “outside” part is considered a reward to the dog, he should start to offer the behavior (pushing a button) on his own. Whether the reward for pushing a button is food or going outside (or play or other rewards), there’s always a chance the dog will be constantly ringing it. This is OK, as it can’t hurt to ask! But if I’m really not able to give the dog his reward, I will tell him so by saying “not now” and turning away. This way, at least the dog knows I’ve heard his request, even if I can’t give him what he wants at that moment.

@@katenaito thank you!!

My other dog, Beans, feels the same way! Consider these: - Try a different kind of button, like an old-school hotel desk bell or bells that hang from your doorknob. - Ask your dog to get a running start and then push the button. The momentum can help her push it harder and make it more fun. - If those don't work, try a different cue entirely. For instance, ask her to sit on a special mat/towel near the door for a few seconds before you let her out. Sitting on the mat could eventually become her cue for "outside."

Thank you!

😂😂 Life with dogs...

Happy training!

These are the buttons I use: www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Recordable-Answer-Buzzers/dp/B00HT5HBMO You record your voice, so your button can say whatever you want! Enjoy!

Thank you very much.

Hi Katy! You could try giving her a running start -- meaning, you two can run to the button together and you cue her to "hit it." The momentum might be enough to press the button harder. (And if she does, then jackpot with many treats!) Or, if the button is a bust, you could consider a call bell (like in an old-school hotel lobby) or jingle bells hanging from the door, which are likely to make noise with less pressure.

Good point!... Some dogs are just not pawsy. You could use a nose-target on jiggly type bells (hung from the doorknob) instead. The method would be very similar, except rewarding for a nose-touch instead of paw-touch. This video might help a bit, too: ukposts.info/have/v-deo/j5VehKuGaK9hyqc.html

In the beginning, that's right, the treats are a way to motivate the dog to hit the button properly on his own. But if the desire to go outside is sufficiently motivating, then going out (without treats) becomes the reward!

@@katenaito I gotcha now. My dog learned to press "outside" word too.

Awesome!

@ThatOneGirl he pushed a button lol didn't get a video

@ThatOneGirl haha! I had the camera out and he knew I was recording lol, he does low five really well good pressure to, just think the button is a bit stiff

Good question! Two things come to mind. One, you could consider clicker training your cat(s), which generally gets them more excited about treats and training. Two, you could free shape a paw target. (If you're not sure what that is, google "free shaping"... or it's all explained in my book, *shameless plug*.) Free shaping involves a clicker, too... though you could just as easily make a clucking noise with your mouth rather than buy a clicker. Happy training!

Hi! Two thoughts... First, a nose-target is also fine, especially if you use a lightweight bell instead of a heavy button like mine. Some dogs just don't like to use their paws. Or second, try teaching a Paw cue first, and then you can put the button/bell in your hand. Once your dog can hit the button in your hand, you can gradually remove your hand, until it's just the button. Here's how to get started on Paw: ukposts.info/have/v-deo/kJmDfWiebqx62mQ.html

This is a good question! There are some dogs who are uncomfortable pawing at items, and I prefer not to force them to do it. How about teaching your pup to nose-touch a jingle-bell hanging from the door instead? The training would look like this, except you'd use a bell instead of your hand: ukposts.info/have/v-deo/j5VehKuGaK9hyqc.html

Although there's not really an age restriction when you use rewards-based training, puppies have shorter attention spans and will learn at their own pace. You can teach the "hit it" part anytime. But to use the button for going outside, I'd wait until your dog is old enough to have some bladder/bowel control. Little puppies may not even realize they have to go potty until they're actually "going," so it wouldn't be realistic for them to be able to tell you in advance. Hope that helps!

