# a forever schedule



## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Take her out as much as you have time to. I am not sure why you want to have a schedule now that she is house trained unless it is to set a minimum numbers of times to take her out. Some days she might need more, others less.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I reckon at least every four hours during the day is a good rule of thumb, and 9 - 10 hours at night. Most dogs can cope with longer periods, but three to four hours seems to work well for comfort.


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## mom2Zoe (Jun 17, 2014)

MiniPoo said:


> Take her out as much as you have time to. I am not sure why you want to have a schedule now that she is house trained unless it is to set a minimum numbers of times to take her out. Some days she might need more, others less.



I have no idea that is why i am asking. This schedule has worked for my day.
It is easy to take her for a nice walk once the kids leave for school
if i go out in the morning at some point after her walk I know i do not need to rush back. 

I was wondering if she went out in the morning at 7 and I don't walk her at nine, is it pushing it to think she can go from 7 -12, probably? Also I give her breakfast at 8 and when she goes for a walk at 9 she always poops, so if i don't take her for a walk then she would hold until noon.

I guess because i am new to dog ownership i really don't know what can be expected. Once trained i have no idea how much a can push the envelope, kwim?

I do know she has no problem holding her bladder for 4 1/2 hrs.


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## mom2Zoe (Jun 17, 2014)

fjm said:


> I reckon at least every four hours during the day is a good rule of thumb, and 9 - 10 hours at night. Most dogs can cope with longer periods, but three to four hours seems to work well for comfort.


cross post when i was answering minipoo.
Thank you for your input. i wanted to have a general rule of thumb to go by.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

You know more than you think you know. If your dog routinely poops at 9 am, I would make sure she gets that chance before leaving her for 4 hours. That might require feeding her a little earlier than usual because eating prompts a poop, so to speak.

Having a good rule of thumb of every four hours is good, but each dog is different and you know your dog best. Sometimes when we push the envelope we find out we pushed it too far. You just do the best your can and go from there.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

We don't have a set daily schedule because my work schedule is different each day, but generally we send them out to the yard for wake up time relief around 7:00. I make sure they go out again as the last thing I do before I leave for work. They always go out whenever the first person gets home and definitely between 9:30 and 11 PM or a bit later. Other than that what happens each day really varies. Our dogs are both big and free feed, so I think their needs may be different than yours.


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## Newmum (Jan 2, 2014)

Ember's toilet schedule is pretty close to Zoe's. Ember just turned 1

6.15- toilet then breakfast
9.00- walk (goes toilet)
1.30 - walk (goes toilet)
somewhere between 3.30-4.30 - toilet
7.30 - walk (goes toilet)
somewhere between 10-11pm last toilet

this is general how many times she goes, however we have left her alone for 6 hours and she's done fine, she wasn't even desperate for the toilet when we got in, I'm sure she could do 8 hours no problems. She's just an opportunistic toileter, given the chance she'll go every time she's outside but that doesn't mean she cant hold it if the schedules different one day. Sometimes if its raining she'll sit at the open patio doors but wont go out and will hold it till later. If I'm going out and she doesn't want to budge I just pop her on the lead and take her out and she'll go quickly and run back indoors.

I don't think you can take her out 'too much' just because she's given the opportunity to go out more when you're there doesn't mean she wont be able to hold it if your not


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## mom2Zoe (Jun 17, 2014)

Newmum said:


> Ember's toilet schedule is pretty close to Zoe's. Ember just turned 1
> 
> 6.15- toilet then breakfast
> 9.00- walk (goes toilet)
> ...


Thank you for sharing your schedule, they are pretty close. Now i feel more secure. I have friends that work who say their dogs hold it all day and i do not need to come back at 1:30 if I am out , but I did not agree. It is fine because I am SAHM and i work my day around it.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I feel that just because dogs _can_ hold it, that doesn't mean they necessarily should have to! Been in cross legged discomfort myself too often to wish it on anyone else...


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