We love our puppies. Their cute little puppy paws and tiny ears melt our hearts. So much so that we forget all about their tiny little bladder, and they just drank a lot of water.
So, how long after drinking water do puppies pee? Sometimes it seems instantaneous, but typically a puppy will pee 15 minutes after drinking water. Even though it appears water runs straight through a puppy, most puppies can safely control their bladder one hour for each month of age.
But young puppies don’t know they need to hold it, which is why potty training is challenging.
Thankfully, most puppies start to show signs when ready for a potty break. This article details what to look for so your puppy can access water without you having to set a 15-minute timer.
How long after drinking water do puppies pee?
A puppy typically goes from drink to pee in about 15 minutes, but not all puppies are the same size. And, as we all know, puppies don’t follow the rules.
When our unruly puppies need to go, they go. Making potty training a complex task of judging “is it time yet?”.
Watch for signs your puppy needs to go potty.
When you first start potty training, a puppy doesn’t know to tell you it’s time to go. Because of that, observing our puppy’s behaviors for the right signs is essential.
Look for these indications it’s time to take your puppy out:
- Circling
- An abrupt stop in play
- Fidgeting
- Sniffing the floor
- Pacing
- Wandering away
After spotting one of these signs, quickly walk your puppy to their designated potty spot. Use your potty trigger word until you reach the backyard or pee pad on the balcony.
Through repetition, puppies learn that going potty has a place. When they reach this stage, their behaviors change, creating distinct new signals for potty time.
After your puppy learns there’s a designated potty spot, look for signs of running to the door, sniffing the ground, whimpering, barking, overexcitement, or sneaking away.
Leave fresh water out and keep a schedule.
Like people, dogs are sixty to seventy percent water, causing a high water demand. To ensure hydration, dogs need access to fresh water.
Drinking water helps flush waste from the body, transport nutrients, regulate body temperature, and assist digestion — all essential for a puppy’s growth.
By maintaining a schedule, your puppy learns to hold their bladder and manage its water consumption better. Of course, potty training is more than just pee breaks, so consider the following set times to let your puppy out for both:
- First thing in the morning
- After meals
- After playtime
- When waking up from naps
- Before bedtime
Even with these daily milestones, consider frequent trips outside or to their potty spot to reinforce training.
Why is my puppy squatting frequently with no pee?
Urinary tract infections are common for dogs of all ages. UTIs are painful and uncomfortable for your puppy, giving them the impulse to pee often. Symptoms of UTI are:
- Frequent urination
- Trace amounts of urine when squatting
- Straining to urinate
- Blood in the urine
- Increased thirst
- Accidents indoors
- Increased licking of the genital area
Urinary tract infections are bacterial infections of the urinary tract. UTIs are common in dogs, affecting 14% of dogs in their lifetime. Female dogs have an outsized risk, with an estimated one in four females contracting a UTI.
UTIs are most common in intact dogs — dogs not spayed or neutered. Causes can also include bacteria in the kidneys or a virus. Keeping a bowl of water our for your puppy can prevent a UTI since water flushes bacteria out of the kidneys and urinary tract.
In rare cases, female dogs have hooded or recessed vulvas, trapping dirt and debris in the vaginal area and causing frequent UTIs. Using baby wipes to clean your puppy after a potty break can prevent bacteria from causing an infection.
Contact your veterinarian immediately if your puppy shows any UTI signs.
Final thoughts
Cleaning frequent accidents and regularly taking your puppy out to potty train is frustrating. Knowing your puppy has about 15 minutes from a large drink of water to a potty break does help to reduce accidents.
To improve a puppy’s chances of making it to its potty spot, take your puppy out 8 to 10 minutes after drinking water. It’s best to keep a potty break schedule and make frequent trips to your puppy’s potty spot rather than removing their water.
Leaving fresh water out is vital for digestion, preventing urinary tract infections, and avoiding dangerous dehydration.
Restricting water for puppies at night is common for crate training, but water needs to be readily available throughout the day.
A hydrated puppy is a healthy puppy.
How long after drinking water does your puppy pee? Share this article along with any potty training tips that can help others.
