# Do small dogs have to go more often than bigger? New to small dog training here!



## Maudelynn (Jan 22, 2013)

Just got my tiny rescue girl, Iris, today. She is a love, and full grown at a little over 2.5 lbs. 
She is adjusting well to everything. The only thing is she has tried to pee in the house 3 times, 2 times I caught her before and once right after. I said no firmly and took her straight out. The thing is... She has only been here for 5 hours and she has peed twice outside and, let's call it, one and a half times inside. Is that common for her size, or just part of the adjusting? 
My shelties generally only go out every 4 or 5 hours in the day and sleep without needing to go for 8 hours night. 
I know it will take us a bit to get used to each others' routine, I am just wondering what to expect.
(she is a terrier mix, if that helps)


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## shellbeme (Sep 9, 2010)

Yes, yes, yes! I have always had medium sized mutts in the past, I have raised two maltese. They pee ALL the time when tiny and even when older they still have to pee more. Yes it is harder to potty train them. When I first brought my little guys home, I had to take them out about every half hour. My adult can now go every 6 hours or so but the pup who is now ten months old, will go 3 hours at the longest. I find that they get much better bladder control at about 1.5 years.


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## Maudelynn (Jan 22, 2013)

shellbeme said:


> Yes, yes, yes! I have always had medium sized mutts in the past, I have raised two maltese. They pee ALL the time when tiny and even when older they still have to pee more. Yes it is harder to potty train them. When I first brought my little guys home, I had to take them out about every half hour. My adult can now go every 6 hours or so but the pup who is now ten months old, will go 3 hours at the longest. I find that they get much better bladder control at about 1.5 years.


Thanks so much for your response! 
May I ask, how do you deal with it at night? The foster mom said confine her to the tiled bathroom with pee pads. They have calculated Iris to be about a year old.


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## shellbeme (Sep 9, 2010)

When I first brought them home, I would get up a couple times a night to let them out. At night it's not as bad but there were still occasions that I woke up and they had pottied in their crate. I would get up a little early to have time to clean up the pup and crate in case that happened. If she is close to a year that is quite a bit for her to be peeing-it could be that she has a bladder infection - which if you are concerned may be an issue, you can usually take a sample to your vet but mostly it sounds to me like no one has properly trained her.

I always used the crate method, if I couldn't keep an eye on them, they were in their crate.

It is up to you though-at that age I would think you'd be able to take her out once before bedtime and then again early in the morning. I never used potty pads so I'm not good with advice on that-but I have heard of people doing a playpen set up with their crate and potty pads inside the playpen.


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## Maudelynn (Jan 22, 2013)

shellbeme said:


> When I first brought them home, I would get up a couple times a night to let them out. At night it's not as bad but there were still occasions that I woke up and they had pottied in their crate. I would get up a little early to have time to clean up the pup and crate in case that happened. If she is close to a year that is quite a bit for her to be peeing-it could be that she has a bladder infection - which if you are concerned may be an issue, you can usually take a sample to your vet but mostly it sounds to me like no one has properly trained her.
> 
> I always used the crate method, if I couldn't keep an eye on them, they were in their crate.
> 
> It is up to you though-at that age I would think you'd be able to take her out once before bedtime and then again early in the morning. I never used potty pads so I'm not good with advice on that-but I have heard of people doing a playpen set up with their crate and potty pads inside the playpen.


Thank you. Luckily, the foster mom is ok with the crate I have and know I won't abuse it, so I will try that with Iris. She is also in heat, so maybe that affects her potty times?? I am waiting to have her spayed after her heat. Another thing I have never had experience with; a female in season. I have always had male pets


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## HollowHeaven (Feb 5, 2012)

Yes. Smaller dogs have smaller bladders, therefore generally cannot hold it as long as larger dogs.

Also, the dog is in a new home. Some dogs will use the bathroom a lot, some not at all, when going into a new home. She should settle into a routine as she starts to settle into her new home.
And yes, being in heat can be a factor in this. I don't know if you're female or not but... maybe that's not forum appropriate. Lol


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## LoMD13 (Aug 4, 2010)

Yes, absolutely


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

I am not sure I agree. I have always heard that they do but I have also heard that since they drink in proportion with their size, it's not true.

My two (7 and 8 lbs) both can hold it 12+ hours. They aren't usually home alone that long and they have a potty pad just in case, but 99% of the time, they don't use it.


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

If she is in heat, she will go more often as they mark to let the males know she is there. I would just confine her with the pee pads until she is out of season and see how it goes then. My smallest dog is about 6 lbs. but she easily goes all night and is the last one to want out in the morning so easily holds it for well over 12 hours or more. They do have smaller bladders but they also drink less.


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

Laurelin said:


> I am not sure I agree. I have always heard that they do but I have also heard that since they drink in proportion with their size, it's not true.


I've wondered that, because a small dog is going to drink less than a big dog... 

I have a larger small dog (~20lbs), and we let him out every 4-6 hrs during the day, and he holds it for 9-11 hrs overnight. I imagine that, crated, he could probably hold it longer during the day since he just sleeps in his crate, but I've never had the reason to try and make him.


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