What if I’m going to be out all day?
If you’re going to be out all day and can’t get home to let your dog out to the toilet, you should either ask a friend or family member to pay a visit or hire a pet sitter or dog walker. Dogs should never be made to hold their bladder for too long, as this can cause health issues and ultimately, it’s not fair for them as holding their pee for long periods can be extremely uncomfortable! And, if you frequently work all day and can’t be home to let your dog out to pee and give them the attention they need, it’s a good idea to look into doggy day-care.
How often does a dog need to pee?
To put it simply, adult dogs generally need to toilet three to five times a day, and most vets will recommend a maximum window of between six to eight hours between toilet trips. However, it’s important to understand that each dog is different, and a variety of factors such as their age, breed and diet will impact how often your dog will need to pee.
For example, overweight or obese dogs may need to pee more. There are also some medications which may cause more frequent urination, as well as health conditions such as diabetes which can influence how many times they need to nip out to the bathroom. Additionally, smaller breeds such as Chihuahuas have much smaller bladders than a larger dog like a Labrador, so you’ll need to take this into account also.
You should also never make your dog wait too long to use the toilet as, not only is this very uncomfortable for them, but it can also increase the risk of them developing some bladder or kidney problems and urinary tract infections.
We all need to wee, that’s a fact of life. However, whereas we can just pop off to the toilet to relieve ourselves as and when we need, it’s not that simple for our dogs. They can’t tell us when the time is nigh, and so have to rely on us to know when to let them out to do their business to avoid accidents in the house.
But, how often do dogs need to pee? Should you be letting your four-legged friend out more often than you already do? And what about puppies?
Keep reading to find out how often you should take your dog or puppy out to pee.