How long can a small dog hold pee/poop?

[msm]

I recently adopted a rat terrier mix from a shelter. To my surprise, she was already house trained (?), at least she seemed to be. The first place she came to was my bedroom & seems to treat it as her "crate". At first she would go pee and poop EVERY time I took her outside. I have had her just over 2 months & now she hardly goes at all, at least the pee. I'm wondering what's up? Dottie is approx 1 yr old (the sheter said she was 6mo, but vet said between 6mo to a year old & closer to 1yr). Anyway, we go out over & over & I'm watching all the time & she just won't go. She's down to 1 pee & 1 poop a day. Is this normal? I take her out every morning (& several other times during the day). The problem for me is that sometimes I work mornings & sometimes aftenoons. Often I just don't have time to wait for her to get down to business because I will be late. So I have to put her back in my room & I worry about her all day. Then I get home & go out with her & she still won't go. I'm so frustrated. We go out over & over, sometimes it's midnight & later & I'm still trying to get her to go pee!!!! Any suggestions?

[FairyDogMother]

First - quit getting frustrated. You'll have to manage your time better so you're not late for work.
She is not holding it to one pee and one poop a day outside. Check your house and find her toilet. If you're keeping her in your room, it's in there somewhere.
She needs to be crated. If she doesn't go when you take her out, crate her for 5-10 minutues and then take her out again.
If you won't crate train her, she will continue as she's started. You're already behind the curve for letting it start so the sooner the better.

Smaller breed dogs also can't hold it as long. If they're given too much real estate to hang out in, most will make their own toilet area in that space they've been given.

[trixie]

I have a small dog and she pees about 4 times a day roughly and will not poo unless she is walked. I take that into consideration when I plan my day.

[Hudsons~Mom]

I have a small dog and she goes pee in the morning, one when I get home from work, one about 8:00pm and then anouther before bed time. I can tell you that before I was letting my big one sleep with me, there was a few times where I went to bed around 9 and didnt get up till 11 the next morning...she slept the whole time. Now I cant do that because my big one wakes me up.

[BorzoiMom]

I would put her on a schedule of when you take her out and hold to that. She might be confused when exactly the last time is.
My dogs ( after 10 months old) basically are this schedule:
5am ( thats when we get up.)
11:30 am ( ie two hours after they have eaten breakfast)
Last one is 6pm and that is that.

So- make your schedule around that pattern roughly. Otherwise just take her for a walk but not in potty area but more just a walk if you wish. ( example mine go out to run several times a day basically, but " hurry up" ( meaning potty ).

Thats another thing you can teach- a code word " its time to potty". Try this- when she does pee or poop, say a word series gently, calmly and relaxed ie slowly. Then after a bit, you will notice that when you say that phrase, it triggers " ohhhhhh time to potty". I love this lesson as I have one that hates rain with a passion, and if you let him out I swear as soon as he gets rained out, totally forgets why he is out there.
Saying that word not only gets me out of the rain sooner, but also he goes faster, and able to get out of the rain etc. Whatever the words are, it must be all of you in the family- same phrase. ( I use the " hurry up" )

Benjamin at 10 1/2 months is still holding the schedule of he goes out on a flexi before bedtime, but at this point- I believe its more habit to him than anything.

Since she isnt showing any signs that I read in your post of a urinary situation ( infection etc), sounds like to me she is just waiting thinking she will just go out later. Add she loves to go out with you, yes- I have met a few that I swear use that for another outting.

[msm]

Thanks for all the advice. I can guarantee you that She Is NOT Going in the house at all. I keep a clean house & I do not have carpet in my room. I would instantly see a puddle or a pile & I have a pedestal bed she can't get under.
As far as making a schedule & managing time better, with all due respect,you don't have my job or my crazy schedule to work around. Heck, sometimes MY body doesn't know what it's suppose to do when!
Sometimes I work morning shift & sometimes afternoon to closing. Once I am there, I cannot leave (bring lunch to work or eat after work), so the times suggested above do not work for me. Dottie goes out every morning around 7:30 to 8am no matter which shift I work. The problem after that is I get off at different times - as in 3 OR 4 OR 5 - never the same. Afternoon shift usually starts at 3, but sometimes at 2pm & goes till 8:30, but can be 9 or later if we get late customers. So, as often as I am home, I am taking her out. She's just not getting around to business during ALL those times. I do walk her & she has a huge yard plus an empty lot next to my house.
I did finally see that she is pooping & peeing simultaneously sometimes, so she is peeing more than I thought. Again, thanks for all the responses.

[msm]

I love this little girl!

[Espencer85]

A small dog can hold pee/poop just as long as a big dog (for puppies is number amount of months he is = number amount hours he can hold it). That does NOT mean if a dog is 15 months old he can hold it for 15 hours. I think by hour 8 you are pushing the issue.

1 poop/pee a day would be normal depending how much you feed her. My schnauzer was a once a day pooper as well. My Malamute is a 2 a day pooper. No rocket science, the more food you give the more poop will come out.

For my Mal i have a backyard fence and a doggie door, if he wants to pee/poop at 3 am he is more than welcome to do it. Once i leave the house the doggie door is also closed.

[msm]

Thanks Espencer85. I believe I have Dottie figured out to a once a day pottie time. I take her out much more often than that, but will no longer get stressed over whether or not she goes. I know many will disagree with me, but I leave her food and water out all the time; only dry food. Wet food is a special treat. She's a middle of the night eater, too, I guess. She really doesn't eat much. In fact, I worry some that she's eating too much rawhide chewies. She can destroy most of them in no time flat. Her weight is good & I will keep an eye on it. No signs of over-eating right now, so I guess everythign is good. Thanks again everbody.

[kshort49]

Others might disagree with me, but I don't allow Maia to have the rawhide chews. I knew of a friends dog that ended up with a blockage from the rawhide absorbing water in his intestines and swelling, causing a severe blockage and he couldn't be saved. I don't let her have anything like that. She does have plenty of things to chew on though, just not things she can swallow. Like I said, this is just my opinion. I'm glad you are figuring out your pups schedule-when that gets worked out, everything becomes much easier.