My new shih tzu puppy only pees every 3-4 hours. Should I bet concerned? (poop, vet)

[cynnie1993]

Should I BE* concerned. Not bet. Haha, woops.

I got a shih tzu puppy on Thursday, he is 11 weeks old. He was pretty shy at first, understandably.
He has opened up a lot now, super playful and cuddly with all of us. Very cute little guy, his personality comes out more and more each day, so I know he is getting much more comfortable.

The problem is, he eats like a bird and doesn't pee or poop as much as I thought he would. He pees maybe every 3-4 hours and only poops 1-2 times daily, he poops a lot at a time though.

He eats for a couple minutes every couple hours, which is concerning to me. I may take him to the vet if this keeps up. Ive been told that shih tzus dont eat very much, but he only eats a very small amount of kibble every 2 hours? Seems like nothing.

Anyways, this is my first time owning a toy breed, so maybe this is normal. He also holds his pee during the night very well (approx. 6 hours or so.)

Just a little surprised. Should I be concerned?

He also has not had any accidents in the house yet.. knock on wood.

[Regina14]

I've never had a toy dog either; but I would be very pleased that he isn't urinating every 2 hours; 3-4 hours sounds fine for a youngster, especially an 11-week old puppy.

You should be feeding him three times a day, possibly four times, not every two hours. Check with the dog's breeder and your vet. I don't know what is normal in terms of excretion for an 11-week old Shih Tzu. You should always take any new dog of whatever age or breed/mix to the vet for a check-up within four or five days of acquiring him/her. The vet can advise you on the proper amount and frequency of food.

Good luck.

[twelvepaw]

Originally Posted by cynnie1993

The problem is, he eats like a bird and doesn't pee or poop as much as I thought he would. He pees maybe every 3-4 hours and only poops 1-2 times daily, he poops a lot at a time though.

He eats for a couple minutes every couple hours, which is concerning to me. I may take him to the vet if this keeps up. Ive been told that shih tzus dont eat very much, but he only eats a very small amount of kibble every 2 hours? Seems like nothing.

No, it isn't necessarily a problem. It will take your puppy time to settle in and get on a regular schedule.

Keep in mind however that with the tiny small breeds it is often very difficult to tell when they have urinated. Especially if he is shaggy.... A quick pee can happen very quickly and especially with the boys, doesn't necessarily mean a drastic change in body posture. You may want to get a cheap black light to check around the house for any body fluids- just in case

So, even if you think he is only pottying every 3-4 hours, I would still suggest following basic house training protocols.

As far as the eating goes- tiny puppies have tiny stomachs. As long as he is eating a little bit, I wouldn't worry too much.