My Abby is 5 1/2 months old.  She is crate trained now, but that has only been for the last 2 months or so.  She is only semi-house trained.  I am keeping her on leash most of the time so she can't sneak off and poop in the house.  She does well if I am on top of her all the time, but if I'm not paying attention or the kids or husband are watching her, she will sneak off and relieve herself in the house.  I know we need to continue being consistent with taking her out at regular intervals. 

My real question is how do your dogs communicate that they need to go out?

I am aware of putting a bell by the door.  I have started doing this with Abby, but so far she's a little afraid of it and hasn't gotten the idea to do it herself.  She has once or twice gone to the door and whined when she seemed to need to go. 

Thanks!

Carol and Abby

Well first off...your Abby is adorable! With Yaz I was super vigilante for the first month or so. Anytime she moved, I took her out and said"find a spot". She was limited to living room and kitchen so it was easier to keep an eye on her. It's alot of work in the beginning but really pays off. It didn't take long at all for her to learn to go sit at the door and wait. Good luck to you and Abby. Oh yeah...and my husband watching her was totally useless.

Consistancy in taking her out will help a lot---within 10 minutes after she eats, and first thing every morning and last thing every night should be a scheduled routine thing for her to learn.  If you watch her closely, you might pick up on her "body language" also , when she feels like she needs to go out. It's often very subtle and only lasts a couple of seconds with young dogs, but if you notice something she consistantly does right before she needs to go out, build on that.  When Bo needs to go out to pee, he will come and sit in front of me and stare at me till I make eye contact with him, then jump up and start running in small circles.  That's his way of letting me know.  My doberman, Dar, will get really vocal and almost tell me "out".  I've never picked up on anything particular that Lucy does, but she always goes out whenever the others do.

yep that what mine do too!All I have to say is ???outside!!?then PANDAMONIUM! they all 4 run for the dooor!Cash Always wins!!! I started this when they were 7 weeks everytime I took all 5 out of the BOXES to go out I would say?outside? then open all the doors at once and the front door and all would run for it. to go back in it was ?in your boxes! they would run in go to the correct box(this is weird)and I close the doors,then they would all get there treat! SIMPLE! now at 7-&9 mons it still works!