How Long Can Puppies Go Without Peeing?

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Photo by Shane Guymon on Unsplash

If it is your first-time owning a dog, for sure, there are so many questions that you have in mind. One of which probably is, “how long can puppies go without peeing?” You probably want to know how many times you need to clean up your pet’s mess in a day or how often you should take him outside and give him time to do his ‘business’. You must then know how to spot the signs that your pooch needs to relieve himself.

Knowing all of these will make you more prepared for your furry friend’s needs, making you a better pet owner.

How Long Can Puppies Hold Their Pee?

The answer to this question actually depends on one important factor: the puppies’ age.

Just like human babies, you can expect new-born puppies to pee more frequently than the older ones. They are unable to hold their bladders for a long time.

Usually, a puppy can only hold it for two to three hours at the most. Therefore, you have to pay close attention to your little dog’s need to ‘take a leak’, especially if he is only one or two months old. This requires you to check on it every hour or so.

In general, you can calculate the number of hours that your dog can hold its pee by adding one to his age (in months). For example, if your poochie is two months old, plus one, then you should be able to leave it for three hours without a mess. Take note that this still depends on other factors too.

As your dog gets older, its ability to hold his piss will also start to get longer. Once it reaches the age of six months, his bladder is most likely close to that of an adult already. You can then start to adjust his break time as well.

What Other Factors Can Affect Puppies’ Ability to Hold Their Bladders?

Aside from their age, there are also several factors that can affect the ability of puppies to hold their bladders. Here are just some of them:

·         Size

·         Breed

·         Diet

·         Frequency of drinking and eating

·         Activity level

·         Stress or fear

·         Excitement

·         Medical conditions

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A stressed dog will most likely need bathroom breaks more often than those that are not under stress. Similarly, puppies with medical conditions, particularly urinary incontinence, will, of course, have difficulties holding their pee.

If your dog eats and drinks a lot, then you can expect him to piss more than usual too. The same goes if he is hyper.

Every dog is unique. With this in mind, you should consider your puppy’s special circumstances in order for you to assess its actual ability to hold its urine. Once you have done that, then you can come up with a better break time plan for him. You would know when to take him outside and allow him to do his thing. This will also help you prevent accidents from happening inside your house. You then won’t have to worry about cleaning up a mess.

How Would You Know If Your Puppy Needs a Pee Break?

Since dogs can’t talk, the only way they can tell you that they need a bathroom break is through their body language. Therefore, you have to observe them so you can attend to their needs immediately if you don’t want to end up cleaning a huge mess.

A puppy that needs to go pee really bad would show restlessness. He would start to sniff around your home. This is a clear sign that you have to let him do his business.

Once he starts sniffing all over your living room or any section of your home for that matter, let him go outside as fast as you can so as to avoid accidents.

Other signs that your pup’s bladder is getting ready to explode any second may also include whining, circling, or going to the door itself. Any sudden change in your furry friend’s behavior or activity could mean a need to go number one.

Can You Train a Puppy to Control Its Urination?

Obviously, yes, you can teach a dog, even at an early stage, how to control its pee. In fact, the earlier you do this, the better. This will help avoid mess in your dog’s crate, its play area, or even inside your home.

Training a puppy to control its urination could be challenging, though. It takes a lot of patience, but it is definitely doable. You just have to come up with a plan and follow through.

As long as you are consistent, you should be able to train your little dog in no time.

Here are some useful tips in doing so:

·         Establish the Rules

This step is crucial. You need to make it clear to your pup where he can or cannot go if he needs to go pee. It is ideal that you take him outside the house to do this.

·         Use a Leash to Begin With

When you are just starting to train your puppy, it would be best to put him on a leash. This should help you control his movements while outside your home. This would also make it so much easier for you to direct him to the place where he needs to go to urinate.

·         Follow a Schedule

When you wake up in the morning, you should make it a habit to take your pup outside to let him go pee. Even if he is still sleeping, do not hesitate to do so as this will help teach him how to follow a schedule as well.

After a few days, your pet will be able to get accustomed to the routine and he will wake up on his own to wait for you to take him to his peeing spot.

·         Give a Break After Meals

Giving your dog’s meal should also be on schedule every day. And after each meal, you should wait for about half an hour before you take him outside to do his thing again.

As he gets older, the waiting time will be longer. So during the first few months of your puppy’s life, you really need to be observant of his routine.

·         Allow Pee Breaks After Naps and Playtime

After a nap or playtime, your puppy may also have the urge to go pee, so it is essential that you give him bathroom breaks as well.

·         Do Not Punish Your Dog

Accidents are bound to happen, especially when you are still training your dog. But keep in mind never to give punishments as this will only cause fear. Instead, you have to catch his attention immediately if you see that he is doing his thing at the wrong place.

Is It Bad for Little Dogs to Go a Long Time Without Peeing?

If you have trained your puppy, he will try to go without peeing as long as he can. But this does not mean that you can already neglect his need to relieve himself.

Like human beings, it is not good for dogs to hold their piss for a long time as this could lead to several health problems too. It could cause bacteria buildup, and this may lead to urinary tract infections (UTI). This may also progress to bladder stones, which could get even worse if left untreated.

Furthermore, going without pee breaks for a few hours may eventually result in incontinence. This is another medical condition that could make your puppy suffer even more.

According to studies, dogs that don’t urinate when they are supposed to may develop cancer of the bladder as well. This is due to the fact that the toxins that are present in the urine stay in the bladder.

Is There a Need to Worry If a Puppy Seems to Pee Less Frequently?

While a puppy peeing more frequently than normal is not always an issue, the other way around, though, is something that you should watch out for. If you see that your poochie is urinating only once or twice a day, then that could be a sign that there is something wrong with him. He might be dehydrated. You can try giving him more water and observe if the number of pee breaks will increase.

If not, then it is time for you to call the vet. At this point, your little dog may be suffering from a certain health condition that is causing him to pee less frequently than normal.

Closing Thoughts

The length of time that puppies can go without peeing depends on their age as well as on other factors like breed, size, health conditions, etc. As they grow up, they will have more control over their bladders. You can even train them on how to control their urination. However, you should never neglect their need for pee breaks because going a long time without urinating could also have adverse effects.

James