Your puppy thrives on routine. Much like a human child, when his routine gets out of whack, it can cause him to become stressed, cranky, overtired, or even much too hyper for his own good. Over and under-stimulation and sudden changes in your pup’s routine should be considered “the enemy.” Following a routine daily (or at least as often as is possible) will ensure that he gets the rest, food, and exercise he needs to grow up big, healthy, and strong.
Just as it is when you have human children, creating a routine for your puppy isn’t always easy. Requirements like work, sleep, mealtime, and even spending time with family members can make it difficult to keep your daily schedule on track. This is especially true if you happen to do shift work or if you travel for business. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to create a routine for your pup; instead, work on creating a routine that works for both your pup and your lifestyle.
Need some basic guidance? We’ll lay out what you need to know right here.
Puppy Feeding Schedule
Contrary to popular belief, free feeding your puppy isn’t wise. While this works for cats, pups will often overeat and it can lead to health problems. At best, your pup will quickly pack on the pounds. At worst, he could even struggle with the condition like bloat, which could be fatal. Instead, you should try to set up a feeding schedule at the same time every day.
How you feed your puppy also matters. If you wake up each morning, fill his dish, and then sit with him for a few minutes, you’ll also bond with him in the process. Ditto if you repeat this at night.
The size of your puppy should always dictate how much and how often you offer food. Most puppies between the ages of eight weeks and 12 weeks are expected to eat between three and four times per day at a rate of approximately a ⅓-cup to ½-cup of food. If you have any doubts, ask your veterinarian to verify the amount of food or brand you should be feeding your puppy. After a while, you’ll find he naturally gravitates to the food dish just before the time at which he is fed.
Don’t forget the water either; this is the one exception to the routine. Your pup should have free access to clean water (hint: not the toilet bowl) at all times throughout the day. Provide extra water (perhaps two bowls rather than one) if it happens to be exceptionally warm or if you’ll exceed your routine by more than a 1/2 hour.
Puppy Pee Breaks
There’s no getting around it; puppies simply have to go to the bathroom more often than their adult counterparts. Like children, they haven’t yet learned to control their bladders. Getting to that point requires training and maturation, something that can’t really be rushed. It just takes patience and a little bit of time. Similarly, every puppy achieves housebroken status on their own schedule; some pick it up immediately while others challenge their owners for a month or more. This likely has more to do with training practices and/or physically matures slower than he does with behavioral issues.
The best you can do for any puppy is use good potty training techniques when you begin the housebreaking process. Follow this with plenty of encouragement and positive training strategies for best results.
Bring your puppy out regularly throughout the day – try every two hours during the first couple of weeks. Even if it doesn’t seem like your pup needs to potty, this will get him into the habit of pottying outside. Over the next few weeks, gradually increase the time between breaks to something more reasonable (like four or five hours).
If accidents occur, immediately take him outside to forge that association between toileting and the yard.
If you’re using indoor pee pads or grass pads, follow the same schedule indoors. Keep the pee pads in a separate room to reinforce the idea of not peeing (or defecating) throughout the house.
Certain points throughout the day are more likely to require a potty break than others. These times include:
- Directly after waking.
- After eating.
- After naps.
- After drinking water.
- During or after excited play.
- Midway through the night.
- After a stressful experience.
Although it may be frustrating, you should try to accommodate all of these potty breaks throughout the day and night. It can be especially frustrating to have your puppy wake you up in the middle of the night, but the reality is that most puppies don’t have bladders large enough to hold all throughout the night in the first place. This isn’t your puppy punishing you; it simply a product of the fact that he’s not yet old enough to wait until morning. Try setting an alarm for around three or 4 a.m. to offer a quick bathroom trip.
There’s an additional benefit of scheduled potty breaks, too; if you notice your puppy suddenly isn’t going or is going more frequently, it could alert you to a medical problem like urinary tract infections, bladder tumors, or even kidney failure. When this happens, it’s time to call the vet.
Puppy Grooming
Creating a grooming schedule doesn’t have to be as hectic as it sounds. Daily grooming sessions with just a simple brush are often enough to maintain your puppy throughout the week. Schedule at least one weekly grooming session where you attend to more complex grooming areas like the nails, ears, and any mats that crop up.
Unless your pup happens to roll something smelly, save bathtime for a once-monthly occasion. Too much bathing can cause your puppy stress, as well as dry out his skin.
Daily grooming sessions should be combined with playing and/or bonding sessions. If your puppy begins to look forward to being brush each day, it will be infinitely easier for you to keep his fur or hair in excellent condition.
Start with a simple soft bristle brush and brush in the direction of the hair. The littlest rugrats may immediately think it’s a game and attempt to chop the brush. Although it’s not unusual for a puppy to try to chew the brush, you should discourage this; when he grabs it, give him a firm “NO” and replace the brush with a toy. Keep working with him until he’s comfortable with being brushed and doesn’t bite the equipment. Including the groomer!
Adventure Time!
The next and quite possibly most important activity to schedule into your pup’s routine is adventure and playtime. This may seem like an obvious choice, but many people get caught up in busy lives and neglect to walk their puppy daily.
On the busiest days, try to schedule at least one 15 to 30-minute walk around the block. When you have extra time, expand this to include socialization at the dog park. Try to make walks happen at the same time each day; your pup will begin to anticipate and look forward to them.
Whenever possible, try to take your puppy to new (safe) and exciting areas, like a local hiking trail or the beach. This will challenge his brain and encourage him to have new experiences as he grows, something that’s paw-sitively excellent for his overall development.
Puppy Socialization
Remember: walking and outdoor playtime is often the most exciting activity your puppy gets to experience throughout the day. Like you, your pup becomes bored, restless, and lonely if he’s alone all the time. If you’re working 12-hour shifts while your pup sits home, you should find alternative ways to provide a healthy puppy socialization agenda.
The disadvantages of too little socialization can be particularly severe. It seems to make some puppies neurotic, causing aggression issues and anxiety. Any pet owner who’s come home to find a chewed-out door or torn-up cushions has experienced this first-hand.
Adopting another dog is one option, but don’t forget that another dog means another investment – both in time and in money. Only take this step if you’re sure you can afford to invest both into another dog. If you’re already struggling to make time for your puppy, it probably isn’t the right time.
Whenever possible, try to make at least three puppy playdates per week happen. Check your local library, your vet’s office, or even your local classifieds section to find other canine parents seeking playtime for their pups. You never know – you just might make new friends yourself!
If you can’t make puppy playdates happen regularly, find alternatives. Scheduling time at a local doggy daycare up to 5 days out of the week is a great way to balance your schedule while bolstering a boring routine. Better still, it will ward off loneliness, too. Most daycares have qualified trainers on staff who will teach your puppy how to socialize correctly with other dogs at the same time. That extra layer of protection is especially helpful for particularly rambunctious, nervous, or shy pups.