# How many times do you take your dog out to potty???



## deeda9999

Gilmore is 11 months old and potty trained and I used to let him out in my yard quite frequently. He took forever to potty train and I was so thrilled he was 100 percent I figured the more I let him out the better. He had Luxiating Patella surgery 2 weeks ago and now is forced to potty on a leash. It is cold here and he shakes a lot when he is outside even though he is wearing a coat. The doctor said it is because his leg is weak from the surgery and the cold here doesn't help. 

My question is how many times do you think I should take him out to potty. I think I take him too many times ( I can tell because he won't go) and then he is cold and shaking and I feel bad. But on the other hand he is on crate rest so sometimes I don't know if he is whining because he has to potty or just simply because he is frustrated in the crate. Of course we take him out first thing when he gets up, after breakfast, midday, after dinner, and before bed. And a lot of other times in between. I know there is no perfect answer but I would love some opinions.


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## lil_fuzzy

You're the only one who knows how much bladder control he has, so difficult to say. My adult dog (17 months) is taken out 4 times a day at the very least, but lately we usually go out more often because of the puppy who goes out once every hour.

Maybe try to write down the times he goes, and what he does at those times. See if there is any pattern and in the future take him out around those times?


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## lucidity

You kinda need to see how well his bladder works. All dogs are different. My dog for instance has an iron bladder and only needs to be taken out 3 times a day. When he wakes up, in the evening when I come back from work, and before bed. That works out to something like 8.30am, 5pm and 11pm.


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## drshdw

Mine, twice a day, 6am and 7 or 8 pm depending on the day. Weekends, 3 times usually.


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## lisaj1354

Pepper is 2 years old andis a little guy at 7.5 lbs. He can go 12 hours - and would if I let him. He hates going out in the cold.

During the summer I walked him 4x a day but now that its so cold out, I've cut back to 3x a day - 8am, 5pm, 10:30pm.

However, if he's being jumpy, or won't play with his toys it usually means that he has to go - even if its off schedule. And then I'll take him out.


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## Mdawn

3 times are set times like first thing in the morning, as soon as I get off work and right before I go to bed. So like 7:30, 3:30, and 11:30. If they have to go in between 3:30 and 11:30, I let them out when they indicate that they need to go. So all together maybe between 3-5 times. Depends on how much water they drink.


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## hanksimon

I think the consensus is about 5 times a day. My 10 yo Lab mix will pee within 30 seconds of going outside, then either come back in or sniff around (offleash in the backyard) for 5 minutes to poop.

If Gilmore is in the crate around 24x7, then he may be whining for a little attention. If you think so, two suggestions:
1. Let him out and pet him, massage him in your lap on the floor for 10 - 15 min. You can even do this with a mastiff. 
2. Give him a frozen Kong with peanut butter, kibble to chew on. Outside of the crate, next to you if possible, Or inside the crate if outside is inconvenient. If you are careful with timing, you can put his food in the Kong and feed him from the frozen Kong, rather than from a bowl. Chewing on the Kong gives him something 'productive' to do.


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## GypsyJazmine

My house dogs go out to potty 3 times a day...Sometimes only twice of the weather is bad.


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## LuvMyAngels

6+ for my almost 2 year old Saint. Pretty much every time I feel the need for a potty break, he gets one too.


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## DJEtzel

Frag probably goes out 5-7 times a day. Pip only 2 or 3.


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## KBLover

Wally goes out 3 times.

Morning before breakfast, just before dinner, just before going to bed for the night.


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## neill221

Dakota goes out in the morning around 7 and then around 1 then around 5 or 6 and then at 10 but mostly we let her out when she needs to so all in all like every one said just work with the dog


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## Binkalette

Mine go out 4-5 times a day. Right after getting out of bed, lunch time, just before dinner time, and once before bed. Sometimes there is an extra trip between dinner and bed.


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## Jacksons Mom

Well, at our regular house, probably about 4-5 times per day. Morning, afternoon (noon ish), evening (4-5ish), and then sometimes around 7-8pm or so depending, and then always last potty break before bed is at 11pm-midnight.

At my dads house, with the fenced in yard, they just go out whenever they want.


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## NRB

it varries, but easily 5x a day.

I'm a stay at home mom,I have an erratic schedule to say the least.

I live in the city, have a fenced back yard but potty the dog on a leash in the front yard. She goes immediately, was trained that way. 

So I take her out on leash first thing in am as I roll out of bed, then after the am feed before I leave the house. I let her out again as soon as I get back. Then whenever she rings the bell if I am home for a long time. Then again if I'm heading out I'll take her outside before I leave, and again as soon as I come back. In the eve I take her out whenever she rings the bell....and last right before I got to bed.


