One of the more challenging aspects of raising a puppy is determining just when he’s going to let it rip in the defecation department so you can count on his outings being productive.
Consistently scheduled feeding is key, says William Berloni, director of behavior at the Humane Society of New York (where they’ve cared for literally thousands of pups): "Feed the puppy every 12 hours according to the directions on the food package – 7 in the morning and 7 at night, or 8 in the morning and 8 at night – and take him out every 3 hours," he advises. "Take him out right after eating and you’ll get the urination factor, but you probably won’t get defecation right away – that will take a few hours."
In between those three-hour intervals, be sure to supervise your puppy. "If you leave him alone and unsupervised in your house, he’ll go and have an accident in another room," Berloni explains. "So monitor him, and if he starts circling, take him out and give him praise and a treat as a reward for eliminating outside."
If you can’t monitor the puppy, that’s where the crate comes in. "The crate becomes our assistant when we’re not there to supervise," Berloni adds. Puppies can begin crate training at 3 months of age, but should not be crated for more than three hours at time.
Remember, every dog is different, with an individual digestive system. Small breeds tend to digest quicker than large breeds; wet food goes through puppies faster than kibble. Some pups might hold it for four hours; others might hold it for only two. You will have to discover what your dog’s individual elimination schedule is.
"But if you feed the puppy consistently every 12 hours and monitor him, his system will tell you when he’s gotta go," Berloni concludes. "People often make the mistake of assuming the puppy will go right after feeding, but we all have different schedules so we can’t generalize. So that’s why I always teach them to learn their own puppy’s system by setting up the control factor of feeding every 12 hours and walking every three hours. If he has an accident in between those outings, then you know to adjust his outing times, as opposed to making this little puppy fit into your schedule."
