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If you can't keep an eye on your puppy after she eats and drinks, then place her in the crate for five to ten minutes before taking her outside to relieve herself. In fact, whenever you can't keep a close watch on your puppy after she drinks some water, place her in the crate for five or ten minutes before taking her outside. This way, you avoid any messy accidents in the house before you take her out. Also, by putting her in the crate, she will build stronger muscles for better bladder control.
If you can keep an eye on her, leave her out of the crate. But be forewarned because puppies tend to urinate rather quickly after consuming water. Watch if she suddenly sneaks off to another area of the house or starts sniffing along a baseboard - she may be looking for a place to urinate. I guarantee you that if you leave a bowl of water out for your puppy at all times and the puppy has the run of the house, she will urinate and urinate often.
Give your puppy water at designated times just as you give her food. This will get both of you used to a housebreaking pattern. All puppy owners need to remember that puppies thrive on a consistent schedule. When the puppy is housebroken and has better bladder control (3 1/2 to 4 months), then you can leave out a bowl of water at all times.
You may have to make adjustments to the schedule based on your puppy's individual needs. Don't crate your puppy for more than four hours during this period since she may not be able to hold it. To avoid an accident in the middle of the night, don't give your puppy any water after 8:00 pm. But if you choose to give water freely after 8:00 pm, then be prepared to take your puppy out more often. You can give your puppy an ice cube to relieve her thirst at night.
This schedule is appropriate for a puppy or an older dog who is not fully housebroken. Of course you can adjust the feeding and potty times to accommodate your schedule, but the
important elements are to take the puppy out before you feed and water her, and then twenty to thirty minutes after the feeding.
After a puppy is five months of age, you can drop the midday feeding, but don't decrease the amount of food. For example, if you are giving one cup of food three times a day, then drop the midday meal, but give one-and-a-half cups twice a day. It is also a good idea to moisten dry food with warm water to prevent your puppy from getting bloat. Some puppies will eat their dry food too fast and the food will expand quickly in their stomachs, which can be dangerous.
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