PoochieBells Dog Potty Training Doorbells

A fabric strap with sleigh bells that loops over a doorknob or handle; your dog nudges or paws it to ring.

Who it suits

Homes with a doorknob or lever handle at the potty door, renters who cannot screw anything to the wall, and dogs that nudge or paw.

Key facts

• The current set adjusts from 18 to 28 inches and comes as two sets with a 3-step training guide (Poochie-Pets)
• Handmade in the USA (Poochie-Pets)
• The version Canine Journal tested was 26 inches long with four lead-free sleigh bells and loops over a doorknob or lever handle (Canine Journal)

What reviewers say

Canine Journal: Canine Journal’s Chelsie named PoochieBells the best doorbell for doorknobs in her test of over 15 doorbells (September 2023). She found the bells the loudest of any hanging doorbell they tried, all their dogs quickly learned to ring it by nose or paw, and her 8 inch Chihuahua could reach the lower bells. It only works on handles you can loop it over; she suggests a hook beside the door so it does not ring every time the door opens. The model she tested was 26 inches long.

ThatMutt: Lindsay Stordahl wrote a sponsored post after Poochie-Pets sent PoochieBells for her dog Ace, and logged his training. Her follow up post does not give a final verdict.

We did not test it ourselves.

Pros

• Loudest hanging bell in Canine Journal’s test
• No screws or adhesive
• Length adjusts on the current version

Cons

• Only fits handles it can loop over, per Canine Journal
• Rings whenever the door moves if hung on the handle
• Sleigh bells can, rarely, catch a nail, says Canine Journal

Good to know

• Canine Journal says sleigh bells have a small hole that a pawing dog’s nail could catch in, though none of its testers did. Teaching your dog to nudge with the nose avoids it.
• Measure from your doorknob to the floor so the bells hang where your dog can reach them.
• If your house trained dog starts having accidents, see your vet, as VCA advises (https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/house-training-your-puppy).