If you’re new to keeping puppies, you might be wondering: how often should I take my puppy out? Whether it’s doing their business or time for some outside play, part of what makes puppy care challenging is the need to take them outside.
In this article, we will guide you on tips and tricks about managing your puppies when it comes to outdoor time. In this way, you will feel at ease with your pets.
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How often should I take my puppy out?
Puppies need to go outside at least every 2 hours to do their business. Other than that, going outside is also a good breather for the puppy if they’ve been indoors for quite a while. The older your puppy gets, the less frequent you need to take your puppy out to pee or eliminate.
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Why do I need to take my puppy out?
As pets, outdoor time is important so that your puppies don’t get bored and destructive, as well as soil your carpets. Here are the reasons why you should take your puppy out:
1. Puppies can’t control their bladder as humans do
You need to take out puppies when they need to do their business to avoid soiling your carpets indoors. Of course, you also need to observe the rules of your locality when it comes to pet waste.
A puppy that hasn’t been introduced to other pets, dogs, people, and the like are likely to be easily scared of strangers. Puppies need to be socialized once in a while because this will help them develop good behavior.
If your puppy hasn’t been around people that much, they might develop barking habits when they grow up. Extra time spent outdoors will make your puppy friendlier towards guests in general.
3. Puppies need a wider play area to spend their energy
A puppy’s time outside is precious – they use it to expend their energy. If you don’t take your puppy outside to play at all, they will eventually destroy your house. Puppies that haven’t been socialized or taken outdoors will develop destructive behavior. Save your shoes and curtains by taking your puppies outside once in a while.
How to train your puppy to go outside
When your puppy grows older, they need to be trained to have a routine so that they’ll always stick to it. Puppies with a routine or schedule will help them to be disciplined. Here’s how to establish your puppy’s routine:
1. Make sure they get sufficient outside time. Puppies that are 2 months old need to go outside every 2 hours to pee. If they’ve just eaten, woken up, or drank something, that’s also a possibility of your puppy needing to pee outside.
2. Take them to one potty spot only. Don’t let them pee on your garden plants and instead, let them do their business in one spot only. In this way, they’ll be trained to only pee in that spot to avoid the other areas of your outdoor setting.
When doing this, make sure that your puppy is on a leash to avoid losing them. You can also train them to respond to specific words to help them remember the potty time. For pooping, you’ll have to wait for that to happen before taking them out for a walk or exercise outdoors.
3. Don’t cut short on the rewards. Puppies respond to anything better if they know that they will be rewarded. Offer them small treats that are appropriate to their age. Keep in mind that these treats go into their daily calorie count.
When you use rewards like treats for your puppy, make sure they finish doing their business first. Then, you can give the treats. This will teach your puppy to work hard and be patient to get the item that they want.
4. Ensure a regular feeding routine. By having your puppy eat properly on a set schedule, you can quickly guess when it’s time to pee or poop outside. In this way, you don’t have to worry about sudden accidents around the house because you’ve estimated when your puppy needs to go – and you’ll immediately take them out to their potty area.
5. Don’t let your puppy drink a lot at night. Ensure that your puppy doesn’t get access to their water bowl at least 2 hours before bedtime. In this way, your puppy won’t have to wake you up in the middle of the night to go to their potty spot.
Protecting your puppy when going outside
So now that your puppy can go outside, you’ll have to worry about a couple of challenges and threats to their safety. If your puppy is still less than 4 months old, here’s how to safely take your puppy outside and what to do:
1. Ensure that your puppy is vaccinated by your vet. Vaccination not only protects you and the people around you but also protects your puppy from health risks.
2. Avoid areas with a lot of big dogs. Your puppy is still small and they can be easily intimidated by these dogs. Instead, take them to a subtle environment where there isn’t a lot of distraction or overwhelming stimulus.
3. Always pay attention to your puppy. Never let go of the leash or hang it somewhere for a long time. Your puppy can easily escape if not unattended or they could run into trouble. If you are only playing outside, make sure that the area has proper fencing to avoid turning your puppy into an escape artist.
4. Don’t let your puppy sniff dog poop. Always remember: whether it’s your puppy’s poop or another dog’s poop – make sure to keep them off the “jackpot” because it contains a lot of harmful bacteria for their system.
5. If possible, carry your puppy when taking to the vet. Some dogs and puppies leave behind bacteria on the floor and your puppy could pick them up. 6. Keep your puppy away from dogs without a vaccine record. You never know what could happen if they interacted with such dogs or puppies. It is not discriminating but it is more of a safety precaution.
