As a new puppy owner, it can seem like an excessive amount of time is spent worrying about their poops. What’s normal and healthy in terms of puppy urination is a question that frequently arises.
Due to their naturally small bladders, puppies need to urinate more frequently the younger they are. A good rule of thumb is that a puppy should be able to hold its bladder for as many hours as its months-old age. Therefore, a puppy that is a month old can hold urine for about an hour. But if necessary, a puppy older than six months can typically last for six hours. The size of the dog will also have an impact on how long it takes, so puppies of smaller toy breeds will not likely be able to hold their bladder for as long as puppies of large breeds at the same age.
Does My Puppy Pee “A Lot”?
As defined in the Free Dictionary:
a lot [noun]
- has a lot of friends; is in a lot of trouble to a large extent, amount, or number
I can imagine what you’re thinking: Sure, smart ass (referring to Colby), we know what “a lot” literally means, but when it comes to the statement “My puppy pees a lot,” we obviously want more information.
Consider keeping a schedule for when your puppy typically goes potty if you don’t know the exact times. Puppies need a potty schedule. Just ask Archer.
What are we looking for in a Puppy Potty Schedule?
We want information on when your puppy poop and pees, of course, but we also want other information in our puppy potty journal.
Additionally, we want to know when your dog consumes his meals, hydrates, naps, plays, practices his training, etc. The more details the better.
QUICK RECOMMENDATION: We’ve been giving our puppies Wellness Core Puppy Formula for the past few years.
You’ll observe that your puppy adheres to routines and schedules.
Your puppy’s urination and defecation schedules will depend on when he eats, sleeps, drinks, and plays.
QUICK TIP: Begin tracking your puppy’s potty schedule today and for the upcoming week. See if you notice a pattern.
Did you notice your puppy threw up 10 minutes after breakfast?
Within the first five minutes of playtime, did your puppy urinate?
Did your dog go potty right away after he awoke from his afternoon nap?
When you adhere to the puppy potty schedule, puppy pee and poop are very predictable.
Using an 8 to 10 week old puppy as an example, consider the following schedule:
| TIME | DESCRIPTION | PEE/POOP |
| 7:00am | Puppy wake up. Take to potty spot | Pee Only |
| 7:15am | Feed puppy (drinks water). After eating take to potty spot. | Pee and Poop |
| 7:30am | Take puppy for walk. Pee’s before and after walk | Pee (2) |
| 8-10am | Puppy Sleep…YAY! | |
| 10:00am | Puppy up from nap. Take to potty spot. | Pee and Poop |
| 10:15am | Puppy training (drinks water). Take to potty spot every 5-10 mins. | Pee (2) |
| 10:30-12:30 | Puppy Sleep…YAY! | |
| 12:30pm | Puppy wakes up from nap. Take to potty spot. | Pee Only |
| 12:45pm | Feed puppy (drinks water). Take to potty spot. | Pee and Poop |
| 1:00pm | Puppy play (drinks water). Take to potty spot every 5-10 mins. | Pee (3) |
| 1:30-3:30 | Puppy Sleep…YAY! | |
| 3:30pm | Puppy wakes up from nap. Take to potty spot. | Pee and Poop |
| 3:45pm | Puppy training (drinks water). Take to potty spot every 5-10 mins | Pee (2) |
| 4-6pm | Puppy Sleep…YAY! | |
| 6:00pm | Puppy wakes up from nap. Take to potty spot. | Pee Only |
| 6:15pm | Feed puppy (drinks water). Take to potty spot. | Pee and Poop |
| 6:30pm | Take puppy for walk. Pee’s before and after walk | Pee (2) |
| 7-9pm | Puppy Sleep…YAY! | |
| 9:00pm | Puppy wakes up from nap. Take to potty spot. | Pee Only |
| 9:15pm | Puppy play (drinks water). Take to potty spot every 5-10 mins. | Pee (3) |
| 10:00pm | One final chance to get it all out before bed time! | Pee and Poop! |
QUICK RECOMMENDATION: If this is your first puppy or if you need a brush up on your puppy training skills we highly recommend reading Puppies for Dummies. It will give you a good foundation on how to raise and train a puppy. In fact, Puppies for Dummies is the first puppy book I read before bringing home my rescue pup, Linus.
Young puppies eliminate much more frequently than adult dogs. Older puppies may be able to hold their bladders for several hours, whereas newborn puppies typically go after every meal. You must provide your dog with plenty of opportunities throughout the day to use the restroom outside when you are first potty training him so that he won’t have accidents inside.
Susan Paretts has been writing since 1998 and resides in Las Vegas. She writes about a variety of topics, including green living, shopping, home improvement, food, crafts, and pets. Her reviews, short stories, and articles have appeared on The Noseprint and the website of City National Bank. Paretts graduated from the University of Southern California with a Master of Professional Writing.
Even if he urinates less frequently, take your puppy outside every two hours to start when housebreaking him, as well as first thing in the morning and right before bed. Additionally, you should let him go outside for about 30 minutes after meals so that he can urinate. This gives him the best chance possible for training success and prevents any accidents in the house. Keep him leashed to you with a long leash while you go to the bathroom to stop him from slipping away and going to the bathroom in a dark corner. If you can’t watch him, put him in a crate, especially at night. According to the ASPCA, puppies typically won’t go potty where they sleep, such as in their crate.
Without their mothers’ assistance, newborn puppies can’t actually eliminate on their own. A mother dog will lick her puppies’ behinds to encourage them to use the bathroom. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, most puppies will typically pee and poo after nursing, roughly every two hours or so. Sometimes a young puppy won’t go after a meal, opting to go after his subsequent feeding or nursing session instead, according to Dr. Ron Hines of the 2ndchance. info website. When a puppy is between 3 and 4 weeks old, he’ll be able to leave the house on his own and do so roughly every day.
Puppies can be trained to use the restroom outside of your home once they are old enough to do so on their own and have finished weaning themselves from their mothers’ milk and care. This usually occurs between 8 and 10 weeks of age. According to the Animal Humane Society, the typical puppy can hold his urine for as many hours as his age in months plus one. As a result, a 12-week-old puppy will urinate every four hours and an 8-week-old puppy will do so roughly every three hours. According to Cesars Way, puppies typically defecate within a half-hour of a meal. According to Petfinder, Little Fido typically eats two to four times per day, which will determine how frequently he poop’s.
Can a 14 week old puppy sleep through the night?
The majority of puppies start sleeping through the night by the time they are about 4 months (16 weeks) old. However, with a little assistance, perseverance, and proactive training, you might be able to get your puppy there even sooner!
FAQ
How long can a 14 week old puppy hold their bladder?
8–10 weeks: 30–60 minutes. 11–14 weeks: 1–3 hours. 15–16 weeks: 3–4 hours.
How often should a 14 week old puppy urinate?
Puppies and younger dogs might initially need to go outside every hour. You can increase the amount of time by one hour for every month that a puppy gets older. Senior dogs can usually manage 4-6 hours between visits outdoors. Adult dogs typically need to go outside at least once every 6 to 8 hours.
Why does my 14 week old puppy pee so much?
Because their bladders are small and their bladder muscles haven’t fully developed, puppies frequently urinate, according to Dr Grewal told The Dodo. Because puppies’ bladders are much smaller than those of adult dogs, they cannot hold urine for as long.
Should a 14 week old puppy be potty trained?
Experts advise starting your puppy’s housetraining when they are between 12 and 16 weeks old. By that time, they have developed the bladder and bowel control necessary to learn how to hold it.