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## InkedMarie

lisaj1354 said:


> Pepper is 2 years old andis a little guy at 7.5 lbs. He can go 12 hours - and would if I let him. He hates going out in the cold.
> 
> During the summer I walked him 4x a day but now that its so cold out, I've cut back to 3x a day - 8am, 5pm, 10:30pm.
> 
> However, if he's being jumpy, or won't play with his toys it usually means that he has to go - even if its off schedule. And then I'll take him out.


I envy people who's dogs only potty three or four times a day. I won't tell you how often mine go out but I'm glad we have a kennel attached to the house!


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## sassafras

Depends on the day. Busy days maybe 3-4 times - when I wake up, +/- lunch, home from work, and before bed. But I typically also always let them out right before I leave the house for any reason and whenever they ask. Also, if I'm going outside to do something in the yard I usually let them out with me. So some days I wouldn't be surprised if it were 8-10 times.


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## pi1otguy

I take my ~1.5 yr old out 3 or 4 times a day. First thing in the morning (6-8 am), then mid day if she's been inside the for the day, then between 9 & 11 pm. But I'm halfway sure that she tries to hold a full tank to mark trees with during our afternoon walks.


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## beverley

we go out first thing, about 6.30am than again after breakfast, about 9 ish, then mid afternoon, after dinner, about 7 ish then last thing between 10 & 11pm.
branston does not let me know when he needs to go out so i just stick to the times i think he needs to go.


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## smalltowngirl

I am a stay at home Mom and here most of the time. Ace(4 yr old German Shepherd) tells me when he needs to go, I let him out, he does his thing, and comes back to the door and waits for me to let him back in when he is ready to come in. When I am ready and he isn't I just call his name and he comes running! Since we brought Daisy(American Eskimo/Lab mix) home a few weeks ago and now puppy potty training we all go out every hour it seems....oh yeah...we do have a fenced in backyard in case you are wondering...forgot that part. :wink: (Depends on weather with Ace...if it's real cold/raining/windy...forget it...he doesn't wanna go)


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## luvntzus

I can't believe that some people only take their dogs out 2 times a day! Even 3 sounds too little. How many times a day do you go to the bathroom? 

I think dogs should be able to potty when they need to, just like people are able to do. I have 2 Shih Tzu and they use puppy pads, because I want them to have a bathroom whenever they need it. Not crossing their legs until the next scheduled potty break. For those that don't use puppy pads, I would use doggie bells, so they have the ability to TELL you when they need to go.


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## Greater Swiss

We take Caeda out at minimum 4 times a day, morning, lunch, early evening and just before bed. She's around 4 months, and seems to be doing pretty good except for the odd excita-pee dribble when one of us gets home and we're taking too long (no matter how fast we go) to put on her leash and make her sit to get her out the door. Most days I'm home in the afternoon and when its nice out I'll put her on her tether and sit out there and hang out with her about 10 minutes at a time, so occasionally she'll go 5 or 6 times a day. She is a bit of a princess if it has rained a lot overnight though....she'll hold it for an extra few minutes in the morning until I coax her onto the grass LOL


luvntzus said:


> I think dogs should be able to potty when they need to, just like people are able to do. I have 2 Shih Tzu and they use puppy pads, because I want them to have a bathroom whenever they need it.


HAHA, I get your point, but I can just imagine when Caeda is 100lbs and the amount of urine that she'd put on a pad....YIKES! No go there. 


luvntzus said:


> For those that don't use puppy pads, I would use doggie bells, so they have the ability to TELL you when they need to go.


We had intended to train her to a bell actually, but she's been pretty overwhelmed with stuff to learn at her age, plus we are worried she'll jingle just to go outside to play. We might try it eventually though. Has anybody had luck with the bell, or does it turn into a "playtime" bell?


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## Willowy

Greater Swiss said:


> We had intended to train her to a bell actually, but she's been pretty overwhelmed with stuff to learn at her age, plus we are worried she'll jingle just to go outside to play. We might try it eventually though. Has anybody had luck with the bell, or does it turn into a "playtime" bell?


I taught my first dog how to use a bell, and it was VERY useful when she was young. As she got older she started using it as a "playtime bell" so we put it away. But I definitely recommend it for puppies. I think it empowers them to know that they can communicate with the humans.

