Mary Allen
Theoretically, you shouldn’t have to ask yourself this question, since everyone knows that a dog has to go outside regularly.
But especially with puppies who cannot yet control their bladder, there are a few things to consider.
Walks not only offer the dog the opportunity to relax, but also provide exercise and variety.
Do you ask yourself the question: how long can a dog hold on?
Then you are right here!
In a nutshell: how long can a dog go without going for a walk?
With puppies one calculates one hour per month of life.
Adult dogs can endure up to 8 hours without loosening. Even longer at night when they sleep.
Of course, the question: how long can a dog go without being walked is a very general one.
In Germany, by the way, according to the Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance, there is an obligation to go for a walk.
Your duties as a dog owner are: Go for a walk outdoors for 1 hour at least twice a day.
Going for a walk isn’t just for cleaning up. The dog gets physical exercise, meets other conspecifics and your bond is strengthened.
How often does a puppy need to pee?
Puppies have no control over their waste up to 5 months. They cannot stop because they are not yet able to independently control the sphincter muscles.
A puppy never pees in your apartment on purpose!
For you, this means that you have to take your puppy outside after every activity. Especially after waking up, eating and playing, it often happens that the puppy just lets go. It can then go very quickly.
So: after each activity, grab the little one and get out!
Your little puppy has to be out day and night, that’s the only way he can be housebroken!
Don’t forget to praise him when he’s successfully done his business outside. This is a super achievement and praise encourages him to do it again!
Basically you can assume the following times: A puppy at 2 months has to go out about every 2 hours, at 3 months every 3 hours and so on.
As beautiful as puppyhood is, it is also exhausting.
Puppies are housebroken at night at an average age of 5 months.
My tip: Pee on command
Since you have to take your puppy out immediately after eating, playing and sleeping anyway, combine the pee with a command.
What does that bring? Your dog will learn to detach at your command!
This is not only great in stressful situations, but also before long car journeys and so on.
How does my puppy learn this? Very easily! Every time your little one pees, you say the command and acknowledge.
And when it works on command for the first time, throw a big party!
How often does an adult dog need to pee?
Like humans, urinating is a basic need of your dog. Healthy adult dogs urinate an average of 6 times a day.
However, how long a dog can go without a walk also depends on its age, breed, and health.
When your dog is in heat, it’s perfectly normal for her to urinate more. In doing so, she conveys to the potential male: Hey, I’m ready
If you notice your dog peeing less or a lot more, this may indicate health problems.
The following diseases show increased urination:
- diabetes
- bladder stones
- Cushing’s Syndrome
- uterine inflammation
- cystitis
- Liver and kidney damage
- urinary tract obstruction
Your dog pees in your apartment even though he was outside?
What happens if the dog doesn’t walk enough?
Your dog can get health problems if you keep to it forever. In the worst case, he becomes depressed, mentally ill, or even aggressive.
Letting the dog into the garden twice a day so that it can do its business is not enough! It is your duty as a dog owner to offer your dog variety and exercise.
Many dogs that aren’t kept busy start looking for things to do on their own. They gnaw on cables, scratch the wallpaper or tear up your couch.
Your dog shows you that he is dissatisfied!
Dogs need physical and mental exercise. If your dog falls asleep in the evening with a satisfied sigh, this is a sign for you that means: Everything has been done correctly.
Of course, it can always happen that something just comes up and the dog doesn’t have enough time.
Then don’t feel bad, just use the next time more intensively.
The legal obligations of a dog owner regarding walking
The Animal Welfare Ordinance regulates the obligation to walk very clearly. Paragraph two of the Dog Ordinance regulates: “A dog must be allowed sufficient outdoor exercise outside of a kennel.”
Dogs must now be allowed to exercise outside at least twice a day. The minimum time was set to one hour.
Conclusion
How long a dog can go without a walk depends, among other things, on the age of your dog.
With puppies, going outside regularly at short intervals is a must if you want them to be housebroken.
Adult dogs can easily stay for several hours, provided they are healthy.
Furthermore, not only the animal welfare ordinance has to be observed, but it is simply important for the well-being of the dog that he regularly gets enough and sufficient walks.
This is the only way you can ensure that your dog can live a long, happy, and healthy life.