Why is my puppy peeing every 5 minutes?
Puppies cannot fully control their bladder until they are 16 weeks old. If you notice that your puppy really is peeing every five minutes and produces a large amount of urine, please take it to the vet immediately. It likely suffers from a bladder infection. Also, puppies prefer to pee in a safe shelter.
Sample Schedule for a 3-Month-Old Puppy
Let’s take the idea that a 3-month-old puppy can hold their urine for up to 4 hours. In that case, youâll want to plan your house training schedule around potty breaks every four hours. You do want to have a plan and maintain a consistent schedule. That and plenty of praise will make potty training a positive experience for your puppy.
At the beginning of the day, it is important to take the puppy outside first thing. If you wait, you risk an accident. Choose the same area for potty time so your puppy learns to associate it with bathroom breaks.
Youâll want to keep your puppy on a leash as well. That way, they don’t run in the opposite direction and risk getting hurt. Some dog trainers recommend using a specific command too. For example, the late, great Barbara Woodhouse popularized the expression, âHurry up,â as the verbal cue. Though others have used words like, âMake,â or even âPoopies.â
One way you encourage your puppy to use the same area every time is by sense of smell. Use a small piece of newspaper or cloth with the scent of urine on it to show them the right place.
Bathroom breaks need to be frequent. Letâs say you had a successful mission at 7 a.m. and youâre wondering when your next potty break should be. For a 3-month-old puppy, 11 a.m. would be the latest. Yet, if youâre just starting out your potty training, youâll want to go out more frequently. In the first few weeks, you may discover that every hour or two is better.
As your puppy gets used to the potty breaks, then every three hours is appropriate. For example, 7 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m., and 11 p.m. are optimal. However, that doesnât mean your puppy can hold it all night.
A puppy 3-months of age will probably not be able to make it through the night without a trip outside. Setting the alarm for 3:00 a.m. may be the only way to stop the puppy from soiling the house at night. Thankfully, this stage of puppyhood doesnât last long. (Click here for advice on paper-training your puppy.)
Your pup should ALSO go out 10 or 15 minutes after each meal. Eating stimulates the gastrocolic reflex, which means theyâll feel the urge to go right after a meal. Note that different puppies will have slightly different times after eating where they’ll feel the urge to go to the bathroom.
You’ll also want to take your pup outside when they transition from one activity to another. For example, when they wake up after a nap is a key time, or when they have finished a round of play. So, if youâre playing games inside with your puppy, youâll want to take them outside after. Then, you can put them back in the crate or playpen and feel confident.
Does My Puppy Pee “A Lot”?
As defined in the Free Dictionary:
a lot [noun]
- a large, extent, amount, or number: is in a lot of trouble; has lots of friends
I know what you’re thinking: Okay smart ass (referring to Colby) we know what “a lot” literally means, but obviously when it comes to the statement “My puppy pees a lot…” we are looking for more detail.
If you don’t have exact numbers on when your puppy normally pees and poops then consider keeping a puppy potty schedule. Puppies need a potty schedule. Just ask Archer.
What are we looking for in a Puppy Potty Schedule?
Of course, we want details on when your puppy pees and poops, but this is not all we want in our puppy potty journal.
We also want to know when your puppy eats his meals, drinks water, sleeps, plays, works on his training, etc. The more details the better.
QUICK RECOMMENDATION: For the past few years we’ve been feeding our puppies Wellness Core Puppy Formula.
What happens is you’ll notice your puppy sticks to routines and schedules.
Based on when your puppy eats, sleeps, drinks, plays will also determine when he will pee and poop.
QUICK TIP: Start your puppy potty schedule today and keep track for the next week. See if you notice a pattern.
Did you notice your puppy poops within 10 minutes of his morning meal?
Did your puppy pee within the first 5 minutes of playtime?
Did your puppy pee immediately after waking up from his afternoon nap?
Puppy pee and poop are very predictable when you keep a puppy potty schedule.
