If you have an indoor dog that only goes out on a leash,

[cathmom]

How many times per day do you take the dog for a walk? An adult, house trained dog?

[mommymilkies]

2-3 times.  Sometimes more in the summer (the kids take her outside with them).  My dog is 7 years old, though, and not as energetic as she used to be.

[Parrothead]

Baxter goes outside first thing in the morning, at noon, any time between 4 and 6 then at 8 in the evening before bed. He gets walked, as in leaving the property, once a day if we have time and nice weather. In the winter that is rare.

[Laura Corin]

Three times - morning quickly, last thing at night quickly, decent walk (half an hour or more - small dog) usually in the afternoon.

 

L

[zoobie]

Ours go out 4 times for potty breaks usually. Morning, afternoon, after their supper, and before bed. Two of these are longer walks, sometimes three if we do a family walk, sometimes less if it's pouring rain.

[Pawz4me]

Define "walk."  I'm confused because you mention "walk" and "house-trained" so I'm not sure if you mean taken out to potty or taken out for an actual walk.  IMO adult dogs should have the opportunity to potty a minimum of four times a day.  Walks as in for exercise?  Depends on the size, age and energy level of the pet, and the length of the average walk.

[sparrow]

We have a nearly 11 yo spaniel mix that doesn't need a leash, but our shih-tzu mix runs, so he has to go out on a leash.  He goes out 4-5 times/day, but it's really not a "walk". It's going out and standing with him while he sniffs around on the 30 ft. retractable leash.

[Desert Strawberry]

She goes out in the backyard to pee without a leash 3 or 4 times a day. We are in and out all day, and she knows where the door is, so she goes out with us, if only to run a couple of laps. I make sure she goes out at least 2 or 3 times-once in the morning, once in the evening, in the middle of the day, if possible. 
 

An actual walk for exercise? Pfft.Not every day. Poor puppy. it's too hot. She starts wheezing halfway around the block.

 

Now that it's cooling down, we'll do 35-45 minutes everyday, or a 3 mile round trip to the park. Weather permitting. 

[Desert Strawberry]

She goes out in the backyard to pee without a leash 3 or 4 times a day. We are in and out all day, and she knows where the door is, so she goes out with us, if only to run a couple of laps. I make sure she goes out at least 2 or 3 times-once in the morning, once in the evening, in the middle of the day, if possible. 
 

An actual walk for exercise? Pfft.Not every day. Poor puppy. it's too hot. She starts wheezing halfway around the block.

 

Now that it's cooling down, we'll do 35-45 minutes everyday, or a 3 mile round trip to the park. Weather permitting. 

[DarlaS]

Our dog is older (almost 9), and we like to have her out 5 times a day min. She's older though--and she was *difficult* to house train.

 

Our 2 year old GSD goes out nearly as much because he is not to be left out, and he gets plenty of off-leash running around time (or else! lol!).

[cathmom]

I don't mean exercise, I mean short potty walks. Am I the only one who prefers that my dog not pee and poop in my yard?

[zoobie]

I don't mean exercise, I mean short potty walks. Am I the only one who prefers that my dog not pee and poop in my yard?

They either pee and poop in our yard or someone else's. Either way we clean it up.

[Lawana]

I don't mean exercise, I mean short potty walks. Am I the only one who prefers that my dog not pee and poop in my yard?

Where does your dog go, then?

[jeninok]

My adult dogs go out around many mornings around 6 am because they wake me up to be let out, then again at 8 when I actually get up for the day for another potty, or just to lounge around in the nice cool morning air.   Then again in the afternoon and evening.  At least 4-5 times a day, or when they ask to be let out.  Also about half an hour after eating.

 

 

I'm not sure I understand why you are walking for potty time if you have a yard.  It is just as easy for me to use my claw pooper scooper to clean up their mess in my yard, than to walk them each time and have to carry a plastic bag full of poop home.  :ack2: 

 

I hope you aren't letting them poo elsewhere and leaving it!

[gingersmom]

I don't mean exercise, I mean short potty walks. Am I the only one who prefers that my dog not pee and poop in my yard?

 

Our dog will not poop in the backyard, she will only poop if you take her on a walk. 

