Question
With regards to potty-training, I’ve read that a puppy can only hold their bladder for one hour per one month old- so if I plan to crate-train my dog, who will basically be two months old at eight-weeks, does that mean I should let him out in the middle of the night to urinate every few hours? How can he possibly hold his urine without getting wet in the crate? I realize dogs don’t like wetting themselves in the crate but how can a puppy hold their bladder all night?
Answer
For small puppies, the same rules apply as for babies: „sleeping through the night“ means a few hours of uninterrupted sleep, then waking up briefly and going back to sleep.
If you have the crate near you and are a light sleeper, you will notice that at some point puppy gets restless and possibly whines or rummages. That is your clue to swiftly get him or her outside to pee, then back to the crate and back to sleep. As with human babies, the time for proper night dryness varies and they will catch on how to either alert you or hold it for longer sooner or later.
But note that night time is quiet time. Don’t play or cuddle, even limit the praise for good potty behavior, keep the lights to a minimum, and send puppy back to the crate immediately after coming back inside. Make it clear that nothing interesting is going to happen, so that puppy (and the rest of the pack) can go back to sleep immediately.
I would not recommend keeping him or her in the crate to teach them “to hold it”. They simply can’t. Especially with a puppy that’s just 8 weeks, accidents would be guaranteed and you are sabotaging your own efforts at potty training.
The good news is that the phase of having to get up during the night is rather short (compared to human babies) and quite soon only a late-night potty break when you go to sleep and an early morning bathroom trip is going to be your routine for as long as the canine family member stays with you.
Answered By - Stephie