Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My basic question is how often do puppies need to pee?
My husband found a puppy on Saturday, who we think is about 3 months old. She's some kind of a small mixed-breed terrier and weighs about 7 or 8 pounds, I'm guessing. We advertised her on social media and looked at various lost pet websites and no one has claimed her. Our community has a huge stray/dumped dog problem and it isn't surprising that no one is looking for her.
She was hungry and dehydrated but is doing well now. A friend in another state wants to keep her and we happen to be traveling there around Christmas and will deliver the puppy to her then, but in the meantime, we have her. I've always adopted adult dogs and although I've fostered several young dogs, I've never had a puppy this young.
Because we work, we have her crated and I go home at lunch. She's been peeing in the crate, which is not surprising because she's there about 4 hours. But last night she went about 5 hours in the crate before she started whining and I got up to let her out. I didn't let her have any water after about 8 p.m. and I put her in the crate at 10 p.m. When we went outside at about 3 a.m. she peed and pooped and I put her back in the crate, which was still dry when my husband got up and let her out a little bit later.
In the mornings and evenings when we're home, we let her outside probably 8 times and she pees a little bit every time. But she also pees in the house probably 2 times in addition to the 8 times outside in the 4 or 5 hours that she's not in the crate.
Is that amount of peeing normal? I feel like she's not emptying her bladder when she goes outside because she only squats for a few seconds. Is that just a puppy thing that she'll grow out of, or could she have a UTI?
I'm taking her to the vet for puppy shots and a checkup on Saturday, but I wanted to ask some of you who have housebroken puppies what you think.
All of my puppies, regardless of size, have been able to sleep through the night from around 11:30 or so until 6:00ish in the morning within 3-4 days of bringing them home at 8 weeks old. I pull water around 8:00ish and take them out one last time before I go to bed. My last puppy, a medium breed, was around 4-5 months old before she could get by with just a lunchtime potty break. I think I stopped going home at lunch around 7-8 months with her. My schnauzer reached that milestone a bit earlier because he was able to be left home alone, completely loose, all day by 8 months. When they are loose and moving around, and have free access to water, they have to go a lot more frequently, so while my last one could hold it for several hours in her crate, if she was loose, moving around the house, playing with toys, etc., she'd need to go out every couple of hours.
If your pup is 3 months old, it likely can't get by with just a lunch break. I'd try to get her out around 11:00 or so and then again around 2:00, then again when you get home. In another month, she'll probably be fine with just the lunch break. If she is peeing in the house, you aren't watching her closely enough. If you can't have your eyes on her, she should be in the crate. Some people also tie a leash to their belt loop so the puppy is always by them. You have to watch closely for the pee ritual and as soon as you see it, grab them up immediately and say "Outside! Let's go outside!" If you catch them in the act, you can go "NOOOO! NO - OUTSIDE!" as you snatch them up mid-stream. Don't be angry or punish, but definitely let them know that is not appropriate.
Your crate is also likely too big. The pup should only have enough room to turn around and lie down, no more. For a 7-8 pounds, it probably shouldn't be more than 10 or so inches deep. Any larger give them a sleep space and a potty space. When you take her out, be very business-like and no-nonsense. Her "work" is going to the toilet and until she does that, no sweet talk, no exploring, no playing.
All of my puppies, regardless of size, have been able to sleep through the night from around 11:30 or so until 6:00ish in the morning within 3-4 days of bringing them home at 8 weeks old. I pull water around 8:00ish and take them out one last time before I go to bed. My last puppy, a medium breed, was around 4-5 months old before she could get by with just a lunchtime potty break. I think I stopped going home at lunch around 7-8 months with her. My schnauzer reached that milestone a bit earlier because he was able to be left home alone, completely loose, all day by 8 months. When they are loose and moving around, and have free access to water, they have to go a lot more frequently, so while my last one could hold it for several hours in her crate, if she was loose, moving around the house, playing with toys, etc., she'd need to go out every couple of hours.
If your pup is 3 months old, it likely can't get by with just a lunch break. I'd try to get her out around 11:00 or so and then again around 2:00, then again when you get home. In another month, she'll probably be fine with just the lunch break. If she is peeing in the house, you aren't watching her closely enough. If you can't have your eyes on her, she should be in the crate. Some people also tie a leash to their belt loop so the puppy is always by them. You have to watch closely for the pee ritual and as soon as you see it, grab them up immediately and say "Outside! Let's go outside!" If you catch them in the act, you can go "NOOOO! NO - OUTSIDE!" as you snatch them up mid-stream. Don't be angry or punish, but definitely let them know that is not appropriate.
Your crate is also likely too big. The pup should only have enough room to turn around and lie down, no more. For a 7-8 pounds, it probably shouldn't be more than 10 or so inches deep. Any larger give them a sleep space and a potty space. When you take her out, be very business-like and no-nonsense. Her "work" is going to the toilet and until she does that, no sweet talk, no exploring, no playing.
