Adult dogs generally need to pee between three to five times a day. But puppies need bathroom breaks more often. Usually, puppies can hold it for one hour for every month of age. Here are common time limits for all ages.

8–10 weeks: One hour or less. Puppies this young simply can’t hold their urine for more than an hour, and even that is pushing it, sometimes! This is usually the time to start crate training, but you shouldn’t leave a young puppy in a crate for too long, they will wet their bed.

10-12 weeks: Bladder capacity is growing, but two hours is still the longest that most puppies can hold it at this age.

3-6 months: Three-month-old puppies can wait for three hours, four-month-old puppies for four hours, and so on.

After 6 months: An older puppy, like most adult dogs, they will have the capability to hold it for up to six hours. If you don’t have a dog door, be sure to come home at lunch or get a pet sitter to pay a visit if you’re unable to do so.

These are just a guesstimate and can vary with all dogs of all ages. But any dog having to hold their urine for too long is at risk for urinary tract infection, stones, or crystals. Plus, holding urine for too long is uncomfortable, and can lead to accidents.