diff --git a/clint/textui/progress.py b/clint/textui/progress.py
index 4058c57..11bf174 100644
--- a/clint/textui/progress.py
+++ b/clint/textui/progress.py
@@ -10,17 +10,26 @@ This module provides the progressbar functionality.
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
+from .core import puts
+
 import sys
 
+BAR_TEMPLATE = '%s[%s%s] %i/%i\r'
+BAR_EMPTY_CHAR = '-'
+BAR_FILLED_CHAR = '='
 
-def bar(it, prefix='', width=32, hide=False):
+DOTS_CHAR = '.'
+
+
+def bar(it, label='', width=32, hide=False):
     """Progress iterator. Wrap your iterables with it."""
     count = len(it)
     if count:
         def _show(_i):
             x = int(width*_i/count)
             if not hide:
-                sys.stdout.write("%s[%s%s] %i/%i\r" % (prefix, "="*x, "-"*(width-x), _i, count))
+                puts(BAR_TEMPLATE % (
+                    label, BAR_FILLED_CHAR*x, BAR_EMPTY_CHAR*(width-x), _i, count), newline=False)
                 sys.stdout.flush()
 
         _show(0)
@@ -32,12 +41,15 @@ def bar(it, prefix='', width=32, hide=False):
         sys.stdout.flush()
 
 
-def dots(it, prefix='', hide=False):
+def dots(it, label='', hide=False):
     """Progress iterator. Prints a dot for each item being iterated"""
     count = len(it)
+    
+    puts(label, newline=False)
     if count:
         def _show(_i):
-            sys.stdout.write('.')
+            # sys.stdout.write('.')
+            puts(DOTS_CHAR, newline=False)
 
         _show(0)
     for i, item in enumerate(it):