[DarlaS]

I hope you aren't letting them poo elsewhere and leaving it!

Unless you live on a rural dirt road--then no one would even notice.

 

Ours go out into the weedy/brushy back area of our yard (We have 5 acres and don't mow it all.). I don't think I could find it to clean it up. The edges of the roads around here in many places are similar.

[AimeeM]

We have two dogs. Both are indoor dogs.

Bella is an Italian Greyhound (commonly referred to as a "miniature greyhound"). She goes out off leash when she needs to use the restroom or sun bathe (lol).

Luke is a huge German Shepherd. He only goes out on leash or on the shock collar; the reason for this is primarily because he is territorial and protective, we live in a heavily dog populated subdivision, and some owners walk their dogs directly onto our property - and Luke will lunge/attack if the dog barks or growls at me or the children. I take him out to use the restroom as needed (he'll come up and nudge me if he needs to go - if I don't listen, he'll gently nip my behind, lol). I walk him once a day (he doesn't like to be walked a ton in the summer/hot months - he gets hot easily and starts laying down/panting for water). I'd like to up that to twice daily during the winter. He also likes to go out in the front yard, though, and play with the children (on the shock collar; not leashed - that way he can play frisbee or catch more freely, but I still have the ability to restrain him if need be).

[jeninok]

Our dog will not poop in the backyard, she will only poop if you take her on a walk. 

 

 

Ours each have a designated potty spot in the yard, it is a natural thing for them to want to keep their space clean, and they picked the spots themselves which we reinforced with a clicker and treats and boy does it make clean up time easier!

[jeninok]

Unless you live on a rural dirt road--then no one would even notice.

 

Ours go out into the weedy/brushy back area of our yard (We have 5 acres and don't mow it all.). I don't think I could find it to clean it up. The edges of the roads around here in many places are similar.

 

I notice every time there is dog crap in our  yard that isn't where our dogs go, or when we step in it on a sidewalk or at the park, or have to drag my dogs away from it on the side of our neighborhood road when we go for walks.

[unfrumpable.]

Three times - morning quickly, last thing at night quickly, decent walk (half an hour or more - small dog) usually in the afternoon.

 

L

 

This was my schedule when I was in an apartment.

 

Now in a house, I just clean up outside a few times a week.

[Pawz4me]

I don't mean exercise, I mean short potty walks. Am I the only one who prefers that my dog not pee and poop in my yard?

 

Where we live it's either our yard or a neighbors' yard.  And I certainly wouldn't want my neighbors' dogs using our yard, so I don't allow my dogs to use theirs.

[cathmom]

I live on a very rural street. The lot next door belongs to my mil but no one lives there - it is basically a one acre forest. Along the street there are drainage ditches. Across the street there is an abandoned house. I do not clean up after my dog and there is no one who cares. If I lived in a real neighborhood I would clean up.

 

I ask because dh acts as if it is a total imposition if the dog wants to go out more than twice per day, whereas I take him out first thing in the morning, around lunch, perhaps mid-afternoon, after dinner, and before I go to bed. That's fine when I'm physically up to doing it. However, when I'm not, and the dog comes and looks mournfully at me and won't leave me alone until he goes out, and then I go ask dh to take him out, and dh says, "I took him out this morning!" And that was five hours ago...you see where the problem is. So I wondered if maybe I was out of line and too softhearted.

[Pegasus]

Wow, I'm a bit surprised by the answers that say 2 to 3 times a day.  The dog really holds it for 12 hours at a time?  We have about 5 scheduled outings for the dog on the leash (7 am, 11 am, 3 pm, 7 pm, 10 pm).  Some of these are potty breaks in the yard, some short walks, and at least one longer walk per day.  We usually let the dog decide how far he wants to go, unless we are in a hurry for some reason.  We do not have a fenced yard and do not allow our dog to be loose so he is always on a leash while outside.  We have "doggie bags" by the front door and always grab one or two when we go out with him.

 

He will go stand by the front door if he needs to go out. . .if no one notices, he will start to pace between the door and a person until they clue in.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Our 3 yo labradoodle (65 lbs) has 1 long walk in the morning (45 - 50 minutes), out about 2-3 times for potty in the yard, one evening walk after dinner and a potty before bed.  Sometimes one of the kids takes him for a midday walk, especially if we are going to be gone in the afternoon. 

