How Long Can Dogs Hold Their Pee?
If youve ever wondered: how long is my dog able to hold their pee? You are not alone. This is a common question with a relatively straightforward answer. However, the length of time your dog will hold in urine depends on several factors.
Experts believe that dogs will generally need frequent bathroom breaks, somewhere between three to five times per day. However, each dog has its own unique potty schedule, and dogs of certain ages (namely, young and senior pups) will require more potty breaks than adult dogs will.
How long your dog can hold in their pee truly depends on what phase of their life they are in. Here is your handy guide to deciphering how long your pup will be able to make it without needing to use the bathroom.
For puppies, you should use the one hour per every month of age formula to figure out how long your dog can wait to urinate. For instance, if you have a puppy 3-month-old puppy, they should be able to wait 3 hours for potty time.
Adult dogs that are one year or older should be able to hold their pee in for up to 6-8 hours. However, 8 hours is a bit of a stretch, and ideally, you should not expect your dog to hold their urine for longer than 6 hours.
Lastly, for senior dogs that are ages eight and above, the answer to how long your dog can hold their pee depends on their state of health and their size. This can range from 2-6 hours.
Its important to note that just because your dog can hold their urine for eight hours, it doesnt mean they should. If a dog is forced to hold their pee in for an extended time, it could impact urinary health and cause medical conditions such as urinary tract or bladder infections, crystals, or kidney stones.
It is also uncomfortable for the pet and could result in an accident on your favourite carpet. You should anticipate providing your adult pet with the opportunity to use the potty every 4-6 hours.
According to dog trainer Cesar Millans website Cesar’s Way, the daily output of urine for most healthy dogs is 10 to 20 milliliters. If it seems that your 1-year-old is producing more urine, going frequently or having accidents in the house, has trouble urinating or has blood in her urine, she may have a urinary tract infection, bladder stones, diabetes or some other health issue. Take her to a vet quickly, especially in the case of bladder stones, which can prevent her from urinating at all, leading to death. Diet changes can also cause an increase or decrease in urination. Foods higher in sodium usually increase thirst, so if she’s taking in more water than usual, she’ll need to go outside more often.
If you’ve raised your dog since she was a young puppy, and she’s been progressing with recommended house-training methods, your 1-year-old should be able to hold her bladder eight to 10 hours. Adult dogs need to go outside a minimum of three times per day, but five opportunities is better for her health and well-being. All dogs should have a potty break upon waking, after eating and playing and before bed. Asking her to hold it for extended periods of time can lead to accidents in the house as well as urinary tract and bladder infections.
Jodi L. Hartley has been a writer and public relations professional since 1992. Her experience includes public relations and marketing for a pet service/retail business, as well as volunteer work with animal rescue organizations. Hartley holds a bachelors degree in journalism and an M.B.A.
Consider the breed and size of your dog. Smaller dogs have smaller bladders and need more frequent potty breaks than larger dogs. Some dog tend to be difficult to house-train, so you may need to continue taking her outside every few hours well into adulthood.
An average puppy under 8 months old can hold her bladder in hours about equal to her age in months plus one. Once your puppy gets near the one year mark, however, or if you adopt a 1-year-old dog, that rule no longer applies. Consider several factors before determining how often your 1-year-old should go pee.
Puppies (6 months or less)
Puppies under 6 months can typically hold on for about 1–3 hours. Very young puppies need to be taken out every hour, particularly after eating and drinking water.
How Long Can your Dog SAFELY Hold Their Pee – Veterinarian Explains
This is an important question, especially for dog owners who work all day or just want a good night’s sleep. So, what is the longest that your dog can go without going outside to answer nature’s call?
The absolute longest recommended for an adult dog is 6 to 8 hours, but this also depends on several factors: the dog’s size, age, health, and even diet. Let’s also not forget how uncomfortable it can be for anyone to have to hold their pee for a long period of time. So, there’s more to this question than meets the eye.
We look at the factors that can affect how long a dog can wait, so you can pick the best course of action that is best for you and your furry canine friend.