On days that I'm working, my dogs go out 4 times. Once when we wake up, once when I'm home for lunch, once when I get home, and once at bedtime. Well, usually there's another time in between getting home and bedtime, because we have to get some playtime in. If I'm working in another town, skip the lunchtime outing. The other day I was was gone all day long, so they only got outside twice--wakeup and bedtime--and they were fine with that, although I don't think I'd ask them to do it too often. On days I'm home all day, I try to let them out every couple of hours. Because I don't like to wait longer than that between bathroom breaks!


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## Maggie Girl

luvntzus said:


> I can't believe that some people only take their dogs out 2 times a day! Even 3 sounds too little. How many times a day do you go to the bathroom?


Honestly, there are many days that *I* only have to pee 3 or 4 times in the 18 hrs I'm awake. Not kidding, I can go first thing in the morning and not again until way after lunch and then again in the evening. I get busy and forget to go and I guess I can just hold it a long time. 

And now that my dog is full grown, there are many days that I take him out only 4 times from 8-ish a.m. to midnight, his choice. He goes to the door and stands looking at it or sits at it giving us the "eye" and that's how he tells us, and I'm here all day so it's not like we just take him on our schedule. There was even a day recently that I took him out around 8am (for #1 and 2), then I took him out around noon (my idea, thinking he _surely _needed to go and I just felt like going outside) but he didn't go, and then he "told" me he had to go around 4 (for #1), and then he told me he needed out once more before bed (#1 again)... totaling 3 all day. ?

I guess bigger dogs just have bigger bladders and can hold it for a longer time. My dog is only 30lbs, but he seems to choose to hold his bladder a long time before he decides he wants/needs to go (and he knows he can go out at anytime since I'm always with him). However... if there's a day when there are a lot of rabbits in the yard and he smells them or sees them in the windows, he often "has to go out" more often, LOL.

I'd say our average amount of daily "going out" is 5 times, though.


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## luvntzus

It does seem like big dogs are better at "holding it". I have to go to the bathroom more than 4 times a day, so I guess influences my opinions. The main thing though is the dog's CONTROL over when they get to use the bathroom. Some days I have to go more, somedays less. I certainly wouln't appreciate "scheduled" and limited bathroom times.


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## Jodie

How about puppies? Oliver is three months old. He woke me up at 3 AM to go out. It is now 5:30 PM. In that period of time, he has gone outside to pee seven times and poop three times. Is this normal? I've been told to take him to the vet because he's going too often. Is that true? He will be going to the vet in a week for another shot. But it was the VET who told me to take him out once an hour! I'm not doing that. I take him out when he acts restless or whines.

I fed him (a lot) at around 5 AM, a little at 3 PM when I fed the cats, and intend to feed him around 6 PM for the last time. In the hope that he will sleep past 3 AM, which he has not done for the last three nights. When I brought him out at that time, he'd pee AND poop. But when we'd get up at 5 (when he wakes me again), he acts famished.

I have water down at all times up to 8 PM. I put him in his crate, after one last time outside at 10 PM.

Is he normal?

P.S. It is rather exhausting taking him out so often. It took a load off me to let him out for 10 minutes on a lead, but then I read here that he would never be housebroken if I didn't go with him. So I did and now he won't leave the deck and go down the stairs unless I come. He just stands at the door and barks. So this 10 times he's gone in an out today, I have been going in and out as well.


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## InkedMarie

Oliver is a small breed, is that correct? I am not sure because I've never had small dogs but they may pee more than other breeds. Our last young pup just turned 6yrs old but he was the hardest dog to housebreak. The best way to housebreak a dog is to take him out on a leash. They do need to know that potty time is just that, time to go potty. Once he's housebroken, then you don't have to. We have a kennel and a fenced in yard but the pups both went out on a leash, using "go potty" as we exited the door and went outside. The quickly learned that the leash in the kennel with that term meant it was time to go. I don't know what is so exhausting about taking a small dog outside to potty. It's not forever. I have two dogs, ages 18mos and 6yrs. Off the top of my head, they've gone out probably ten times themselves. I am at the point now that they don't need to be leashed but I still go out there with them, I like to make sure they actually go and I pick up poop when they go. Jodie, you are very very nervous, I said in a different thread that dogs can sense that. I really think you need to somehow chill out a bit or it's going to get worse. JMO


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## kathylcsw

Buster is my 3 month old Toy Fox Terrier and I take him out every 30-45 minutes while I am up. He is able to make it all night without having to go but maybe because he sleeps with me. When he turns 4 months old I will try to push it back to every 45 minutes to an hour. Lola is 8 months old and I take her out every 2 hours. I don't always enjoy having to take Buster out that often but I know that it won't last forever. Once he is housebroken I can take him out less often but you have to put the time in with a puppy.


