[Lilsmith86]

I feel like I should preface this by saying I don’t want to jinx myself lol, but my 3 month old male GSD routinely sleeps through the night in his crate for 5,6 sometimes 7 hrs without ever making a peep. It’s great for us to be able to sleep through the night, but I’m just slightly worried because from everything I read, he should only be able to hold it for four hours at most. My questions are: has anyone else’s pup displayed this kind of bladder control this early and could allowing my puppy to hold it for that long cause any issues (i.e. bladder infection, etc). Should I be waking him up instead every four hours to go outside even if he’s sleeping peacefully? Any thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[wolfy dog]

Any healthy pup at that age should be able to hold it for that time. Mine have always done that at least as 12 weeks olds. I didn't give them water a few hours before my bed time though. If you start waking him up, you install habits you don't want.

 

[readaboutdogs]

You know the old saying, "let sleeping dogs lay"!! Lol!!
I don't know what others may have to say about uti,s etc, but if he has a good routine about going first thing in the morning, has good water intake thru out the day, etc. do you restrict water at a certain time in the evening/ during the day?

 

[Beau's Mom]

It’s around 12 weeks that they start secreting enough antidiuretic hormone (ADH) to make it through the night. Levels are partially affected by light, and go down at dawn, so they’ll need to get outside soon after the room they’re sleeping in gets light. Too much fluid in the system can also affect ADH levels, so if they drink a lot late at night they might not make it til dawn. But by 12 weeks most pups will start holding it longer at night than they might choose to during the day.