 

Our dog almost never poops in our yard; he seems to need the walk to get things going.  On occasion, if he hasn't gotten a good walk (due to a thunderstorm or if he is sick,) he will poop just over our property line.  I would rather he poop closer to home so I can drop it off at home and not carry it for most of the walk (or until I can find an appropriate trash can for disposal.)  He will tinkle in our yard (usually in one of the far corners) unless he has his walking leash on.  If he knows he is going for a walk, he saves it up for more marking ammunition (a terribly annoying behavior because I want to keep moving so that it qualifies as exercise for me.)    I know that a lot of people don't like it when other dogs pee on their property so I have to be aware of who has complained.  I also try to make sure he does not pee on more sensitive plants. 

 

ETA: during the day, the longest we have ever made him hold it was about 7 hours and that was accidental - we were out of town for the day and were supposed to be home at a certain time and the kid we hired to walk him while we were gone was scheduled at a certain time.  The walker came earlier than expected and we arrived home later than expected.  I am sure our dog could hold it all day if he had to, but I think that would be mean.  He usually holds it from about 10 pm to 6:30 - 7am over night. 

 

[jeninok]

I live on a very rural street. The lot next door belongs to my mil but no one lives there - it is basically a one acre forest. Along the street there are drainage ditches. Across the street there is an abandoned house. I do not clean up after my dog and there is no one who cares. If I lived in a real neighborhood I would clean up.

 

I ask because dh acts as if it is a total imposition if the dog wants to go out more than twice per day, whereas I take him out first thing in the morning, around lunch, perhaps mid-afternoon, after dinner, and before I go to bed. That's fine when I'm physically up to doing it. However, when I'm not, and the dog comes and looks mournfully at me and won't leave me alone until he goes out, and then I go ask dh to take him out, and dh says, "I took him out this morning!" And that was five hours ago...you see where the problem is. So I wondered if maybe I was out of line and too softhearted.

 

 

Yes, the poor thing needs to be let out every 4 hours or so.  If you aren't up to taking him out on leash I would take him to a fenced area or something. If he is asking to potty, he needs to be let out.   He also needs to have some fresh air and exercise each day. 

 

There are options like invisible fencing, or an E collar used appropriately and gently to keep him safe if you need him out on your property and aren't up to leashing him. Does he take off if he is off leash with you watching?

 

We have one who can't be out of the fenced yard off leash at this point, she is prone to blowing me off and then I have to wait for her to decide it was her idea to stop wandering around and playing catch me if you can.  The other one though, without any special training is perfectly fine to be off leash in a safe rural area and routinely hangs out with us in the non fenced portion while we do yard work, or just hang out.   

[Laura Corin]

Wow, I'm a bit surprised by the answers that say 2 to 3 times a day.  The dog really holds it for 12 hours at a time?  

 

Blondie sometimes doesn't pee when I take her out first thing in the morning.  That means she chooses not to pee between 10pm and 4pm the following day.  She's just like that.  She's a 6yo labradoodle.

 

L

[Jilly]

I take our dog out three or four times a day. We do a short morning walk at 8, a long walk at 1 or 2 and then an evening walk around 8 or 9. If it is a hot day, and he has had lots of water, I usually have to do one more quick potty walk around 5 or 6. 

[Jenny in Florida]

Out for a walk? As in actually go somewhere? I usually take ours just once a day, in the morning. These days, we usually walk for 30 minutes or so, although we used to go for closer to an hour. Sometimes, if I happen to be out and about waiting for one kid or the other in a place that offers opportunities, we'll walk some more. But most days, it's just once.

 

I do take her outside a few times a day just to visit the yard and relieve herself. I don't really keep track of how often or have specific times. She usually tells me when she needs to go outside. I'd guess it's probably an average of two or three times during the day and then one final opportunity before I crate her for the night. So, between the morning walk, a few visits to the yard and then right at bedtime, she's probably averaging going outside every four or five hours. (She does hold it through the night, though.)

 

She's an adult, pomeranian-poodle-probably-other-stuff-too mix, and weighs about 18 pounds.