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## Papa Deuce

my 8 month old goes out about 15x a day...... my adult golden retriever goes out about 6x a day.


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## Abbylynn

They all go out the same times as they are all on the same schedule including eating. It is easier this way.  They go out at 6 am, 7 am, noon, 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 7 pm, and 9pm or 10 pm ... sometimes at 11pm depending on what time I want to go to bed.Lol!  ... so average of 7 or more times per day.


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## Jodie

Papa Deuce said:


> my 8 month old goes out about 15x a day...... my adult golden retriever goes out about 6x a day.


Wow! That is a lot. The last time I had dogs was when I was married. We both worked full time and we'd let them out before work, after work, and then once before bed. It's like everything's changed.

If your 8 month old goes out 15 times a day, I guess it's not unusual for my four month old to do the same.


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## hamandeggs

On weekdays/workdays, 5 times a day (and Biscuit is a year old): first thing in the morning, with the dog walker at noontime, right after work, after dinner around 8pm, and right before bed. She's on a pretty set schedule, which is convenient. 

Maybe it's more on weekends, if she's guzzling water (one of her fave activities) or she asks to go out.


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## luv2byte

Need to work on him telling you. For us we use potty bells, huge success with both dogs here. 

Our Chloe will ask to go out 3-4 times at the most. Skyler, well, if it's me home alone with the dogs, he asks about every 3hrs, sometimes linger. For whatever reason when hubby, his fave person, is home, he asks every hour ...and yes, every time we take him out he does go potty. It's so weird. We have yet to figure out why he is so persistent to go out more when hubby is home.


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## Papa Deuce

Jodie said:


> Wow! That is a lot. The last time I had dogs was when I was married. We both worked full time and we'd let them out before work, after work, and then once before bed. It's like everything's changed.
> 
> If your 8 month old goes out 15 times a day, I guess it's not unusual for my four month old to do the same.



Well, she doesn't need to go 15x a day..... but here is the thing... she whines a lot.... and sometimes it is from boredom, sometimes from hunger, and sometimes to go out.... and I can't alwyas tell what she wants.... so I take her out to be safe.... She easily can have her last time out at 9PM and make it til 7 AM, though, thankfully.


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## Jodie

Papa Deuce said:


> Well, she doesn't need to go 15x a day..... but here is the thing... she whines a lot.... and sometimes it is from boredom, sometimes from hunger, and sometimes to go out.... and I can't alwyas tell what she wants.... so I take her out to be safe.... She easily can have her last time out at 9PM and make it til 7 AM, though, thankfully.


Yeah, I hear what you're saying. When I hear him whine and pace, I can't tell if he's bored or needs to go out. I too take him out to be safe. It has saved my carpets somewhat, but, on the other hand, I'm not sure if I'm overdoing letting him out.

9 PM to 7 AM would be WONDERFUL! I really hope Oliver grows into that.

Last night was typical. It was Saturday and I didn't have to be up early this morning.

I let him out for the last time at 10:30 PM and put him in his crate. He woke me up at 3:30 AM, whining. I took him outside. As other people have suggested, I didn't play with him or do anything but hook him to his lead and take him down the deck stairs to the yard. He pee'ed and pooped immediately. I brought him back in and put him in his crate, no new toys (other than what he has in there). He did go right back to sleep. Thankfully for me, I too was able to fall back to sleep.

At 5:30 AM, he woke me up whining. Since it had been two hours and not five, I banged on the top of his carrier and said "NO!" He went back to sleep.

I woke up at 7:00 AM (a cat actually woke me up this time). But 7:00 AM is my normal time to get up when I don't work. I let him out of his crate and brought him outside again, fed him, played with him etc.

What I don't know is if I'm right to bring him out at 3 or 3:30 AM. I hope I'm not teaching him that it's OK to get up at that time. Like I said, I don't use that time to feed him or play with him or do anything but go outside and go to the bathroom. I'm hoping that he'll start sleeping longer.

One other thing. I think I mentioned that he used to sleep until 5 AM and it's only been this last week that he's gotten up at 3 or 3:30. I haven't changed his food or the time I feed him, so I'm perplexed. But yesterday I did realize that at the time the 3 AM wake-ups started, I had opened a new bag of food. Exact same brand and flavor. I did notice that the chunks were smaller than in the previous bag. Is it possible that there's something about this particular batch of this dog food that makes him need to go sooner? The dog food is Nutra Max for puppies, which is what they gave me when I first got him a month ago and what he's been eating ever since:

http://www.nutro.com/natural-dog-food/max-dog-food/puppy-food.aspx


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## Jodie

kathylcsw said:


> Buster is my 3 month old Toy Fox Terrier and I take him out every 30-45 minutes while I am up. He is able to make it all night without having to go but maybe because he sleeps with me. When he turns 4 months old I will try to push it back to every 45 minutes to an hour. Lola is 8 months old and I take her out every 2 hours. I don't always enjoy having to take Buster out that often but I know that it won't last forever. Once he is housebroken I can take him out less often but you have to put the time in with a puppy.