I truly appreciate all of that advice. But is the frequency with which she is peeing when she is out of the crate (8-10 times in a 4-5 hour period) normal?
I truly appreciate all of that advice. But is the frequency with which she is peeing when she is out of the crate (8-10 times in a 4-5 hour period) normal?
No, not really. Maybe 1/2 that. I might have a vet check and if that's clear, take her out and if she doesn't squat and void completely, put her back in her crate with no attention or fanfare and try again in 10 minutes. She may just be so excited to get on with the show that she is just relieving the pressure a little without fully emptying. She needs to learn nothing fun is going to happen until her bladder is empty. Are you walking her? At this age, she should be getting about 30 minutes in walking split into 2-3 shorter sessions. The walking will stimulate the need to go and you might get a full void on the second pee, the first being when you initially take her out, and the second during the walk.
I truly appreciate all of that advice. But is the frequency with which she is peeing when she is out of the crate (8-10 times in a 4-5 hour period) normal?
Yes. When I have a puppy I set timers for twenty minutes at first unless the pup is sleeping. When they wake up, out they go. After a week of that, I ratchet the time up to 30 minutes. I always ring a bell at the door (hangs from a knob) as we go out, so when they start to ring the bell, I drop everything, take them out, and let them out.
It isn't unusual or unheard of to take a puppy out, she pees, back in the house, she pees a bit again five minutes later.
You just found her, she is probably still nervous and some of it might be nervous peeing or not letting it all out when she is outside.
I used an exercise pen at night with my small-breed puppy and if he needed to pee, he did it on one side of the pen (with a waterproof crib liner) He actually self-trained pretty quickly to not even do that. But I needed to sleep! I'm actually a fan of using pens and not crates with small breeds all through the day but that is probably a separate topic
Anyway, it can take longer for smaller breeds to learn and you do end up taking them out at what seems to be a high frequency until they get it. I always tell people to give a small breed up to 18 months old to fully housetrain
How nice of you to take her in and find her a home
No, not really. Maybe 1/2 that. I might have a vet check and if that's clear, take her out and if she doesn't squat and void completely, put her back in her crate with no attention or fanfare and try again in 10 minutes. She may just be so excited to get on with the show that she is just relieving the pressure a little without fully emptying. She needs to learn nothing fun is going to happen until her bladder is empty. Are you walking her? At this age, she should be getting about 30 minutes in walking split into 2-3 shorter sessions. The walking will stimulate the need to go and you might get a full void on the second pee, the first being when you initially take her out, and the second during the walk.
Thank you. I haven't started walking her because she doesn't have her puppy shots yet and I don't want to risk her getting parvo. I was nervous even letting her in the back yard but she hasn't gotten sick yet, thank goodness. But I should be able to start walking her next week. And I think you're right--that she's too excited to fully empty her bladder when we're outside. We have two other dogs and when they're all outside she's like the pesky little sister trying to get them to play. I'll try taking her out by herself more often.
I just went home at lunch though and she had gone 4 hours without peeing in the crate, so that's progress!
Yes. When I have a puppy I set timers for twenty minutes at first unless the pup is sleeping. When they wake up, out they go. After a week of that, I ratchet the time up to 30 minutes. I always ring a bell at the door (hangs from a knob) as we go out, so when they start to ring the bell, I drop everything, take them out, and let them out.
It isn't unusual or unheard of to take a puppy out, she pees, back in the house, she pees a bit again five minutes later.
I like the idea of setting the timer. Since we're only going to have her a month I probably won't do the bell, but that's a really great idea too. And she's done the "come back in and pee" thing multiple times.
You just found her, she is probably still nervous and some of it might be nervous peeing or not letting it all out when she is outside.
I used an exercise pen at night with my small-breed puppy and if he needed to pee, he did it on one side of the pen (with a waterproof crib liner) He actually self-trained pretty quickly to not even do that. But I needed to sleep! I'm actually a fan of using pens and not crates with small breeds all through the day but that is probably a separate topic
Anyway, it can take longer for smaller breeds to learn and you do end up taking them out at what seems to be a high frequency until they get it. I always tell people to give a small breed up to 18 months old to fully housetrain
How nice of you to take her in and find her a home
Thank you for that information. Because we only have her for a month, my friend will have to do the bulk of the puppy raising but she has done it before. It reminds me of having a toddler in the house.
As far as taking her in, we couldn't resist. Even my husband is smitten.
Thank you for that information. Because we only have her for a month, my friend will have to do the bulk of the puppy raising but she has done it before. It reminds me of having a toddler in the house.
As far as taking her in, we couldn't resist. Even my husband is smitten.
OH, she's ADORABLE!
Glad you took her in...and she'll add to your holiday fun.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