[Parrothead]

I hope you aren't letting them poo elsewhere and leaving it!

:iagree:

[Desert Strawberry]

Mine id chihuahua -rat terrier mix. She will voluntarily hold it over 24 hours if it's wet out. She won't go out in the dark, so 14 hours at night or so. She's 2.5 years old. She poops once a day.

[cathmom]

I do not let my dog off leash. He probably would not run away, but there is a highway close by.

 

The dog is not neglected. Dh takes him out when I ask, or the kids do, or whatever. We have a dog line in the yard I could put him on if I were home alone and couldn't walk him, but he doesn't like to be outside alone.

[AngieW in Texas]

Kylie gets a 1.5 mile walk in the morning and a 0.5 mile walk in the evening. She goes out unleashed in the backyard probably 10-15 times during the day. Sometimes she goes out just to walk around and sniff or bark at a squirrel. She doesn't actually use the bathroom every time she goes in the backyard.

 

I can't imagine letting a dog out to use the bathroom just 3x/day. Even if you have to walk the dog around the block, you should take them out at least 5x/day.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

AMDG

 

Well, I didn't answer at first b/c my dog goes outside at least 3 times plus our daily walk.

 

She does most of her business in the back yard and the child who begged and begged for the dog and agreed to take care of her in every possible way has a pooh chore: she keeps it tidy.

 

To answer your question, I think it's doggie specific and I couldn't say for a doggie I don't know.  My Airedale needs to go out several times just to go relieve herself and more to make sure she keeps all the squirrels in line.  We also go on a long (40 min or more) walk everyday but Saturday.  

 

 

[DarlaS]

I notice every time there is dog crap in our  yard that isn't where our dogs go, or when we step in it on a sidewalk or at the park, or have to drag my dogs away from it on the side of our neighborhood road when we go for walks.

Sidewalk? Who said anything about a yard or sidewalk? Not me.

 

People have property here--there are at most 10 houses per mile. Dirt road with weeds and a ditch on either side. I've never actually noticed any dog poop, so I have no idea if anyone walks their dogs there or not. It's actually not a terribly pleasant place to walk a dog--kind of narrow with hills and people that drive sort of fast for dirt roads (and the occasional skunk :-/). I grew up three miles from here and once woke at 3 AM to 100 head of cattle (not ours! lol!) outside my bedroom window. Yeah. We are familiar with poop here...

 

I have seen lots of deer poop and even seen horse poop on the roads here (and clearly no one is picking *that* up).

 

Now the park is another thing. I'd love to see them set up cameras and fine people.

[Laura Corin]

I can't imagine letting a dog out to use the bathroom just 3x/day. Even if you have to walk the dog around the block, you should take them out at least 5x/day.

 

It's funny the answers you get on this board when things are phrased in different ways.  When I had to go back to work, I asked whether I should bring my dog to work with me (in temperate Scotland) and leave her in the car so I could take her out at lunchtime (as well as first thing, last thing and after work).  No!  Went the chorus.  She'll be much happier in the kitchen at home!

 

FWIW, if she asks to go out at any time when I am home with her, I take her out.  She doesn't ask.  She gets plenty of exercise in her daily 'big' walk and has no interest in going out at other times.

 

L

[Pawz4me]

It's funny the answers you get on this board when things are phrased in different ways.  When I had to go back to work, I asked whether I should bring my dog to work with me (in temperate Scotland) and leave her in the car so I could take her out at lunchtime (as well as first thing, last thing and after work).  No!  Went the chorus.  She'll be much happier in the kitchen at home!

 

FWIW, if she asks to go out at any time when I am home with her, I take her out.  She doesn't ask.  She gets plenty of exercise in her daily 'big' walk and has no interest in going out at other times.

 

L

 

I remember that thread, and I'm pretty sure I was one of the (minority) of voices saying take her with you.

 

As far as potty breaks, IMO this is what it boils down to -- I *can* hold it for a very long time when necessary.  Does that mean it's good for me to do so on a regular basis?  No.  I believe the same is true of dogs, and over the years I've read that exact thing from vets.  But unfortunately I don't have any sources bookmarked.  I never felt the need to bookmark the sites, because it seems such a very basic commonsense thing to me.

