Short answer: A puppy potty training schedule starts with trips every 1 to 2 hours while awake. Also go right after sleeping, eating, drinking and play, plus first thing and last thing.
The most a puppy can hold it is roughly her age in months plus one, in hours. Plan your trips well before that.
We sell a printable puppy schedule kit and a puppy corner odor device, and we link to them below. Everything else here is free to use.
It’s day three, and there’s a puddle by the back door. Someone swears they took her out at four. Nobody’s sure.
If that’s your house this week, it’s a hard week, and everyone’s tired and guessing. One shared schedule takes a lot of the guessing out.
How often should a puppy go out at each age?
Under 4 months, go out every 1 to 2 hours while awake, then stretch slowly as accidents stop. Months plus one, in hours, is the longest she can hold it, so plan trips well before that.
| Age | Start with trips every | Longest she can hold it (months plus one) | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 to 11 weeks | 1 to 2 hours | About 3 hours | Plan on night trips |
| 12 to 15 weeks | About 2 hours | About 4 hours | Plan on night trips |
| 16 to 19 weeks | 2 hours, longer once accidents stop | About 5 hours | Often still needed |
| 20 weeks and up | Stretch slowly while she stays dry | About 6 hours at 5 months | Many stop needing them |
Every puppy’s bladder is different, so yours may need trips more often. Go out right away if she sniffs, circles or heads for the door.
Vets at VCA Animal Hospitals suggest trips every 1 to 2 hours when awake. Humane World for Animals recommends going out at least every two hours.
The ceiling comes from the AKC. Add one to her age in months. That’s the maximum number of hours your puppy should be able to comfortably hold it.
When should you take a puppy out during the day?
Take her out the moment she wakes, after every meal or drink, after play, and right before any nap. Fill the gaps with timed trips every 1 to 2 hours.
The AKC lists first thing in the morning, last thing at night, after naps, meals, water and play. Each wake-up, meal, drink and play session ends with a trip.
Feeding at the same times each day helps you predict when she’ll go. Steady meals will aid in regulating elimination, according to the AKC.
Use one spot and one short cue word, like “outside,” every time. UC Davis vet behaviorists advise you to take puppy to the same desired area every time.
Rain and cold make this harder. A covered spot near the door, a leash, and a towel on a hook inside keep trips short and calm.
Not sure when her next trip is due? Our free potty break timer takes her age and her last trip and counts down to the next one.
Why do puppy potty schedules fall apart in busy houses?
Schedules usually slip when several people share the puppy and nobody knows who took her out last. Trips get doubled, then skipped, and accidents start to look random.
Everyone in the family should use the same cues, Humane World for Animals advises. The same goes for the potty spot and your trip times.
A story from Michael Northcutt, our founder: I’ll call some friends of ours the Ortizes. Their two teenagers begged for a dog for years. Week one, they fought about every potty trip.
“I took him out at four.” “No, you didn’t. You were on your phone.” Some afternoons he went out twice in ten minutes. Some afternoons he didn’t go out for two hours.
Once they started writing each trip down, the arguing faded. By Friday, the puppy was getting his trips on time.
Keep a grown-up close whenever younger kids are with the puppy.
How many times a night does a puppy need to go out?
Many young puppies need at least one trip overnight, and VCA says some need them until about 5 months old. Keep night trips calm and quiet, with no play.
Puppies may need overnight outings until they are 5 months of age, VCA’s vets explain. So a middle-of-the-night trip at 9 weeks is normal.
Make the last trip of the evening a thorough one. Humane World suggests you remove your puppy’s water dish about two and a half hours before bedtime. Ask your vet first if it’s hot, or your puppy is unwell.
When she wakes and fusses, follow Humane World’s advice. Take them out quietly, and return them to bed without turning it into playtime.
Keeping the crate in your bedroom for the first nights helps you hear her stir. That way you can reach her before an accident.
What should you do right after a puppy accident?
Calmly interrupt if you catch her, take her straight out, and praise her if she finishes outside. Then clean the spot with an enzyme cleaner, because leftover smell tells her to go there again.
Skip the scolding. Humane World says to never punish your puppy for accidents. She can’t connect a telling-off to a puddle from ten minutes ago.
“The odor of urine or feces is a cue to use the location again in the future.”
Ellen Lindell, VMD, DACVB, and Monique Feyrecilde, LVT, VCA Animal Hospitals
That’s why soap and paper towels often fail. UC Davis recommends an enzymatic cleaner to remove residual smells that may entice puppy to revisit the area.
A story from Michael Northcutt: I kept cleaning accidents off our living room rug. A few days later, she’d go back to the same spot. I scrubbed with soap and paper towels until it smelled okay to me.
To her nose, it still smelled like a bathroom. I switched to an enzyme cleaner made for pet messes. I let it soak in and sit, as the bottle said. She stopped going there.
Does she pee the moment she comes back inside? The trip probably ended too soon, or the yard was too exciting. Stay out a few minutes longer and keep it dull until she goes.
