Adult, healthy dogs can defecate for between 8-12 hours on average. However, very young and old dogs can sometimes only last an hour after a meal. This primarily depends on health and age.
When it comes to puppies, remember that they can defecate for an hour per month of life. So a 2 month old puppy can hold poop for around 2 hours.
The maximum is reached from the 8th month of life. But be careful! Just because dogs can wait so long doesn't mean they want to.
Waiting too long can lead to a buildup of harmful bacteria, causing stomach pain. Unnecessary delays are therefore not a good idea.
On average, dogs defecate between 1 and 5 times per day. To prevent potential “accidents” in the home, the following products can help:
- Pee Pads: A dog toilet for urine and feces. You can imagine this as a kind of tampon in the shape of a carpet.
- Dog flap: This allows your dog to help itself. There are also some dog doors that are burglar-proof and airtight.
- Dog diapers: An absolute blessing for very young or very old dogs. Especially because they are reusable.
How long dogs can hold their stool depends on the breed. Here is an overview depending on the age group:
AgeTime Duration0-1 Months0-1 Hours1-2 Months1-2 Hours2-3 Months2-3 Hours3-4 Months3-4 Hours4-5 Months4-5 Hours5-6 Months5-6 Hours6-7 Months6-7 Hours7-8 Months7-8 Hours8 Months – 10 years 8-12 hours > 10 years 1-8 hours
For practical purposes, you can remember the “3×8 rule”. Because a dog in its 8th month of life can not only hold stool for 8 hours, but can also hold urine for 8 hours.
However, this rule only applies during the day. Digestion is slowed down so much overnight that dogs can endure it significantly longer.
Walking every 6-8 hours is therefore not a bad idea. Friends, acquaintances or paid dog carers can help out for longer absences.
You can usually tell that a dog needs to go outside by the following signs:
- Restless behavior
- Groan
- Dog follows master
- Yelp
- Barking at the master
Important: It is very unusual for dogs not to defecate within 24 hours. After 48 hours at the latest, I recommend contacting the vet immediately.
Are you worried or unsure? Then click here to start a live chat with a veterinarian.
Influencing factors
The following factors can cause dogs to hold their poop for either longer or shorter periods of time:
During puppyhood, the dog's sphincters are not yet fully developed. The fact that puppies have to go outside more often is developmental.
The same applies to older dogs. As we age, the sphincters become increasingly weaker. Doctors refer to this as “senile incontinence”.
The general rule of thumb is that active dogs have to defecate much more often than inactive dogs. Because exercise stimulates metabolism and thus digestion.
It is not for nothing that people talk about the “digestive walk”. Dogs that are more lazy and sleep half the day need to go outside less often.
Various medical conditions can affect the frequency as well as the consistency and color of bowel movements. The most common here is worm infestation and severe stress.
But brain diseases, inflammation of the pancreas, bacterial infections, food allergies and intestinal diseases can also be the cause.
You probably know some people who do their business shortly after getting up every morning. The reason? Your digestive tract has become accustomed to this frequency.
It's similar with dogs. They can only hold their poop for as long as they are used to. A sudden change in routine therefore leads to “accidents” more often.
The expression that someone nearly peed their pants because of fear has its origins in mammalian anatomy. It's no different with dogs.
If the four-legged friends feel very afraid or even suffer from an anxiety disorder, then many of them have to defecate very suddenly. The same applies to urine.
The intestinal flora is structured in such a way that it can digest the usual food as efficiently as possible. It becomes a problem when the food is suddenly changed.
In most cases, either diarrhea or constipation is the result. If you have constipation, larger amounts of fiber are the best choice.
Depending on their age, activity and health, dogs can hold their poop for different lengths of time. But habits, emotions and eating habits can also influence stool frequency. An adult, healthy dog usually defecates 2-3 times per day.
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