Should I wake my puppy to pee at night? My experience!

Potty training…all new dog parents go through it and almost all of them come out on the other side, but not all of them unscathed.

Countless nights with little to no sleep can really take a toll on you and it is suffering that could have been easily reduced.

At first, waking your pup at night may seem counterintuitive to your training plan, which includes avoiding whining or playing during the night.

Also, if your pup is sleeping, it would disrupt his sleep cycle if you woke him up, right?

Well, it’s not that easy.

I made that mistake by letting my Rottweiler puppy sleep soundly at night and it probably prolonged the potty training process.

Let’s see what exactly works best most of the time.

Should I wake my puppy to pee at night?

Yes, you should wake your pup to urinate at night, even if he is sleeping, as this will greatly influence his potty training.

Waking up your sleeping pup may seem like a hassle, but it’s definitely worth it to prevent potty accidents.

Teaching your pup not to soil his sleeping space is paramount, as this will also affect his ability to use the crate as a safe space during the day.

Even if you get rid of the crate during the day, you definitely don’t want your dog to get used to soiling his sleeping space.

Most puppies will naturally do everything in their power to avoid urinating in their sleeping place, but some are stronger minded than others when it comes to this.

In either case, waking your pup to urinate at night may make it difficult for him to fall back asleep, but it will be worth it.

Just keep in mind that you should never make a fuss about potty breaks and calmly take your pup outside, wait until he relieves himself, and bring him back while keeping everything dark and quiet.

My rottweiler Amalia would actually go crazy if you didn’t keep the lights off, didn’t talk to her except to congratulate her, and immediately bring her back inside.

Other than waking your pup for a couple of minutes, nothing serious can happen if you wake him up to pee.

Just make sure you don’t interrupt his sleep cycle unnecessarily if he’s making good progress with potty training.

How often should I wake my puppy to pee at night?

In general, you should plan for 2-3 potty breaks in the first few weeks with a puppy, regardless of whether he is sleeping or not. You can adjust based on whether or not your pup actually goes overnight.

Even if your pup doesn’t need to pee or only goes potty reluctantly, stick to his schedule for a couple of days.

Not only can you ensure your pup’s potty needs don’t change, but you also eliminate the chance of being turned down when it comes to housebreaking for your pup.

Of course, everyone is different and you should try to follow your pup’s natural cycle and adjust potty breaks based on that.

Maybe your pup needs 4 potty breaks at night or maybe 1 or 2 a night is fine.

The number of potty breaks you need may also depend on how tired your pup is, how much and when they drank, as well as what the breeder did with them before in regards to potty training.

How long can puppies sleep at night without urinating?

Puppies can usually sleep 2-3 hours at a time, once they are 3-4 months old they can easily sleep 4-6 hours a night. Be sure to plan bathroom breaks before you go to bed and right away in the morning as well.

How long puppies can sleep at night without urinating also depends on breed, water intake, last potty break, and quality of sleep, among many factors.

Generally speaking, large breeds can go longer without going potty while small breeds can’t go as long.

To avoid potty accidents at night, it’s best to take your pup out to urinate just before bedtime and restrict water intake before bed.

However, if your pup hasn’t been drinking well, remove the last tip and just plan once more for a potty break, as your pup should never go to bed dehydrated.

Can an 8 week old puppy sleep through the night?

No, an 8 week old puppy usually doesn’t sleep through the night, but it can happen, especially on the first day when your puppy is extremely exhausted.

Some lucky dog ​​owners bring home a pup who consistently sleeps through the night without going to the bathroom, but that’s really rare.

The first few nights with an 8 week old puppy are also easier if the breeder did some form of potty training.

That being said, consider yourself lucky if your pup only needs 1 or 2 potty breaks after a couple of days.

Trust me, the puppy blues are real when you have to get up multiple times a night.

How often do 8 week old puppies pee at night?

If your pup is only 8 weeks old, you will likely need to include 2-3 or sometimes as many as 4 potty breaks during the first night.

As mentioned above, it’s best to find a good balance between letting your pup sleep and taking him out to avoid bathroom accidents at night.

Through his physical development and training, the puppy will be able to hold it longer and longer until he can sleep through the night.

Should I take my puppy to pee?

Yes, it’s always good to take your pup out to pee, especially at night so you can put him back to sleep as quickly as possible and avoid accidents along the way.

Some people prefer to walk their puppies to go potty, but at night I’ve found that it’s best to carry them in your arms.

Taking your pup to pee doesn’t wake him up and doesn’t generate excitement.

One big plus: puppies don’t pee when they’re on your arm (well, at least most don’t).

Walking your pup outside on a leash might completely wake him up and entice him to play tag, chew on the leash, sniff things along the way, etc.

If you’re not sure how to go about carrying your pup, check out this guide to transporting dogs.

Trust me, I know taking your dog can get exhausting quickly for large breeds (speaking as a Rottweiler owner), but it’s definitely worth it.

If your pup has to climb a lot of stairs, you should avoid it for the first few weeks or even months anyway.

How long should you wait for the puppy to urinate at night?

While you want to wait as long as it takes your pup to go potty during the day, your pup may not really need to go potty at night, but you should wait at least 10-15 minutes anyway.

Do you know this situation?

You’ve waited a while, your puppy didn’t go.

By the time you got back inside, he had an accident with the potty.

That’s when you know you have to wait longer next time.

You can easily test how long is reasonable by trial and error.

When your pup really doesn’t go and has no accidents, you’re golden.

If you wait even 15 minutes, your puppy didn’t leave, only to have an accident inside, you need to stay longer next time.

That’s why waiting 10-15 minutes is just a general rule of thumb.

You may want to give your pup 5 minutes to know that this is his pee window, or you can wait 30 minutes if your pup is known for “I don’t have to go, I’ll pee right away once I get inside.”

Whether you wake your pup to pee at night, let him sleep, pick him up, or plan 2-4 potty breaks, it’s all up to you.

While some options may seem comfortable now, they may actually increase the length of your potty training, but in the end, consistency and calm are the keys to potty training your pup.

Disclaimer: This blog post is not a substitute for veterinary care and is not intended to be. I am not a veterinarian or a pet nutritionist. If your dog shows any signs of illness, call your vet.