It can take a bit of time, but the next step beyond the video is to fade out the treats. I will (1) have the dog hit the button, walk out the door, and then treat, and (2) stop treating entirely, so the "reward" is getting to go outside for a potty break. At that point, dogs generally make the connection, and will "ask" to go out when needed. (This assumes the dog likes to go outside for potty breaks. If the dog has a weewee pad or is afraid of going outside, it's more challenging to get the behavior.)

There's no age limit... I hope you and the pup give it a try!

Great question! I would add the sound when hitting the bell means "let's go outside." In the early stages, Margaret is just learning to hit the button, and it doesn't mean "outside" yet. I add the sound only after I put the button next to the front door and have her hit it before going out to potty.

@@katenaito thank you! I'll try it that way :)

A loud button should be fine, as long as the sound doesn't scare your dog. :) You can also buy a "smart" bell, so the ringing can be heard in whatever room/area you want. (Chewy has one called Mighty Paw Smart Bell.)

These are the ones I use: www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Recordable-Answer-Buzzers/dp/B00HT5HBMO Enjoy!

Many dogs (my dog Margaret included) learned to hit the button in a few sessions. However, it took much longer (weeks I think?) for Margaret to push the button on her own when she wanted to go outside. Hang in there!

I fade out the treat by, first, opening the door and giving the treat on the outside of the door. At a certain point, the dog will realize that hitting the button is how to get the door opened. Getting to go outside is the reward in itself. It might take some time, but hang in there!

Maybe you could glue a bell onto the button, so it makes a noise even when he touches it lightly? My girl is the same, she only touches harshly when it's my hand she's touching for a treat, never when it's an object.

Hi! You could try a few things: 1. When you reward, toss the treat, so he has to run for it. Then, have the button ready as he runs back to you for the next rep. He may have enough momentum to hit it harder, and if he does, TONS of treats and cheers! 2. Consider a different kind of item, like a hotel-style call bell or other kind of bell. 3. Use a super high value reward (like deli meat) to get him more enthused. He's more likely to hit it hard if he's super excited.

It depends on the dog, but I usually encourage a "less is more" approach. Practice once a day for a few (5ish) minutes or less, about five days a week. Once the dog fully understands how to hit the button, then you would only practice it in real-life potty-time situations.

Try this... When you reward your pup, toss the reward away a few feet. This will cause him to run back toward the button for the next rep. This forward momentum can help him push the button harder. If that doesn't work, consider switching to a different kind of bell, like the jingly kind that hang from the doorknob. Good luck! :)

These are the buttons I use: www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Recordable-Answer-Buzzers/dp/B00HT5HBMO You record your voice, so your button can say whatever you want! Enjoy!

Every dog is different. Some dogs get the idea in a few days, and others take several weeks to figure out how to ring the bell on their own.

Margaret is 5 years old, but as long as your dog can comfortably get into the "scratching" position, I think any age is fine. Happy training! :)

You're getting there! You could try a few things: 1. When you reward, toss the treat, so she has to run for it. Then, have the button ready as she runs back to you for the next rep. She may have enough momentum to hit it harder, and if she does, TONS of treats and cheers! 2. Consider a different kind of item, like a hotel-style call bell. 3. Use a super high value reward (like deli meat) to get her more enthused. She's more likely to hit it hard if she's super excited.

Some people are putting something on the button to weigh it down.

Once your dog is getting good at hitting the button and then going outside, you can try fading the verbal cue. To do this, stand by the button with your dog, but don't give the cue. Wait and see if he will hit the button on his own. If he doesn't hit the button after 5-10 seconds, give the verbal cue. Continue with this pattern until he eventually hits the button on his own (which may take several reps).

@@katenaito thank you very much, i'll get to it right away.

Ah, good question! If the dog isn't motivated to go outside, it may be harder to teach the "final product" of the dog choosing to hit the bell. If your dog reeeally has to go outside to use the bathroom, he might use the bell. But if you also have pee pads available, then it is not likely your dog will ask to go outside.

Hi Rachelle! You can start anytime, but it might not click in your pup's mind for a while. Sometimes puppies don't even know they have to go potty until it's already happening!

