Establishing a housetraining routine is crucial for your puppy’s success. Since puppies have small bladders and process water quickly, it’s important to provide them with plenty of opportunities to do their business in the right place. A helpful guideline is that puppies can control their bladders for a number of hours corresponding to their age in months, up until around nine months to a year. However, it’s essential to remember that even for dogs, holding it for 10 to 12 hours is a long time! For instance, a 6-month-old puppy can reasonably be expected to hold it for about 6 hours. Keep in mind that every puppy is unique, so the timing may vary for each individual.
When creating a schedule, pay attention to your puppy’s daily activities and habits. With very young puppies, you should plan to take them out:
1. First thing in the morning
2. Last thing at night
3. After playing indoors
4. After spending time in a crate
5. Upon waking up from a nap
6. After chewing a toy or bone
7. After eating
8. After drinking
This may mean taking your puppy to the designated potty area, backyard, or even the street multiple times within a 24-hour period. If you have work commitments, consider making arrangements such as bringing your puppy to the office or hiring a dog walker to maintain the schedule. The sooner you teach your puppy that there is an approved place to relieve themselves and certain areas are off-limits, the quicker you’ll overcome this messy phase.
Observation and supervision are key. Pay close attention to your puppy’s individual signals and patterns. Some puppies may be able to hold it longer than others, while some may need to go out every time they play or get excited. Others may pause during a play session to pee and then continue playing. Just like human babies, canine potty habits can be unique to each puppy.