# Puppy has a peanut-sized bladder



## Mozart396 (May 11, 2009)

He has to pee every hour. Is there bladder stretching exercises or puppy chow to increase bladder volume? (j/k)

What's the normal age when they can physically go the night without emptying the bladder?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

My pup is 12 weeks and goes out at 11 pm and then about 5:30 am. This started this week, he went out in the middle of the night now and then before. But he has held it at least 5 hours a few different times from the time he was 8 wks. Only one accident in the crate, and that was the first week I had him.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

A general rule of thumb with puppies is that they should be able to hold it one hour for every month of age, plus one. So at 12 weeks or 3 months old, 4 hours would be the most they should have to hold it.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

It took Balto a long time before he could hold it all night. I think it was something like 6 months. 

Sometimes he even poops in the middle of the night, still. I think the poor little guy is off balance.


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## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

The general rule of thumb of every month of age plus one can be extended a little bit during the nighttime because their metabolism slows down. Our J dog could go all night (11 pm to 6 am or so) by about 4 months. My sister's pup can go all night at 13 weeks.... every pup is different!

(Oh and we had a week or two there when we would limit her water intake after 8 pm.)


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## GSDinOly (Apr 19, 2009)

Like Rhena, I limit Brigitte's water intake, but after 7 PM. She is 8 weeks old. her last trip out at night is 11PM, and she holds it until 4-5 AM. The only thing I can say is that I monitor her water; more water=more pee, so during the day and mornings, a potty trip outside has to allow her enough time to go pee at least twice, and we do this every 2-3 hrs. Takes less than a half hour for her to pee twice and do her other business.


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## Phay1018 (Nov 4, 2006)

I have the opposite issue- my boy can hold it all night- never woke up from night one but when he is out and about in the house with us during the day, he usually needs to go out every hour (sometimes barely makes it an hour) or he'll have an accident in house. Rarely ever has a poop accident in house and has never had any accidents in his crate. He's 11 1/2 weeks now. Funny as I was all ready to take him out during the night (told hubby to wake me as I am deaf, when pup wakes) and I never got waken up! 

Hopefully he just needs time, I think I have thrown him off a bit this week as I am on vacation so he is out with me all the time whether inside or outside while when I am working he is with me but in a crate in the office and goes out once or twice during the day for breaks/playtime.


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## ShatteringGlass (Jun 1, 2006)

my Dal puppy will be 9 weeks old tomorrow, he can't hold it all night yet, I usually have to take him out 2 or 3 times between the time i put him to bed to the time we get up in the morning. When Im home with him in the day, I take him out every 45 -60 minutes and encourage him to go potty and he does everytime. He can hold his bowels all night, but his bladder just cant handle it yet! lol


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## Doggydog (May 12, 2009)

My Coco had that problem. She just had to pee all the time. It took forever to housetrain her. Even as a young adult she couldn't hold it more than 7 or 8 hrs. Turned out she had kidney stones. The vet said it's very unusual in a young dog. Usually it's caused by poor diet, although that couldn't be the case with Coco. I didn't know until the stones caused a UTI when she was about 2yrs old. 
Be aware that sometimes it's possible there could be a medical reason. If it continues into the future and you are concerned, you could have it checked out. 
Most likely what your pup is doing is totally normal for the age. Don't despair, they all train eventually. This too shall pass! Meanwhile you can switch to newspaper in the kennel or old towels that can be washed easily.


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