Author Topic: How long can a puppy "hold it" at night?  (Read 54435 times)

Offline Binky

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How long can a puppy "hold it" at night?
« on: March 26, 2008, 06:26:05 pm »
So, I am crating Sophie at night but she wakes up every two hours and I take her out to pee.  I don't give her water after 7pm. Does she really need to go this often or can she hold it for longer?  I don't want her to be uncomfortable but I'm afraid I'm reinforcing her getting out of the crate whenever she howls and cries.  Should I keep this up?  She's 9 weeks old.
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marypyrs

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Re: How long can a puppy "hold it" at night?
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2008, 07:09:52 pm »
That's probably about right at 9 wks. Two to three hrs. Usually figure their months in numbers plus one so at two months probably three hours max. Three months four hrs max and so forth. I've always provided water at all times though. They tend to go overboard and gulp less that way. But that's just me.

Offline FXgirl

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Re: How long can a puppy "hold it" at night?
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2008, 07:47:38 pm »
I've done the puppy thing twice in a yr and a half so things are still pretty fresh in my mind.

I remember getting up every 2 hours for the first week(my guys were home at 8 weeks though) with HUGE improvement after that first week.  Two weeks later they were sleeping through the night with the occasional late night bathroom break.  Wait another week and you'll see the difference.  She seems to be right on track to me.

I never crate trained them though or withheld water.  I've actually found that they sleep better with the pack and having access to cool water.  My guys were always very restless until I figured out it was because they were thirsty or hot.  I had no problems with them disturbing the others at night and they learned very quickly what "no more water" meant. Being a light sleeper helped with getting them outside before accidents. :)


Offline Binky

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Re: How long can a puppy "hold it" at night?
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2008, 07:55:44 pm »
I've done the puppy thing twice in a yr and a half so things are still pretty fresh in my mind.

I remember getting up every 2 hours for the first week(my guys were home at 8 weeks though) with HUGE improvement after that first week.  Two weeks later they were sleeping through the night with the occasional late night bathroom break.  Wait another week and you'll see the difference.  She seems to be right on track to me.


I would love not to crate her at night but how?  How did you keep your puppy from chewing on stuff-wires, the bed, etc while you were sleeping?  I had to take the water out of her crate-she either sat in it or spilled it every time!
I never crate trained them though or withheld water.  I've actually found that they sleep better with the pack and having access to cool water.  My guys were always very restless until I figured out it was because they were thirsty or hot.  I had no problems with them disturbing the others at night and they learned very quickly what "no more water" meant. Being a light sleeper helped with getting them outside before accidents. :)


Binky-Great Pyrenees
Sophie-Leonberger
McDougal-Papillon
Chicklet-Papillon
Sigfried-Cat  RIP Sigs
Spooky-Cat
Jasper-Nigerian Dwarf goat
Ferdinand-Nigerian Dwarf goat

Offline People Whisperer

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Re: How long can a puppy "hold it" at night?
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2008, 08:35:12 pm »
If you or your dogs play with puppy a lot before going to bed she will be too tired to chew on anything ;) but yet again my pup was sleeping about 22 hours of 24 for the first two months ::)
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Offline Rosalba

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Re: How long can a puppy "hold it" at night?
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2008, 08:56:16 pm »
Lucca must have a super bladder! he's been holding it through the night since he was about 7.5 weeks old... Only during the first week home did he demand to be taken out every 2-3 hours during the night.... So maybe wait it out a little and see. Maybe she's just adjusting right now. Also, continue reinforcing that the crate is a good thing -special treats and toys in there, etc... Lucca used to sleep with one of my t-shirts (that I had worn), I guess it made him feel like he wasn't left alone :) (although he's crate is in my bedroom, pretty close to my bed...
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Offline FXgirl

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Re: How long can a puppy "hold it" at night?
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2008, 11:40:46 pm »
You know,  I've never had a problem with them chewing on inappropriate things at night.  Lucky I guess?  I know Gunnar liked to wake up and chew on a toy(make sure it's a soft, quiet chewy) for 5 minutes and would fall back asleep.  Bosco would sleep, no problem but he had a great play buddy to tire him out.

I've found for myself that I'm just not a good crate trainer.  You have to get the puppy really used to it slowly and make it fun but it's hard when the first night you bring your pup home he has to go in a crate(when he's so used to sleeping with his litter mates, no less) when you just haven't had the time to introduce it properly.  My bedroom was pretty puppy proof and I never really get too attached to personal items so I took a chance of having chewed nightstands.

Instead of putting the water in her crate maybe just let her have access to water when you take her out for her bathroom breaks.  She doesn't need much, just a few sips.

Good luck!  You'll find what works.

Offline newbalance1012

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Re: How long can a puppy "hold it" at night?
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2008, 10:50:48 am »
We just adopted Dakota - a 7wk old Black Husky.  He's 5 lbs and is getting up to pee twice in the night.  We've had him less than a week and it seems that he's already beginning to understand how to wake us to take him out of his crate to eliminate.  Currently, we stop food/water at 6:30pm, go to bed around 9:45pm, get up with him around 1:00am and 3:30am, and finally we're all up at 5:40am.  We've already taught him that it's good to eliminate outside (treat + love every time he does), but he's still not clear that it's a bad thing to eliminate inside.  We're working on that one next.

Tonda

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Re: How long can a puppy "hold it" at night?
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2008, 10:56:28 am »
At 8 weeks my pair were waking up about every 3 hours to pee. A week later the boy was sleeping through the night. The girl took another two weeks to settle in (and occasionally she still insists on going out once a night, usually around 3am). I don't pick up their water. I just hustle them outside before we go to bed (usually between 10-11PM) and then they go into their crates.

lookingfornewf

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Re: How long can a puppy "hold it" at night?
« Reply #9 on: October 22, 2008, 12:54:56 pm »
I got Clifford at 9 weeks old. I gave him free access to water whenever out of his crate, but never put water in the crate. He seemed to need out every 1 1/2 - 2 hours  for a couple of weeks and then just once during the night after that. I only took him out on his leash and straight back to crate so it wasn't play time or fun time to not encourage him to wake me anymore than necessary.
Sorry for your lack of sleep, don't worry it will get better soon.