How long until your puppy actually would start telling you that he needed to go outside - by sitting the door, ringing bells, barking = whatever.

Contrary to popular belief, many dogs will never be that obvious. I had a foster dog who wouldn't even go near the door to let me know. He'd just suddenly become more "attentive" to me...always underfoot, etc. That was his sign, and it wasn't very clear.

My Corgi doesn't let me know, either, unless he's about to be sick. And then he'll just start whining wherever he is.

My 5 month old GSD, from the second day I had him started sitting at the door and whining. Wonderful!

If you want your dog to ring a bell, scratch at the door, etc., you should hedge your bets and actually train it instead of waiting for it to happen...cause it might not!

Agree with Amber. If you want a clear signal, it's best you train it. I've never worried about training a signal to go potty however. I once thought about training to ring a bell hung on the door knob to go out, but thought better cause I could see the bell being rung constantly, not just for potty but simply to go outside and play. Chalk it up to their intelligence (they ring the bell, they get to go out)

I let my pup out often enough, and if I'm not there to do that, he's always just held it until I get back.

i did get a bell. A service type bell that has to be pushed to ring. I put my puppy's paw on it each time we go out.
I just was wondering when he'd actually do it himself.
Also should I bring that bell around like if we are at a friends house and I take him with me? or just use it at my house?

Try to encourage him to step on it himself or bump it to make the sound by either playing near it or coaxing him near it. Let him do it himself instead of helping him touch it. When he finally rings its by himself- whether purposfully or accidently, make a big deal about it by getting real happy, praising and petting and rushing to the door to let him outside. At this point it doesn't matter if he needs to go potty or not. You just want to begin the associaton with him ringing the bell and then going outside, so practice when you think he probably doesn't need to go potty to avoid an accident on the floor.
Do this a coulle times (he rings, you praise and rush outside) and he should pick it up. It is important to drop whatever you are doing and rush him outside if he rings it. It is important that he learns that the bell means outside always.

Now, this is a funny little addition to him learning this- Once he knows that the bell means outside, he may ring it to actually potty and go outside to play. My female shepherd used to do this. If she wanted to go walk, she would ring the bell. lol! But we knew if it was really a potty bell ring or a walk bell ring by the way she acted when we came to the door. Potty meants serious face sitting quietly and walk meant jumping and running back and forth from the door to us. Very funny! If he begins to ring it for other outside reasons and you don't want to let him out, just tell him "no silly, maybe later" or something. (my shepherd used to ring the bell like 5 times if I told her this and then forget it...really humorous!)

I only used the bell at our house, but I assume that your dog may know what it means if you show him where you placed the bell in the house you are staying, or hotel, etc. Some dogs will, some won't I bet. Most dogs find the doors in the building and will go there to go outside. Just put the bell near the door you want to go outside to potty at and he'll figure it out.
Alison

So if i keep putting his paw on the bell and ringing it with his paw he probably wont get it? Unless I try to also make him do it himself?

If he starts to ring it just to go out..if you just take him to potty think they will get the idea that they can't do that?