I would recommend working with a qualified trainer who can help: www.ccpdt.org/dog-owners/certified-dog-trainer-directory/

we have taken him to a trainer but maybe i need one to come to the house. i'll take a look, thank you. @@katenaito

Woohoo!

You could try giving him/her a running start -- meaning, you two can run to the button together and you cue him to "hit it." The momentum might be enough to press the button harder. (And if he does, then jackpot with many treats!) Or, if the button is a bust, you could consider a call bell (like in an old-school hotel lobby) or jingle bells hanging from the door, which are likely to make noise with less pressure.

@@katenaito thank you so muchh 🥰

Good question! In some cases, the dog thinks the button is for treats and not outside. In that case, when she hits the button (and does want to go outside), put the harness/collar/leash on first, and THEN give the treat when she's on the outside of the door. If you think she's pushing the button but does not want to go outside, offer to take her out. If she refuses your offer to go out, then just go back to what you were doing. No treat in this case (since the treat will come after she steps outside.)

The reward doesn't have to be food, although a really high value reward like cheese or deli meat might do the trick. But you could also hold a toy behind the note/button!

This is my question as well !

This can happen, but here's how to prevent it... First, make sure your dog gets the idea that (1) hitting the bell gets him (2) a treat and (3) walking out the door (as in the video). Then, switch the order, so it's (1) hitting the button, then (2) walk out the door, and (3) treat. Then, eventually you can get rid of the treat completely, since going out is rewarding in itself. (But note that, if your dog doesn't like going out, or if you use pee pads and the dog doesn't feel the urge to go out, you may have a harder time getting to the end result. Why would he hit the button if he doesn't want/need to go out?) Hope that helps!

BKLN Manners: Urban Dog Training Can I just give plenty of praise & affection instead of a treat ? Would it be as effective ?

@@Gotyefan101 If your dog loooves it when you get excited, cheer for him, or give him lots of affection, then yes! A reward can be anything -- food, a toy, affection -- that motivates the dog to do the same behavior (hitting the button) again and again.

BKLN Manners: Urban Dog Training Okay ☺️ thanks so much for replying !

LOL! 🤣

You could try giving him/her a running start -- meaning, you two can run to the button together and you cue him to "hit it." The momentum might be enough to press the button harder. (And if he does, then jackpot with many treats!) Or, if the button is a bust, you could consider a call bell (like in an old-school hotel lobby) or jingle bells hanging from the door, which are likely to make noise with less pressure.

This is the button: www.amazon.com/Learning-Resources-Recordable-Answer-Buzzers/dp/B00HT5HBMO

Sorry I'm just seeing this! You're right, it will be a challenge if the dog doesn't want to go out in the first place. There are ways to work through this, but it would probably take some one-on-one help from a trainer.

When bell training goes rogue, look at the consequences and see how you can modify them. In this case, it sounds like your pup learned that the bell means she can go outside, and possibly do twenty other things before actually going potty. Try this: when she rings the bell, put her on leash, take her to a potty spot, and only let her stay in that spot. If she doesn't go potty, then take her back inside. The bell never leads to outside play time, but rather is only for a very quick potty break and then coming back home. It may not be a quick fix, as she already has a certain expectation of going out to play when she rings the bell, but as long as the consequences of potty-only are clear, she'll get the idea with repetition.

@@katenaito Thank you, this is a great idea.

It sounds like you've made a lot of progress already! Try to fade out your presence over time. When you know she wants to go outside, stand an inch or two farther from the button and count to five. This gives her time to hit the button on her own. if she doesn't do it in five seconds, you can cue the behavior. Once she starts to hit the button on her own like this, you can stand another few inches farther from the button and wait for her to hit it. The goal is to fade your presence in such small baby steps that she doesn't even notice you're backing away. It can take time for a dog to be able to perform a behavior without your help, but hang in there.