Pee on the dog bed? Our guide on how to wash a dog bed covers getting the smell out of the fabric.
Do a crate and puppy pads help with potty training?
A crate helps because most puppies avoid soiling where they sleep, but young puppies shouldn’t be crated for long. Pads can help in apartments and on long workdays, though they teach an indoor spot.
UC Davis explains that a puppy sees her crate as a “den,” which he will prefer not to soil. Pick a crate with just enough room for her to stretch out and turn around.
Keep crate stretches short. Short stretches of no more than 3 hours usually work for a puppy left alone in a crate, per VCA. Out all day? Ask a lunchtime helper, or use a small pen with a potty area.
New to the crate? Our crate training guide covers the 6 steps, the first night and how long by age. Panting, drooling or howling in there? Read our guide to dog anxiety in the crate.
If you use pee pads, keep them in one place, and keep outdoor trips on the schedule. Moving the pads around gives her extra indoor spots to choose from. Our puppy pad training guide walks through the steps and the move outside.
In an apartment, stairs and elevators add minutes to every trip. Carry a small puppy down. Head out a little sooner than the table says.
Should you use potty bells and treats?
Treats help most when they come outside, within seconds of her finishing. Potty bells can work too, as long as ringing the bell only ever means a quick potty trip.
Give the treat right away, since the reward should be given while you are still outside. Use tiny, soft pieces she loves, kept in your pocket by the door.
A story from Michael Northcutt: We hung a little bell on the back door, and she rang it. Every fifteen minutes, sometimes every five. She’d run out to chase a leaf, then come in and ring it again.
So we changed the rule. The bell only ever meant a quick, boring potty trip. Within a week, it got a lot quieter.
Some puppies leak a little when someone comes in the door. Greet her calmly, low and quiet, or greet her outside. If it doesn’t fade as she grows, bring it up with your vet.
How long does potty training a puppy take?
House training, or toilet training as it’s called in the UK and Australia, usually takes about 4 to 6 months. Some puppies get there sooner, and setbacks along the way are common.
Per Humane World, housetraining a puppy typically takes 4-6 months. The AKC timeline quotes Dr. Jerry Klein: a 6-month-old puppy is usually able to be depended on most of the time. That holds if training starts early.
A potty training regression after a move, a trip or a busy week is common. Go back to shorter gaps between trips for a few days. Our guide on how to potty train a puppy walks through setbacks step by step.
The ceiling numbers vary a little by source. Humane World says a puppy may hold her bladder about one hour for every month of age. The AKC uses months plus one. Both are limits, so plan your trips sooner.
When should you call the vet about potty accidents?
Call your vet if accidents continue on a steady schedule, or a puppy doing well suddenly regresses. A urinary tract infection or another health issue can cause it.
A puppy who isn’t progressing may have a urinary tract infection or some other health issue, the AKC notes. If a well-trained dog starts soiling, always consult your veterinarian.
Jot down when accidents happen before the visit. A few days of notes gives your vet far more to go on than “she pees a lot.”
What should you do tonight?
- Find your puppy’s row in the age table and decide how often you’ll go out.
- Add the trips that never move: waking, meals, naps, play and bedtime.
- Use the same potty spot and cue word on every trip.
- Put an enzyme cleaner where you can grab it fast.
Still shopping? Here are the puppy potty training supplies you actually need, and the ones to skip.
Puppy older than about 12 weeks? The 3 to 6 Month Puppy Plan covers what changes next. More free help lives on our free puppy tools page. Want the schedule on every phone? Our best puppy training app guide compares the kit’s Potty Planner with five lesson apps.
Puppy potty schedule FAQ
What is the 10-10-10 rule for potty training?
It’s a trainer’s rule of thumb, and people describe it in different ways. None of the vet sources we used mention it, so stick to their basics: frequent trips and rewards outside.
How long after eating does a puppy need to poop?
Plan a trip within 5 to 30 minutes after a meal, per the AKC’s potty timeline. Watch for a few days and you’ll learn her own timing.
Should I wake my puppy at night to pee?
If she sleeps through and wakes up dry, there’s no need to wake her. If she’s often wet by morning, ask your vet about a night trip.
Can an 8 week old puppy be potty trained?
You can start the day she comes home, but she won’t be reliable for months. At this age, your job is to get her outside before she needs to go.
Sources
- American Kennel Club (AKC): Puppy Potty Training Schedule, a timeline for housebreaking your puppy
- VCA Animal Hospitals: House Training for Puppies and Dogs. Authors: Ellen Lindell, VMD, DACVB, and Monique Feyrecilde, BA, LVT, VTS (Behavior)
- Humane World for Animals: How to Potty Train a Puppy, housebreaking tips
- UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Clinical Animal Behavior Service: Housetraining Your Puppy
- Humane World for Animals: How to Reward Dogs With Positive Reinforcement Training