Dogs are weird. That’s true. While potty training a puppy or dog, you just need to know exactly what they are up to and how you can deal with their habits.
“Do dogs urinate after eating?” One of the thousands of questions asked by new dog owners is to know if they need to take their dogs out to pee after every meal.
Do dogs pee after eating?
Yes, most healthy dogs will urinate after eating their meal. After how much time of eating they will pee? It depends upon a lot of factors including their size, age, and breed.
If they don’t, it can signal a problem.
Why do dogs pee after eating?
Dogs pee after every meal because of 2 things,
- The water they drink before, during or after a meal
- The moisture or water content in the food.
Dry dog food contains around 10% water while wet canned food may contain up to 80% water content.
It doesn’t mean that the company mixes water in it and sells you the can for a higher price, it means that the ingredients used in the food contain water naturally.
And of course, some water will also be mixed.
After how much time of eating dogs pee?
It depends upon many factors like:
- Age of the dog: A puppy may go within 2-5 minutes of eating. Older dogs may also go earlier because of a weak bladder.
- Breed of the dog: A small or tiny breed dog may go earlier than a large breed dog whose muscles are quite strong and have a large bladder.
- Health of the dog: if he is not healthy, his muscles will not be able to hold it, and he may go sooner than other dogs of the same age and breed.
- Old habits of dog: A stray dog or a dog who has spent his life in a puppy mill may pee earlier because he is not trained to hold the bladder.
Is it normal for a dog to pee immediately after eating?
If he is just a puppy who is a couple of weeks old, he may pee immediately.
Otherwise, it may not be normal to pee right after the meal.
Here “immediately” means within a minute of eating.
It will take anywhere between 5-30 minutes for a dog to pee after eating.
Every dog has a fixed pattern, you will notice it with time.
If he pees immediately after eating, there can be a reason:
- His bladder was already full because of the water he drank earlier.
- He has a very weak bladder or maybe suffering from a UTI.
- He is not being trained properly.
In any case, when he pees right after eating, note it down immediately.
You must make sure
- He has a fixed eating and drinking schedule.
- He is getting potty breaks on time.
- His bladder is healthy.
If your dog continues to pee right after eating, the best practice would be, as soon as he finishes eating, pick him up and carry him outside to pee.
With time he will understand that he has to go outside right after eating.
And by the age of 7-9 months old, when he will be fully potty trained. He will either hold it or go on his own.
Is it normal for a dog to pee while eating?
It is not normal for a dog to pee while eating. If he does so, there is a potential cause.
- Excitement: If he became excited while eating a meal.
It can happen if he was super hungry or his relation with food is not so healthy.
A stray dog might get excited to see his food because he has been fighting and snatching things to fill his tummy earlier in his life.
Excitement can cause a dog to pee. This phenomenon is called “submissive urination” and can happen because of strong emotions. - Weak bladder: If the dog has a very weak bladder, he might do this.
If he is just a few weeks old puppy or if he is an older dog, his bladder can be so weak.
A medical condition like UTI or diabetes can also cause a weak bladder. - Full bladder: A very full bladder can also be a cause. If have had water a few minutes before the meal, he can pee while eating. Especially, if he is not yet fully potty trained.
- Sudden environmental changes: Say, if he was eating and something changes all of a sudden. Some guests have arrived or there was a loud noise, he may pee because of that.
Is it normal for a dog to pee in his food bowl?
Not at all normal. If a dog is peeing in his food bowl, it clearly indicates a problem. See if he is having separation anxiety or if he is marking his food because of the presence of any stranger in the home or any new pet.
Do dogs pee where they eat?
Dogs don’t pee where they eat and sleep. It’s their natural instinct. If your dog is doing so, it is a clear indication of something problematic. It can be any of the reasons we stated above.
However, a puppy mill dog can pee where he eats because he has been living in a cage where he was forced to pee where he sleeps and eats.
What to do to get the dog pee at the right time and at the right place?
First thing first, have a written schedule of your dog’s regular patterns and write down that after how much time he has to pee.
Every dog has some different characteristics and you really have to understand them if you want to potty train him perfectly and without any extraordinary mess.
- Take him to the potty spot right on time, do not give him a chance to pee inside the house.
- If he has done the deed in the house, clean it up immediately with a good enzyme cleaner.
If he smells pee there, there are high chances that he will go there again. - The dog is just a “puppy” or if he is a tiny breed, then you can consider carrying him outside to pee, if he is not getting it on his own.
You can leave this practice once he is fully potty trained.
When to worry about a dog urinating after eating?
If a dog urinates after 5-30 minutes of eating his meal, that is completely normal.
If anything changes once in a while, that should be okay too but if:
- Your dog is urinating during a meal
- Dog is urinating where he eats and sleep
- He is peeing small amounts all the time.
- Changes in the smell and color of urine happen.
- If he starts peeing in his food and water bowl.
Then you should take notes and work on it.
Takeaway:
Do dogs pee after eating?
Yes, healthy dogs pee after eating because of the water they drink with meals and the water content in their meals. But if he pees immediately after eating, like within a minute or during a meal, or if you see any negative changes in his peeing patterns, you should get him checked.