Here’s a hypothetical example of an 8-10 week old puppy potty schedule:
| TIME | DESCRIPTION | PEE/POOP |
| 7:00am | Puppy wake up. Take to potty spot | Pee Only |
| 7:15am | Feed puppy (drinks water). After eating take to potty spot. | Pee and Poop |
| 7:30am | Take puppy for walk. Pee’s before and after walk | Pee (2) |
| 8-10am | Puppy Sleep…YAY! | |
| 10:00am | Puppy up from nap. Take to potty spot. | Pee and Poop |
| 10:15am | Puppy training (drinks water). Take to potty spot every 5-10 mins. | Pee (2) |
| 10:30-12:30 | Puppy Sleep…YAY! | |
| 12:30pm | Puppy wakes up from nap. Take to potty spot. | Pee Only |
| 12:45pm | Feed puppy (drinks water). Take to potty spot. | Pee and Poop |
| 1:00pm | Puppy play (drinks water). Take to potty spot every 5-10 mins. | Pee (3) |
| 1:30-3:30 | Puppy Sleep…YAY! | |
| 3:30pm | Puppy wakes up from nap. Take to potty spot. | Pee and Poop |
| 3:45pm | Puppy training (drinks water). Take to potty spot every 5-10 mins | Pee (2) |
| 4-6pm | Puppy Sleep…YAY! | |
| 6:00pm | Puppy wakes up from nap. Take to potty spot. | Pee Only |
| 6:15pm | Feed puppy (drinks water). Take to potty spot. | Pee and Poop |
| 6:30pm | Take puppy for walk. Pee’s before and after walk | Pee (2) |
| 7-9pm | Puppy Sleep…YAY! | |
| 9:00pm | Puppy wakes up from nap. Take to potty spot. | Pee Only |
| 9:15pm | Puppy play (drinks water). Take to potty spot every 5-10 mins. | Pee (3) |
| 10:00pm | One final chance to get it all out before bed time! | Pee and Poop! |
QUICK RECOMMENDATION: If this is your first puppy or if you need a brush up on your puppy training skills we highly recommend reading Puppies for Dummies. It will give you a good foundation on how to raise and train a puppy. In fact, Puppies for Dummies is the first puppy book I read before bringing home my rescue pup, Linus.
Stop Accidents Indoors With THIS Puppy Potty Training Plan
So you’ve got a new puppy? Congratulations! It’s going to be a lot of fun, but there’s plenty of work to do too. You’re probably wondering how to stop a puppy from peeing in the house, for a start. You’ll be glad to know it’s pretty easy, it just takes consistency on your part… and a little patience, too. But with those big puppy-dog eyes staring back at you, the odd accident along the way really won’t seem that important.
A general rule of thumb is that your canine companion can hold her bladder approximately one hour for every month old they are. Most puppies find their way to a new home at 2-3 months old, so can go 2-3 hours between toilet breaks. Some estimates add another hour onto their age in months; it will vary depending on your puppy. It’s not an exact science, so don’t assume that the moment they turn another month old you get an extra hour of pee-holding – it’s all about learning as we go! Puppies under 16 weeks of age are really not able to control their bladders, but they can learn the rules, so do your training early and you’ll see them progress quickly once they’re past that age.
Naturally, the first thought to cross your mind will be “Should I wake my puppy up to pee at night?”. Good news! Puppies can hold it a little longer while they are sleeping. You will still need to make (at least) one trip halfway through the night for puppies under 4 months old, and maybe a little after that for some pups. Remember to set a (gentle) alarm for 4-5 hours after your puppy’s bedtime. If they wake you up in the night, make sure you take them outside even if you don’t think that’s what they are asking for.
Top tip: leave some cosy slippers (for you) and a high-value tasty treat (for your pupper) somewhere easy to grab during those night-time loo breaks. For puppies under four months, try tiny pieces of plain, cooked chicken. Older pups can enjoy a wider range of treatos; delicious Chicken Bites, anyone?