Young puppies need to pee often – and you can expect there to be lots of accidents to begin with. During the day you will be constantly looking out for signs that your puppy needs to go so that you can scoop them up and take them outdoors or to their toilet spot. And toilet training doesn’t stop when it’s bedtime. Until your puppy is old enough to be able to hold on, they will need to go out for frequent toilet trips at night. And that means lots of broken nights sleep for you.

While it may be tempting to put some puppy pads in the puppy crate, stick some ear plugs in and hope for the best, this approach will simply slow down your puppy’s toilet training progress and create bad habits. It can also be very stressful for a puppy if they have to go to the toilet where they sleep. 

The sooner you can get your puppy into a routine and help them to learn where they should go to the toilet, the better it will be for both of you. 

If you live in a flat or apartment, then you may need to use puppy pads. For example, it may not be practical to take your puppy outside several times a night. You should, however, decide on a toilet spot to help your puppy learn where they need to go, and get them used to going outside as soon as possible. 

Ideally, if you have access to a garden you should get your puppy used to going to the toilet outside from day one and avoid using puppy pads.

4 common new puppy problems you may be experiencing

What's the best way to toilet train a puppy?

When do puppies get easier?

Young puppies have very small bladders and can’t hold a pee in overnight, so you will need to get up at least a couple of times at night to take your puppy out. It’s best to let your puppy let you know when they need to go. Listen out for them stirring or crying as signs that they want to go.

Increase the time between night time toilet trips a little each night, dropping down to one toilet trip and eventually no night time toilet trips as your puppy grows. Keep night time toilet stops as boring as possible so that your puppy doesn’t start trying to engage you in a game.

It’s common for young puppies to cry at night. They often cry because they need some comfort and reassurance. However, your puppy may cry because they need to go to the toilet. You will soon learn to tell if your puppy needs to be pee. If they do, take them outside to go and then put them back to bed again with as little fuss as possible. 

Get your puppy into good night time habits by establishing a bedtime routine from day one. Make sure they have their last meal at least an hour before bedtime and take them outside for a pre-bedtime toilet trip. 

For the first couple of weeks, have your puppy in your bedroom with you or make up a bed for yourself in the room where your puppy sleeps. This will help your puppy to feel less anxious and more settled in their new home, and you’ll be on hand for the night time toilet trips while they’re needed. 

Why is my puppy crying at night?

How to get puppies to sleep