I tried having Oliver sleep with me but he squiggles around all night and I couldn't sleep. I think the crate next to the bed is best for us. My cat Phoebe comes up from the basement and sleeps with me once she knows Oliver can't try to play with her. She's a nice quiet sleeper.


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## osdbmom

Probably 8-10 times, I think. They usually get up about 630 a.m., go out to pee. They never poop at that time though...have to come in and go back out for that about half an hour later.

Zoey pees a LOT, esp I think for a dog her age (1 and a half). We joke about her being an old lady with a bladder incontinence problem. Im just happy she doesn't pee in the house anymore. I think some of her problem is from being spayed super early.

8-10 times a day is not counting the "false alarms", the times they act like they need to potty in order to get outside to chase a squirrel, or go play with the neighbors grandkids when they are outside.


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## embedded

Perspective is everything and sometimes simply viewing an issue or chore like taking our dogs outside to potty as an opportunity to go on an adventure can completely change our dynamic with our canine loved ones.

Dogs can become readily conditioned to view going outside as just a chore as well and the pressure to perform via pee or poop can be a negative experience. Why just 2 or 3 times, when everybody especially our dogs love to go out on walks and enjoy the company of others.

Heck I view a puppy like a sprinkler always on as they do not even have bladder control until 4 to 6 months, right? So the reality is when their bladder fills they are "unable" to control when and usually where they go. I took my GSD pup out every hour but rather than focus on the pressure to pee and poop, I gave instruction on how we can enjoy each new experience. Then along the way he would do his business.


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## JessCowgirl88

I really dont keep track of how many times winter goes out becuase half the time we go out and play she does her thing we come back in, rinse and repeat. She goes out a few times a day to go though. During the summer over half the time we leave our back door open so she has free acess to go out and lay if she wants to sun bathe and such but id average that she goes 6-8 times up to 10 i think, though alot of the time she wants to go out and bug the birds if we are not outside already. At night, she usually goes out at 10:30 the lateist for a potty call and goes till we all wake up. 

Now with our new pup coming home today, we will be going out alot lol


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## doxiemommy

If Oliver wakes you up at 3 or 3:30 am, and he does indeed go pee/poop, then YES, you should still be taking him out at that time, otherwise you could end up having a mess in the crate in the morning.

Now, if he was just going a dribble, and only using that as an "excuse" to get out of the crate, then I would say NOT to. But, if he actually needs to go at that time, take him out.

As far as if it could be the food, I doubt it. When a puppy changes their potty habits, it could be a urinary tract infection, OR it could be due to a change in environment or routine. Or, it could just be his body going through some changes as he's developing.


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## DustyCrockett

Mine go in & out like cats, but they can both make it all day and into the night when they need to.


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## jedonspring

I get the idea I 'm not supposed to start another thread about potty training, so I hope some people read this and give me their opinions.....

Getting a new pup next week! I know during my waking hours to take him out out out, not let him have an opportunity to have an accident. But how about during the night while he's crated? I understand that I'm not supposed to give him too much room in his little 'house'. I can do that, but will he wake up and cry when he needs to go? I haven't had a puppy in a long time and I would appreciate your more current experiences.


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## DJEtzel

jedonspring said:


> I get the idea I 'm not supposed to start another thread about potty training, so I hope some people read this and give me their opinions.....
> 
> Getting a new pup next week! I know during my waking hours to take him out out out, not let him have an opportunity to have an accident. But how about during the night while he's crated? I understand that I'm not supposed to give him too much room in his little 'house'. I can do that, but will he wake up and cry when he needs to go? I haven't had a puppy in a long time and I would appreciate your more current experiences.


This thread is very old. Please start a new one if you want real responses.


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## Gally

Gally goes out on set potty breaks 3 times a day. Then 2-3 days a week he goes to daycare and they get set potty time at least 2 times a day where they are encouraged to potty outside plus access to potty areas the rest of the time. Then most evenings we'll go for a 1+ hour walk. So... varies day to day but at least 3.

ETA: Woops sorry didn't see this was so old.


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