When to adjust puppy potty schedule?

[jake1133]

Hi all,

Another question. (Thanks for all the help I've gotten on this forum)

When do I start adjusting my puppy's potty schedule?

Right now I am taking her out to potty at every transition, wake up from nap, after play, after eating, before nap, etc. It works out to about every hour or 2 hours depending on how long her nap is.

As she gets older she is going to get more and more bladder control, but when do I start taking her out less? How do you make the transition from taking her out on a schedule to her letting me know when she needs to go out?

 

[Nell]

Hi Jake, is she giving you any notification when she needs to go outside yet?

This may be really subtle to start with so you need to watch out for it. Some just look at the back door! some will go to the back door, others will whine, it just depends on your pup.

She is doing so well it would be a shame to back track and have accidents in doors again so I would wait to extend the in between times a bit until she is cottoning on to the fact that she needs to ask. Some need a bit of help with the "need to ask", you can train your pup to ask to go out if you think this is the case.

Some people use the "bell" technic (its listed on this site) but you can use anything you want really, to train the pup they have to make the connection with the "act" and going outside. This is just repetition, reward and consistency for e.g. if every time the pup barks you take her out, she will soon make the connection and then use this to ask to go out. Hope this helps.

 

[jake1133]

She doesn't really give any indication she needs to go out, but I don't really give her opportunity either. I take her out so regularly that I don't think she really has a chance to tell me.

My thinking now is to keep doing this until she is 3 months, just to keep from having accidents in the house. And then as she is a little older start looking for her to let me know she needs to go out.

 

[Peanut]

Being that she's not even 3 months, I'd say keep doing what you're doing. On average, a puppy can hold it for 1 hour per month they are old. 2 months-2 hours. 3 months-3 hours, and so on. I'd say you're right on track, honestly. Especially being so young, sounds like she'll be potty trained fairly quickly. Not many people dedicate that much time to it.

 

[jax's_mommy]

I agree with peanut, That's the way I was taught for them. I generally wait so long depending on how young, and then took them out after napping and heavy play.

When Jax was real young, I did like you did. I took him out so often we were out more than inside lol.

About when he was 4-5 months he started with whinning to let me know. Although, it was sooo low I had a hard time even realizing he was making a sound. Now he just sits on the arm of the couch by my computer and stares at me till I get the idea lol