How old before pup will sleep through the night?

[SorcasMa]

I just got Sorca last Friday when he turned 8 weeks old. He has slept through the night every night from 9:30 until 6:00. After he eats, he enjoys another little nap before he's at it again. However, he doesn't always last before I come back home to let him out for lunch.

 

[gmacleod]

What I can't figure out is why he can hold it through the night, but can't wait more than 5 minutes after he wakes from just a two hour nap, or after playing for a half an hour. Just trying to figure this out is enough to make anyone crazy

LOL - the answer to that one is actually very simple. Like every other mammal on the planet (you and I included), your puppy can hold his bladder longer overnight for the simple reason that his body is not producing much urine at that time. You must have noticed that you can happily sleep 8+ hours without having to get up and urinate. Bet it's the first thing you do in the morning though And you wouldn't have a hope of going all day long without a potty stop - or at least, not without significant discomfort!

Well, it's the same for a puppy. Night time is deep sleep time - the body's growth and repair phase. During this time, non-essential bodily functions such as urine production slow down. And since not much urine is being produced, naturally, none of us need to get up in the middle of the night to pee. If we wake for any other reason though, and also first thing in the morning - well, first task is to empty the bladder.

And that's why you can't compare how long a pup can last overnight with how long he can during the day. The two things are just entirely unrelated. During the day time, urine production is full steam ahead, whatever the pup is doing. Therefore, he *must* empty his bladder more frequently. Especially after/during periods of activity (it's a stimulant) - so now you *know* he's going to pee after or during playtime, you can predict it - get him outside after 10-15 min activity.

 

[Simmons99]

I was worried sick and kept waking Chloe up at 2am until she was 15 weeks old. She sleeps in her crate in the livingroom - so I didn't want her to have an accident..... After reading all the posts - I wonder if I didn't miss all the sleep for nothing :p

 

[jgerhold]

Siena was really fussy, she would sleep throught he night when she was little, for the most part with about everyother night needing a potty break. I did use a heart monitor which I think helped a bit. However when she was about 4 months, she turned really kind of anxious about being right by my side and wouldn't sleep through the night except in my bedroom in her crate which was fine. Now she is 9 months and will wake me up every once in a while with either heavy snoring or if she is dreaming and will woof and run her feet a little.