 

Do keep in mind that, just like some people, some dogs aren't very good at drinking as much water as they need.  If I had a dog who only needed to urinate two or three times a day on a regular basis, I'd monitor his fluid intake.  I believe the general recommendation is about one half to one ounce of water per pound of body weight per day for adult dogs (dogs who eat kibble may need a bit more, dogs who eat canned or raw food may need a bit less).  If I had a dog who wasn't drinking the minimum recommended amount, I'd add some to his food in order to increase his intake.

[cathmom]

It's funny the answers you get on this board when things are phrased in different ways. When I had to go back to work, I asked whether I should bring my dog to work with me (in temperate Scotland) and leave her in the car so I could take her out at lunchtime (as well as first thing, last thing and after work). No! Went the chorus. She'll be much happier in the kitchen at home!

 

FWIW, if she asks to go out at any time when I am home with her, I take her out. She doesn't ask. She gets plenty of exercise in her daily 'big' walk and has no interest in going out at other times.

 

L

It's also funny how people immediately start thinking the worst of you!

[Carrie12345]

Our dogs go out an average of 3x/day. Much more when they were puppies. If they wanted to go out more, they would definitely let us know, lol. They're over 100lbs and their barking is insane when they think they're being ignored!

 

We finally set up a run in the actual yard when the new neighbors moved in with off-leash dogs. We both have decent amounts of land (more than an acre each) but mine don't take kindly to curious little doggies. I don't like it b/c we have to clean up immediately or smell it. Before, they'd go farther from the house and we could clean up every few days.

 

Yes, we have deer, bear, and other wildlife poop everywhere, but it doesn't smell like dog doo does!

[Jean in Newcastle]

Wow, I'm a bit surprised by the answers that say 2 to 3 times a day.  The dog really holds it for 12 hours at a time?  

We don't force our indoor dog to only 3 times a day.  She does not want to go out more than that.  She does not have accidents inside and has not had UTIs.  

[LostSurprise]

We have a line in the backyard. I'll let him out at will which usually turns out to be at last 2x in the morning (wake up and an hour after feeding) and several times over the afternoon. There are times he wants to go out once an hour and other times he will wait 4 hours before he comes to let us know. Outings are only a few minutes unless another family member is out with him (and even then sometimes he'll whine if I make him stay out back with me when I'm gardening...he doesn't like the line). 

 

There are days when he'll be out 4x, but I think that's his minimum. He can also wait 12 hours overnight or 8 during the day, but I don't like to make him. I think when we're gone he drinks and eats less (nervous) so its more comfortable. These are potty breaks only, not walks. He's a  6 year old spaniel. 

[SweetMissMagnolia]

luckily,we have a fenced in back yard....so I let my girls out on a good day 4+ times for a short romp.....ours are puppy pad house trained....so that helps....

[LibraryLover]

Double post

[LibraryLover]

Sorry again!

[LibraryLover]

I was going to post this question. :)

 

[cathmom]

I hope this thread helped then, LibraryLover! I didn't know you moved.

[nmoira]

Ours is comfortable with 3x per day. At a minimum he is taken for a long walk before 8am, around a couple blocks before 4pm, and a mile sometime between 9 and 11pm. He also comes along on walks to neighborhood destinations, and once in a blue moon he'll ask to go for a walk. I anticipate having to walk him more frequently as he ages.

[LibraryLover]

It's just nice to know someone else is fretting over this issue. ;)

 

 

[Pretty in Pink]

We have a fenced yard and our dog does her business out there as many times per day as she likes. I'd guess she goes out 5-6 times per day to use the restroom. We walk her for exercise about 5x per week, approximately 3 miles each time.

[Laura Corin]

  If I had a dog who only needed to urinate two or three times a day on a regular basis, I'd monitor his fluid intake. 

 

But we are talking about how many times the dog goes for a walk, not how many times she pees.  I'd say that she pees four or five times a day, on average.  On her long walk she usually pees and poos twice.

 

FWIW, I know an adult human who poos once a week.  He always has and it doesn't cause him any pain/difficulty.  It's the way he is.

 

L