Like all animals, when dogs have to go, they have to go. Going to the toilet is a regular part of all dogs’ day-to-day lives, but how often should they be going, and what should owners know to ensure their dogs are being let out a healthy number of times per day?
In this blog, we look into everything from how often your dog should be let out and how pee habits change over time to what health information you should be aware of to ensure your dog stays fit and healthy.
How often do dogs typically need to pee?
Like humans, every dog is different. The exact number of times a dog may need to pee varies, but most healthy dogs need to urinate between 3 and 5 times per day. This equates to a toilet trip every 6 to 8 hours.
There are plenty of factors that can affect how often your dog needs to pee throughout the day. These include:
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Age: Both young and older dogs may need to urinate more frequently. This is the most significant reason for variation in pee frequency among dogs.
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Size and breed: It’s no surprise that bigger breeds typically have larger bladders than smaller ones, so dogs may feel the need to urinate more or less depending on their size.
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Diet and hydration: Dogs who consume more water throughout the day will naturally need to urinate more frequently. Also, those who eat more wet food than dry kibble will need to pee more often.
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Physical activity: Dogs who exercise more naturally stimulate their metabolism, increasing the frequency of toilet trips.
As your dog ages, so do its pee habits!
Your dog can change a lot over their life, and this also applies to their pee schedule. How often they need to go to the toilet and how long they can hold it in will vary so much from their puppy days to their adult life, so what habit changes do you need to be on the lookout for?
How frequently do puppies pee?
Let’s start with the cutest of the bunch: puppies! It’s no secret that puppies pee a lot, and really young ones will need to urinate once every hour. Since their bladders are so tiny and their digestive systems are still developing, these little guys don’t have much capacity to hold it in, hence the frequency!
As they grow a little bit older, their peeing will become something they do at certain times of their routine. Puppies tend to urinate each time they wake up, after every meal or drink, and after every playtime.
To prevent accidents, we recommend taking puppies out once an hour, and remember to reward them for going outside before urinating, of course! Over time, you’ll develop a better sense of how often they need to be let out.
How long can dogs hold their pee?
Once they’ve grown out of the puppy phase, dogs will typically be able to last 6 to 8 hours between toilet trips. At most, some dogs can go 10 hours, but we don’t recommend asking this of your four-legged friends (as we will discuss in greater detail below).
Do older dogs need to pee more often?
As our pups get older, they will likely start needing to go to the toilet more often. Just like their puppy selves, they will become less able to hold their bladder for very long, needing to be let out every 4 to 6 hours.
Just like humans, ageing dogs simply can’t help this part of growing older! As their muscles weaken, dogs just aren’t able to hold it in as long as they used to, so make sure to bear this in mind when they have their first little accident!
If your older dog isn’t going as frequently as you expect, it may be because they’re dehydrated. Older dogs can get a little lazy about getting up to get water, so we recommend making hydration as easy as possible with a handy dog water fountain.
How long should a dog go without urinating?
Dogs shouldn’t hold their pee in longer than necessary. Of course, long workdays and holidays can make it difficult for owners to stick to pee schedules sometimes, but there are a few health reasons to make sure your dog doesn’t hold it in for too long!
Dogs who have to hold their pee in for too long are more likely to develop problems with their urinary health, including:
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Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
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Bladder infections
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Bladder stones
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Kidney stones
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Compromised kidney health
Ensure healthy living with dog products at Closer Pets
No matter if you’re preparing for a new puppy or looking to give your older dog a lifestyle upgrade, Closer Pets has everything you need to make every meal, play session and potty trip as enjoyable as possible. With our range of dog products, you can find exactly what you and your pooch need most.
Keep your pets hydrated with water that tastes as fresh as possible using one of our dog water fountains, or ensure they can get out whenever they need to pee with one of our essential dog doors. Pets and owners alike will love our product range, so browse today!
If you have any questions about our products and how they can help, you can easily get in touch with a member of our team who will be more than happy to answer.