# How often do you let your dog out to potty?



## elisabeth_00117

As I sit here on the couch browsing through threads, the thought came to me, "how often does everyone let their dogs out to potty?"

If your at home for the day, just relaxing around the house, no outtings, no guests, just your family and the dog, how often do you let him/her out to potty?

Usually, if Stark (2 years old) doesn't ask to go out, I let him out every 4-5 hours. I live in an apartment so I don't have the convience of just opening my back door and letting him out in the yard.

Usually potty breaks are a walk around the block or more unless I am in a hurry to get somewhere.

So, how often do you let your dog out to potty? (maybe include your dogs age as well).


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## Kola_2010

Kola is now almost 17weeks, and thank god potty trained.. FINALLY! We havent had an accident in at least a month. She asks to go out about every 3 hours. However, if she just ate or drank a lot we time it about an hour then take her out, just to be safe. 
The odd thing is at night, when we go to bed... we have a routine. We turn off the lights, and put the TV on the music channel which works as a nightlight. Then we set the timer on the TV to turn off after 120minutes. Once we lay down, shut the bedroom door, and all that other stuff is done she lays done on her KONG bed and goes to sleep. She doesnt ask to go out until about 7am when we get nice little kisses on our hands or face. Thats at least 7 hours, and she has water down constantly.


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## Elaine

With my adult dogs, it's about every 2 hours or whenever I have to go. Yes, I syncronize our potty breaks.


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## DJEtzel

If we're home all day and not coming/going, Frag goes out when he asks. Typically the only time we take him out otherwise is first thing in the morning. Otherwise, he tells us when he has to go and we take him out then, somewhere from 3-4 times a day maybe. He's 1.5 years. 

Bailey gets taken out every couple of hours and as she asks. She doesn't make it as obvious as Frag that she has to go (Frag leans his whole body against the door sideways and Bailey just goes by the door and sniffs) but we can usually get an idea if we're all sitting her and take her out when she has to go since she usually won't go otherwise. We still try. She's 11 months.


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## Pattycakes

My dog is 21 months and I will usually let her out every 2-3 hours for her potty breaks. But mostly now she uses her doggie door during the day while I'm at work. And at night...we go to bed around 9 pm and she will come and wake me up at 4 am if she needs to go out. I'm usually up by 4:15 am during the week.


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## Zoeys mom

If it's rainy or frigid they only get out every 4 or so hours, but in warmer months we have them out every hour we are home so it varies


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## GeorgiaJason

I guess you could say i make them go out after feedings other than that wail to see the "body language" from my pup and only when my 8 mo female asks.....BTW am I the only one who cant remember exact age maybe its just because im a guy my wife knows exact ages

no trying to hijack just thinking out loud


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## Cassidy's Mom

I don't let them out unless they ask to go out, other than giving them a last chance before bed and, of course first thing in the morning when they come out of their crates. Puppies are a different story, but adult housebroken dogs don't go out on a set schedule.


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## Lexi

Maybe every four hours or so (or more if they are asking to go outside). Most of the time they want to go out to play! The puppies are another story altogether. Glad they aren't my problem!  DH does not get a very restful night's sleep around here.


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## XTOL

Abby and I have a routine. She almost never asks to go out. She does
her business on our regularly scheduled walks.

We rise about 7:30 AM. I get dressed and take her out for our morning walk.

2nd walk about 11:00-11:30 AM. Play time... weather permitting.

3rd walk around 3:30-4:30 PM. Usually a long walk and some training practice...weather permitting.

4th walk around dusk. We usually see other dogs and their owners and
let them play...weather permitting.

Last time out 11:00 PM. Short pee run. Then off to bed...

Abby has taken quite well to this schedule. Dogs are creatures of habit
(as am I) and will usually happily fall into a routine.


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## Dr89

On a day when I'm home all day and don't have to make sure to take him out before he goes in his kennel, I probably only take him out 1 time between waking and going to bed. 

So to clarify, I take him out first thing in the morning, and before bed we go play fetch for 20-30mins and he always goes after that, but between that he'll never ask to go out, I maybe will one time just to walk him, play, etc. But he generally wouldn't ask me too during the day.

I'm surprised to see everyone saying every 3-4 hours


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## Dogaroo

Elaine said:


> With my adult dogs, it's about every 2 hours or whenever I have to go. Yes, I syncronize our potty breaks.


You don't.... you know.... use the yard with them... right?  

On second thought..... Don't answer that.


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## Micky

Stell a is now 5 month and during the day she has the run of the garden where she goes potty (for some reason she will not do her business on our walks, makes the puplic happy) at nights I wait till she tells me that she has to go out, the final one is before I go to bed which is around 10pm and the first one of the day is 4.30 am.


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## JOSHUA SAMPSON

if training a puppy i let them out every few hours ore as oftern as possible. When they get older I will begin to let them out only when they ask to go out.


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## Good_Karma

Six AM, 9 AM, 11AM, 12:30PM, 4PM, 7:30 PM

So about six times.


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## LaRen616

Sinister is 2 years old.

When I am home with him all day it depends when I take him out. If it is raining we only go out when he tells me he wants to go out and potty.

If it is nice out we usually go out every 2-3 hours.


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## ayoitzrimz

Oh man I have to admit I'm not nearly as dedicated to potty breaks... 

My dog is 13 months and here's how we've had it (mind yourself we live in an apartment in NYC):

up to 6 months - every 2 hours at first, then 3 then 4 when he was 6 months
6 - 12 months - 7am to 9am we are out, then a potty break at 3pm, then we are out again at 6pm
12 months - 7am to 9am we are out, then out again at 6pm...

So, only twice a day. With that said, he doesn't whine nor does he ever pace and sniff (his usual I have to go signs) nor does he ever have accidents in the house.


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## gsdraven

If I am home, they go out when they ask or if I need a break for a min  Then there is the mandatory last potty before bedtime whenever bedtime is.


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## DCluver33

when I'm home Dodger usually lets me know when he needs to go out by tapping the door knob ( didn't teach Dodger this he just does it), Molly just sits and stares a hole in the side of my head. usually it's every 2-3 hours or so. we have a mandatory bathroom break before bed then no one goes out until one of us gets up (usually it's me because Dodger feels the need to wake me up at 5:45 on the weekends and when I'm on break and don't need to wake up so early for work).


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## bruiser

Every morning about 5:30 or 6 am when I get up and then again after they eat about 6:30/7 am.

When I'm at work, I come home from lunch and take them out and play or walk about 11:30-12:30.

Again at 4:30 for walk or play time also.

After that whenever they want to go out...they just bark by the door.

6 pm after their evening meal.

9 or 10 pm right before I go to bed.

When I'm at home all day, it's morning, night, after mealtime and whenever they want to go out.

I do not do the in and out every few minutes all day though...I'm not their private door person.


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