@@katenaito this worked great! She’s pressing the button on her own now. Really she got it after a day or two of trying this ☺️ thank you for your help!

@@Masa-gl6ti Awesome job!

If she already knows the sequence, then I would try simply waiting. Do not cue the bell, and wait quietly until she thinks to push it herself. Another option is to ask her to push the button first, before you put the leash on. This way, the button is essentially asking "put my leash on," which seems to be what your dog is asking anyway, and may make more sense to your dog.

A great start! Dogs ARE smart! :)

This is a good point, as we can teach our dogs a lot of things without treats. And surely, there is more than one way to teach a behavior. In this case, I would much prefer the dog learns to use his problem-solving skills -- "Hmm, how am I going to get that treat?" -- in the beginning stage of learning. It builds motivation and prevents me from having to manipulate the dog's body (which does not let the dog problem-solve). Once he/she learns the target behavior, it's time to fade the treat, and the button simply becomes a way for the dog to communicate his need. I would be interested in seeing other methods of teaching this behavior, too!

R&R I have used treats to train dogs but I wouldn't use treats for this. Then they have to lose the association that touching the button means food. I feel they should be rewarded by the action.. such as starting off by the human touching the button and then taking the dog out immediately. Rewarding it with what pushing the button will get it. Some dogs might need more because they might be afraid of the button

Take it slow and steady, and happy training! This one takes some time to train, but it's worth it! :)

When this happens, you have two options. 1. Wait -- you stay still and don't say anything or move the paper -- until the dog finally touches it with his paw. Many dogs will try the nose first, but then paw at the paper a little later. Or, if he won't use his paw at all, 2. you can train the dog to do a nose target to a bell that hangs from your doorknob. The training steps are the same, except you are rewarding a nose target instead of a paw target.

How about switching to the hanging "jingle bells" instead? The training is the same, except you would attach the sticky note to the bells, and hang them as low as possible on the door.

@@katenaito yeah i though about it, I saw your other comment. I'm going to try to teach her to press it until she hears the sound, but maybe she will get frustrated idk. lets see

You could certainly try putting the treat behind the button in step one, but a lot of buttons are so large that the dog does not try to paw at it. 🐾

:) You could use a nose-target on jiggly type bells (hung from the doorknob) instead. The method would be very similar, except rewarding for a nose-touch instead of paw-touch. This video might help a bit, too: ukposts.info/have/v-deo/j5VehKuGaK9hyqc.html

Some dogs are scared of the button

Oh no! Some dogs are afraid of touching certain objects, so consider trying a different way to train this. For example, a nose target onto hanging bells is also possible.

If your dog is afraid of the training process or the button, please reach out to a CCPDT or IAABC certified trainer who can help you. Avoid pushing your pup if she is fearful.

This is a good point! I prefer to teach the behavior of accurately and forcefully hitting an easy object first, then apply that fully-formed skill to the button (otherwise you might get an inaccurate button push). But if your dog meets these criteria, you can skip the sticky note: 1. he/she is totally confident around the button (some dogs are scared to touch it at first), 2. he/she is food motivated enough to hit the button in order to get the treat behind it, 3. he/she will hit the button squarely and hard enough to actually make the sound go off.

@@katenaito that makes sense, thanks for clarifying.

You could try something harder than a sticky note, like a business card. Or, practice "paw" first, which will give your dogs the idea to use their paws in a training context. Video: ukposts.info/have/v-deo/kJmDfWiebqx62mQ.html

While the end goal is to have the dog notify you on his own, you need to clearly model the steps first, beginning with how to push a button for a reward. Then you add the door. Eventually, the reward is simply being let out, but may still be prompting the dog to push the button. This video shows these trainable steps of the process. If you trained up to this point, the dog will eventually understand the significance of the bell, and will ring it on his own to alert you. Some dogs will make this connection very quickly, and others will need prompting for quite a while.