# How Often Should A Puppy Be Let Out At Night?



## kel (Nov 28, 2012)

Hello - I have a 10 week old, and I had read that a good way to keep tell how often a puppy should be taken out at night to go to the bathroom is by counting how many months old they are and then that number is the number of hours they can be in their crate without having an accident. When I first got my Griffin, I was taking him out every 2 hours at night and he would go immediately when we got to the grass. Now that he's getting older and used to sleeping longer at night in his crate I've noticed he won't be up waiting to be let out at such frequent intervals, so I take him out about every 3 hours. But we went to our first training class this week and the trainer seemed surprised when I told her I was getting up more than once during the night to let him out. She said at his age he can hold it longer and only needs to be taken out once. While he is my first dog and she is clearly an expert in training, I feel uncomfortable leaving him in there for so long knowing that if I were to take him out he would go to the bathroom. I'd be interested in hearing what others have done with their puppies. Any feedback on this would be welcome  Thanks


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I brought Molly home at 8.5 weeks and I only woke up once during the night to take her out the first two nights I had her. After that she slept through the night.. so she was sleeping through the night by 9 weeks.

Edited to add: If he isn't crying to be let out every 3 hours, it isn't necessary to wake him to go potty.


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## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

Bear gets taken out twice during the night. Technically four times from start to finish. Once right before bed, once again right before I go to bed, at 2 am when my husband wakes up and then between 5-6 when I get up. 

He's been known to hold his urine successfully for 6 hours - though that only happened once and was outside of my comfort zone. I, personally, would take him out as often as your comfortable. I understand that she's the "expert" but it's always up to you, as the owner, to find what works for you and your situation.


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## kel (Nov 28, 2012)

I don't wake him up if he's sleeping, but he isn't crying to be let out a lot either, so I guess I'll cut back on the frequency. Only taking him once or twice during the night will be great for me (can't remember ever being as tired as I've been these past 2 weeks), but I just wanted to make sure this wouldn't be harmful/uncomfortable for him. Thanks!


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

Standard is once a night, if at all. Most pups sleep a good 6 hours at about 10 weeks.

Hopefully the breeder has introduced them to the crate and it'll be easier.

Some dogs though physically can't hold it for very long, especially girls so don't worry if your pup does go out a couple of times at night time. Best not to hurt their tiny bladders and take it slow if needed.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Tucker slept thru the night almost from the beginning. I only took him out if he asked. We'd go straight to the back yard, he'd have an opportunity to do his business, and back to the crate he'd go with no fuss or playing. After a few nights he rarely asked to go out and just slept right thru. I think you're safe cutting back to once a night and to wait until he asks you by whimpering.


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

It varies by the dog. The pup will let you know when he needs to go out even if just by being restless. 

My Brady (4 months) needed to be brought out last night around 2am, the previous 2 nights he slept through the night, the night before that he needed out twice. He, btw, is already free within my bedroom with my other dogs so will usually jump up and lick my face if he needs to go out.


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## ShadowGolden (Sep 4, 2012)

We took Shadow out at night most two times at night; however, we only took him out if he woke up and told us he had to go out. We were very lucky - he took to his crate immediately and never messed in it. He let us know immediately if he needed to go out. He slept through the night pretty quickly - 6-7 hours.


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## Maverick James (Feb 27, 2012)

Just a word of warning/advise, just like a baby, sometimes at night you have to let them whine a little so that they don't get conditioned that if they whine, they get what they want.

My wife made the mistake of getting up and taking Murdock out at the littlest peep, mostly because she didn't want to be cleaning up a mess in the middle of the night. That alone prolonged Murdock waking us in the middle of the night to go out. He was about 4-1/2 months old before he stated sleeping through the night mostly because I got to the point where, when he whined, I would awake and if I thought she was acting to quickly, in my gruffiest tone I would ask "Where do you think you are going?"

It becomes a balancing act, but sometimes you just have to lay there awake a few minutes and see if they really put up a fuss or if they just go back to sleep after a little whining.


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

I agree with the trainer, I think you are taking him out too often. By ten weeks Winston was actually sleeping through the night. I would aim for once a night or just wait to hear him wake up and whine.


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## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

I agree with Maverick in that a pup quickly learns to whine to get out even if it is only for a walk to the potty place and back in. I treated mine like human kids and waited a few minutes to see if they really needed to go out or just bored. By 10 wks, both could hold themselves from 7:30 to 2:00AM when we get up. So, for us, slept through the night with no accidents. But like Outwest suggested, when you do take them out, keeps lights off and sounds to a min. Just go do their business and back to crate to finish the night.


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## Mayve (Aug 21, 2012)

I only ever took them out if they whined. Each dog is different. I had one that had to go out 2-3 times that first week, one that slept through the night the first night, and the others maybe once for a bit....Honestly I only ever got up with them if they were whining and even then I let them whine for a few minutes before I went to get them.

Oh and sometimes even my adults would request a potty break at night, although very rarely and only after hitting their senior years or if they weren't feeling well. Mine aren't allowed on the bed, but they put there paws on the side and either whine or in Emma's case she walks her paws up and down the side of the mattress until one of us wake up...


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

I somewhat agree with Maverick James but with a proviso. You don't want to jump up as soon as the puppy whines--that will teach it how to get you to let it out. But if you give the pup no water one hour before bed, potty it and put it straight into crate it should be able to make it through the night. I ignore all whimpering if pup hasn't gone to sleep yet. But if pup has been asleep for several hours and starts whimpering, I think it should get a response. They need to know that if they ask, their needs will be met. Most puppies can sleep and enjoy sleeping straight through the night. Like e eryone says, each dog is different.


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## Jacques2000 (Jun 18, 2012)

Levi was close to 10 weeks when I got him. I let him out once during the night the first night but after that I would just let him out before I went to bed (I would go to bed a later 11-12) and I would get up early to let him out.


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## puppy77 (Oct 14, 2012)

I've been confused about how often to take our puppy out as well. He's 8.5 weeks, we've had him for 4 nights...and he's gone out 6-7 times a night, starting around 10pm to 7am. I'm exhausted! I'm afraid to ignore her whines, afraid she'll have an accident in her crate. Maybe I"m taking her out too often?


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## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

puppy77 said:


> I've been confused about how often to take our puppy out as well. He's 8.5 weeks, we've had him for 4 nights...and he's gone out 6-7 times a night, starting around 10pm to 7am. I'm exhausted! I'm afraid to ignore her whines, afraid she'll have an accident in her crate. Maybe I"m taking her out too often?


How long after she starts whining do you take her out?


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## Goldengal9 (Apr 18, 2012)

Zoey came home at nine weeks. The first night I took her out around 3am. From that night on she slept from 11:39/12 until 6/6:30ish. (She now sleeps much later) Back then I took her water up about an hour before taking her out for the last time (around 11/11:30). We also had a ticking clock under her crate mat the first week and a half she was home.


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