How Often Should I Take My Puppy Out?

Bringing a new puppy home can be daunting and exhausting, but going into it prepared can help save you a lot of headaches. Potty training is specific to each puppy; each puppy you potty train will have their personality, schedule and things that work for them or don’t. There is no set number of times you should take your puppy out, but there are some rules to follow that will make potty training easier for you and your dog. Following these rules will prevent unwanted accidents and help potty training go smoothly. 

I grew up in a no-dog household, so as soon as I got my own home, I was determined to bring a puppy home. As someone who never had a pup, I did all the research before bringing my puppy home. I made sure I knew everything I could know. I truly believe this is what helped make bringing home a puppy easier and less stressful for our family.

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I knew what to expect, how to prevent problems before they happened, and how to train my puppy in a positive manner. Jaxon, a tiny rescue mutt, helped mold the dog trainer that I am today. Jaxon was a perfect puppy in all aspects — except potty training. In fact, I thought he would never get potty trained, there were many tears over it. With all the information I now have potty training him could have been a little easier, and if you are prepared it can be easier for you as well. 

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How often should I take my puppy out?

Age

The younger the puppy the more frequent they will need to go out. Potty training takes time to learn and understand. Dogs do not naturally understand the notion that we peed outside and not inside. 

When puppies are resting or home alone, you can follow the general rule that a puppy can hold pee for the number of months they are old, plus one (a three-month-old puppy can hold it for four hours). When beginning potty training, you will need to take your puppy out overnight you should set an alarm following the above rule to let your puppy out. If you hear your puppy stirring or whining before the alarm goes off, you may also want to get up and take them out to potty. Be sure to work on positive crate-training during the day so that your puppy happily sleeps in the crate through the night and you don’t have to try to decipher if they are whining just to get out of the crate or if they need to use the bathroom. 

Size and breed

The size and breed of your puppy may also affect how easy or hard they are to potty train. It can affect how often they need to be taken out. Small dogs need to be taken out more frequently over the course of their lives. Small dogs will have a small bladder that can only hold so much. 

Here are some breeds that are more difficult to potty train: Beagles, Bichon Frisé, Chihuahuas, and Dachshunds to name a few. Patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement will help you get on the right track. Always be sure to do your research when adopting a dog to make sure they are th e right fit for your family. 

Diet

Choosing a diet for your new puppy is hard to do. When picking a food, you want to look for quality ingredients, making sure a protein is listed as the first ingredient on the bag. Puppy digestive systems are new and take time to get use to new foods. When switching your puppy’s foods, it is important to go slowly. They can easily get an upset stomach from new foods and treats.

Dogs who eat raw food may need to use the bathroom more often since their food is filled with more moisture than just plain kibble. 

Once you know there are no issues you can completely switch your puppy over to the new food. If you notice anything is bothering your puppy's stomach, stay on each step for a bit longer. If your puppy is having extended issues on a new food, reach out to your vet your puppy may have an intolerance to certain foods. 

Health conditions

After bringing your puppy home, you will want to bring them to the vet for a health evaluation and make sure they are up to date on their vaccines. This will help you better understand your puppy in case there are any health issues you need to know about. 

Talk to your vet if: you notice your puppy going to the bathroom frequently or their urine is a darker color, has a bad smell, or they are drinking an excess amount of water.

Training schedule 

A training schedule is important especially if you have multiple people in the household who will be watching or taking care of your puppy. A schedule helps keep everyone in the know and will help prevent many predictable accidents. Taking your puppy out on schedule will help them understand what pottying is and where/when it should happen. The more times you catch your dog peeing or pooping in the right spot and reward them for it, the easier potty training will be. A schedule will keep everyone in the loop to help keep potty training moving along smoothly. 

Your puppy should always go out right after eating, drinking (if it was a lot of water), playing, or sleeping. These activities get the bowels moving, and they will typically need to use the bathroom. To this day, both my adult dogs ring the bell to go out shortly after their meals. 

How many times a day should a puppy pee?

There is no specific answer to how many times a day your puppy should pee. This answer will vary due to your puppy’s age, size, breed, and health status. When you begin potty training, you will be taking your puppy out every 30 minutes to an hour, and they may pee almost every time. As your puppy gets older, you can begin to increase the amount of time between bathroom breaks as long as your puppy is having minimal accidents. 

How many times a day should a puppy poop?

Puppies may poop twice a day, but it is not unusual for them to poop upwards of four to six times a day. Keep an eye on the type of poop your puppy is having. If they are pooping many times a day and having diarrhea, talk to your vet.

After eating a meal, be sure to take your puppy out within a few minutes of finishing. Your puppy may be able to poop that soon after eating. If you know your puppy is due to poop but hasn’t yet, you will want to adjust your bathroom schedule to account for that.

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How to create a puppy bathroom schedule

When formatting a bathroom schedule for your new puppy, automatically start with every 30 minutes. On top of taking your puppy out right after eating, playing, and sleeping. 

Keep in mind the breed, age, and health of your puppy when building your schedule these will affect how often you take your puppy out. You will need to adjust this schedule as you get to know your puppy. Did they have a few accidents today? You will want to shorten the amount of time between potty breaks. 

Did your puppy have a perfect day today with no accidents? Do a second day at that time interval before increasing. Depending on the age of your dog increasing by five to 10 minutes should be enough. As your time intervals increase, continue to take your puppy out after eating, playing, and sleeping. 

Rewarding your puppy

The key to successful potty training is rewarding your puppy for using the bathroom where you want them to. Select a treat that is easy for your dog to eat (you dont want something super crunchy that takes a long time to chew). If you find your dog is struggling with potty training pick a special treat that is only used during potty time. Freeze-dried liver; low-sodium turkey dogs; or freeze-dried, raw-food nibbles are good places to start. 

FAQs

Why is my dog peeing so much?

If you have noticed your dog’s bathroom routine change, it is important to talk to your vet. Your dog may have a UTI or another health issue that is causing them to need to use the bathroom more often. 

How long can puppies hold their pee?

When puppies are sleeping or relaxing, they should be able to hold their pee for the number of months they are, plus one. So, a three month old puppy can hold their pee for four hours. This does not apply when your puppy is playing, eating, or out and about. You will need to stick to your potty schedule and take them out as frequently as they need, beginning with 30 to 60 minute increments. 

How do you potty train a puppy?

Potty training a puppy is all about your schedule, staying consistent, and being patient. Begin by taking your puppy out every 30 to 60 minutes. Increase the time intervals as they become more successful at holding their pee and understanding they should pee outside. 

Should I punish my potty for peeing in the house?

Never punish your puppy for having an accident. If they do, calmly clean it up and get back on track with your schedule. When you punish a puppy for peeing or pooping where they shouldn’t, all they learn is that their pet parent acts scary when they go to the bathroom. This can cause your puppy to continue to have accidents and hide from you when they do. They may also stop going to the bathroom for you on a leash because they are scared. 

References

• Dunbar, Ian. Before and After Getting Your Puppy : The Positive Approach to Raising a Happy, Healthy, and Well-Behaved Dog. Novato, Calif., New World Library, 2004.‌