How Long Can Pugs Hold Their Bladder? What You Need To Know

Most Pug owners leave their Pug home alone while they go off to work, play, or spend the day out and about. You may have wondered “how long can Pugs hold their bladder?” I know I used to think about this while I was out and about, especially, when my Pug didn’t have access to a pet door.

How Long Can Pugs Hold Their Bladder?

Most healthy Pugs adult Pugs can hold their bladder between 6-8 hours. Young puppies can control their bladder for one hour of every month of age. If your Pug puppy is 5 months old, they can hold it for 5 hours.

However, this doesn’t mean that you should make them do that. Having your Pug hold their bladder too long can cause unwanted accidents and health issues for the dog.

how long can a pug hold their bladder

Our potty training Pugs resource will help you get started the right way.

Making your Pug hold their pee for more than eight hours on a consistent basis can lead to urinary tract infections and urinary stones.

Canines can hold their pee for longer than eight hours, especially, the ones that have been potty trained properly. I’ve written a step-by-step guide to potty training your Pug to stop unwanted accidents.

Be sure to check out the best litter box for Pugs, especially, if they are left home alone for extended periods of time.

They don’t want to pee or poop in the house. However, if you ignore them and don’t give them access to a bathroom break, they will have no choice but to relieve themselves in the house.

How Many Times Does A Pug Pee In A Day?

According to Dr. Kristy, adult dogs should be given 3-5 bathroom breaks per day. It’s also important to note that smaller breeds have a tendency to pee more often than younger dogs.

I guess it’s due to the size of their bladder compared to the bigger dogs.

How Much Do Dogs Pee?

A healthy dog will pee about 10 to 20 ml of urine for each pound of their body weight. A Pug puppy will poop and pee more often because they have smaller bladders.

Some other factors that can cause a dog to pee more often than others are due to being overweight or obese, medications, and diabetes.

Of course, the amount your Pug pees in a day will be dependent on how much fluid they consume throughout the day.

How Often Should A Pug Be Let Outside To Use The Toilet?

how often do pugs pee
Every dog has different peeing habits, but most dogs will need to pee 3 – 5 times per day.

Every person is unique and so are dogs. Some Pugs may be able to hold their urine for hours while others may need to go out on a more regular basis.

There are several factors that determine how often you should take your Pug outside to relieve themselves and they are:

  • Breed
  • Size
  • Age
  • Activity Level
  • Diet (including fluids)

If your Pug is a puppy or senior dog, you can expect to take them out more often than an adult dog.

How Long Can A Pug Puppy Hold Its Bladder?

When you first bring home your new Pug puppy, you’ll want to give them a bathroom break every one or two hours. Here’s a puppy potty training schedule to help keep accidents to a minimum.

The general rule is that puppies can hold their bladder for as many hours plus one as she is months old.

When means if you have a four-month-old puppy, they should be able to hold their urine for 5 hours. However, you should still take them out every 2 hours to prevent accidents.

How Long Can An Older Pug Hold Its Bladder?

The answer will vary depending on the age of your dog. Most dogs can be considered seniors when they reach the age of 9. Urinary incontinence is extremely common in middle-aged and spayed females.

If you have an older dog, you should schedule more bathroom breaks throughout the day. As our Pug aged we had to take her outside 4-6 times per day, which was much more frequent than when she was younger.

Most potty trained dogs will tell you when they need to pee. Like humans, eventually, you’ll start to learn their pee schedule and habits.

Start monitoring your dog’s behavior. You’ll start learning your dog’s communicative signals that they have to pee.

You should make it a point to let your dog out every six hours whenever you’re at home. If you’re away, then you should know that they can hold their bladder for 10-12 hours if they have to.

However, as soon as you get home, you’ll want to let them out immediately, because they’ll have to go. You may even want to stay outside with them a little longer as they may go a few times if they’ve been holding it for over 10 hours.

Is It Dangerous For Dogs To Hold Their Bladder?

Just like you and I don’t hold our pee for very long, neither should your dog. As I mentioned above, canines that are forced to continually hold their pee for long periods of time are susceptible to kidney, bladder, and urinary tract infections.

Older females and dogs that have diabetes are especially susceptible to tract problems. The Pug breed is more likely to develop bladder problems than other breeds, so make sure you don’t make them hold their pee for too long.

Can Dogs Hold Their Pee Overnight?

Yes, most dogs will be fine holding their pee throughout the night. If you have a young puppy that is still being potty trained, you may want to consider having them sleep in a kennel.

Most dogs won’t go to the bathroom where they sleep. This means that they will start yelping, crying, or barking during the night if they can’t hold their pee.

Why Is My Pug Peeing In The House?

If your potty-trained Pug is peeing in the house, this can mean that you are not giving them enough bathroom breaks throughout the day, or they may have developed an underlying health issue.

No pet owner wants to deal with urine stains in the house. However, pets regardless of age will have unwanted accidents in the house.

As a pet owner, you can protect your home by investing in a quality dog urine remover. It will help eliminate stains and odors and protect your expensive furniture, hardwoods, and carpets.

Every pet owner needs to have some on hand, even if your dog has never had an accident. My black Pug never had accidents when she was older, but she used to piddle whenever she got excited.

When To Contact Your Vet?

Frequent urination doesn’t always mean there’s a problem. It could just mean that your Pug is drinking more water than usual, and it’s impossible for their small bladder to hold it as long as it used to.

If your Pug is suddenly peeing all the time, you may want to start paying attention to them while they’re using the bathroom.

  • Are you noticing them straining or in pain while they’re peeing?
  • A sudden increase in the number of times your pooch has been wanting to go outside, even though their fluid intake has not increased?
  • Is their urine red or does it have blood in it?

If you start noticing any of the above signs, then it’s time to contact your veterinarian to get your four-legged friend checked out.

Final Take Away

Even though a Pug can hold its bladder for up to 10 hours, as a pet parent, it’s important to ensure you give them plenty of bathroom breaks throughout the day.

If you find yourself spending a lot of time away from home, then you may want to consider getting a pet door that will give them access to your fenced-in backyard.

If you live in an apartment or condo that doesn’t have a backyard. Then you’ll want to schedule 3 daily visits with a pet sitter or family member to keep your dog comfortable.

References And Further Reading

Caesars Way – How Often Should A Dog Urinate?

Aubrey Animal Medical Center – Pugs: What A Unique Breed

Black Pug Site