Puppy - dinner time question

[Jeni1206]

Hi all, new puppy owners here - we have a 16 week old, who has been with us a week.
We are feeding at 7, 12 and 5. However, whilst he does a number 2 in the afternoon, we cannot get him to go in the evening - this is despite taking him in the garden multiple times, walks etc. It seems to happen in the crate at about 2am. (This is despite taking him in the garden at night - he doesn't go there, but then goes in this crate shortly after).
He can obviously go a long time without going - should I move dinner later, in the hope the 2am event becomes a 6am (outside) event?
Any advice would be so welcome. Its all getting a bit stressful. Thanks in advance.

He's only sixteen weeks old. I suspect he's going at 2am because, unfortunately, that's what puppies do!

I know on MN, all puppies are toilet trained by 12 weeks and never need getting up with overnight, but ours needed regular night time toilet trips until about 6-7 months and then occasional ones up until a year or so.

We tried changing his meal times and the quality of his food but it made no difference. He just needed to go!

So you could try changing his meal times but be prepared for it to make little/no difference to his toileting habits I'm afraid!

Thanks for your reply.

Yes we are more than happy to let him out to go in the night and understand the need for this - but he does not go in the garden when taken out, he goes in his crate once we're back in.

I just thought it might be helpful if I could get another daytime poop out of him after 3pm - that might help him in the night. Rather than go in the afternoon, and then not again till the middle of the night. He gets very distressed going in the night too, obviously.

I was just wondering if moving meal times may help at all. Or if anyone had any advice about puppies who don't want to 'go' in the evening.

It could help, but equally it might make no difference whatsoever - it depends why your puppy is going when he does, really.

I suspect it's probably just something he'll grow out of.

The fact that he goes in his crate and not outside is a separate issue to the timings I think - maybe he's scared of the dark or doesn't like going when it's cold? Some dogs also need a walk to get things moving before they can go - maybe a quick walk before bed could encourage him to go?

We got our dpuppy at 14 weeks. I set an alarm for 3 am. By 20 weeks she slept through and no accidents.

Unsure how this is helpful to the OP.

I guess it’s just saying that only maturity of the puppy will sort this problem out.

I have elderly dogs now but casting my mind back my boy dog only had a couple of accidents in his crate and was toilet trained quickly. My girl dog had accidents until she was 6 months. I.e. different timescales for different dogs.

I think you need to set an alarm to get him up in the night. Or leave him out of crate in kitchen or utility and just clean up any accidents in the morning. They hate toilet ting in their crate. You’ll find they’ll grow out of it quite quickly. Ours was in room with us so would wake us up. Have a look at Facebook dog’s advice and training. Support.

basically they grow out of it.

It shows op that, give a few more weeks the routine may change just like it does with babies!

How big is the crate?

The crate should be no bigger than allowing him to stand up, turn around and lay back down, it's just a bed with no space around the sides.

Is he actually pooing in his soft cloth bed? And getting it on himself?

Maybe try taking pup out for a short nighttime walk before bed, is that's possible? That often helps gets things moving last thing.

Yes we are more than happy to let him out to go in the night and understand the need for this - but he does not go in the garden when taken out, he goes in his crate once we're back in.

Annoyingly you may need to stay out in the garden longer if he poos when he comes back in.

Does he poo immediately he comes back in?

Has he already whined to ask to go out and then only wees?

I would feed later than 5pm. Just because the he is going 14 hours without food which is quite a long time for a puppy.

Yes - he goes just outside his bed but as crate is fairly small he then gets it all over himself.

Sorry - that reply was to Mrs Tumbletap. I can't work out how to do individual replies.

Shouldknowthisalready - he seems to have no interest in going in the garden at night - just asks to come straight back in! We keep him out for as long as we can.

Thanks to you all for your thoughts and replies. It is really getting me down so I do appreciate it.

I'm stumped because his 'routine' is so different to what I read about online - eg. going more frequently, going in between dinner and betime etc.

He seems to only need to go twice in 24 hours, but at the moment, this is once in the day and then once in the middle of the night. It would just be so much nicer for him (and us!) if we get the last one in before he goes in his crate, or in the morning.