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The 5 Minute Dog by Personable Pets Dog Training

#119 Once is not enough

April 21, 2025 • Personable Pets Dog Training • Season 2 • Episode 119

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First thing in the morning and after a long nap, your puppy needs to urinate TWICE to completely empty his bladder.

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You ever notice how a puppy wakes up from a nap like they’ve been recharged with a thousand volts? Tail wagging, eyes bright, ready to pounce on the world. But before any of that cuteness takes over—before you toss a toy or scratch those floppy ears—there’s something super important to remember: that tiny, adorable bladder is full. Really full.

When puppies sleep, their bodies keep producing urine just like ours do, but they don’t have the muscle control or the bladder capacity to hold it for very long. So as soon as they wake up—whether it's first thing in the morning or after a mid-afternoon snooze—they need to go out. Immediately. No waiting. No checking your phone. No putting on your shoes and coat aslowly. They need to get out the door ASAP.

But here's where we often get tripped up: we see that first little squat, the puppy pees, tail wags, and we think, “Wow, cool, job done.” And then back inside we go. Five minutes later—surprise!—a little puddle on the rug. What just happened?

Well, what happens is this: that first urination? It's often just a partial release. The puppy wakes up, their bladder feels really full, they go outside and let out just enough to take the pressure off. Then something distracts them—maybe a stick, a bug, the sound of a bird—and that feeling of needing to urinate again gets pushed aside. But once they’re back inside, relaxed and undistracted, their brain catches up and goes, “Oh… right. Still gotta go.” And that’s when you get the second accident.

So the key is: wait for two urinations. First thing in the morning, after a long nap, or even after they've been in their crate for a while. Don’t rush it. Give them a few extra minutes. You might see them urinate once, then wander, sniff a bit, maybe even start to play. Resist the urge to bring them in just yet. Hang tight. Often, you’ll see them pause again—maybe even in a totally different spot—and go a second time. That’s your signal that the bladder is actually empty.

It’s a simple habit, but it saves so much frustration and cleanup. Two urinations. That’s the rule. Every time they wake up.