Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Does anyone have a chihuahua?

18 replies

Cheewawa · 10/12/2023 10:30

I was wondering when they generally stop needing the toilet overnight

My girl is almost 9 months. She has her last meal no later than 6pm. Goes for a wee and a poo around 10pm.

But she still gets up in the night for a wee/poo and it's really hard for me to fall back to sleep. Plus it's bloody freezing.

Idelaly I want her to start sleeping downstairs now, in her crate, but I think she would just pee and poo in it!

OP posts:
margotrose · 10/12/2023 11:28

Can you move her evening meal forward and just give her a snack before bedtime tide her over?

What time are you getting up to let her out in the morning? 10pm seems quite early to me for a final wee/poo for such a small breed.

Original poster
Cheewawa · 10/12/2023 12:05

Her morning wee is 7am. I don't stay up later than 10pm, I'm knackered once it gets to 8pm TBH!

I have some health issues with medications which mean I'm exhausted at night and that's why I'm finding it so hard to get up in the middle of the night for the loo too.

OP posts:
Nobble · 10/12/2023 12:16

Hi, probably not the answer you are looking for but my little one never grew out of needing several wees a night.
He has a puppy pad overnights as other wise I just wasn't getting any sleep. There's often 4 wees on there even though he goes in the garden right before bed

OldTinHat · 10/12/2023 12:38

Install a dog flap?? My old dog loved his.

margotrose · 10/12/2023 12:46

I'm sorry to say it but I think nine hours is too long to expect a toy breed like a chihuahua to hold their bladder.

I don't normally advocate for them but could you leave puppy pads down for her?

ivfbabymomma1 · 10/12/2023 12:51

I have 3 chihuahuas and they all hold their bladders fine through the night. I can't remember the exact age it happened but it does I promise

Original poster
Cheewawa · 10/12/2023 13:05

OldTinHat · 10/12/2023 12:38

Install a dog flap?? My old dog loved his.

She sleeps in my bedroom.

But I wnat to change that TBH. I just can't get a proper night's sleep with her in the bed.

But I feel like if I put her in a crate downstairs she will just pee and poo in it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cheewawa · 10/12/2023 13:07

Maybe a larger crate with her bed and a pee mat inside?

OP posts:
LaurieStrode · 10/12/2023 14:09

Nobble · 10/12/2023 12:16

Hi, probably not the answer you are looking for but my little one never grew out of needing several wees a night.
He has a puppy pad overnights as other wise I just wasn't getting any sleep. There's often 4 wees on there even though he goes in the garden right before bed

My larger one could (voluntarily, he loved his sleep) go 12 hours but the tiny one needed overnight.

I trained them to pads as babies. They would ask to go outdoors if I were home by day but toddle off use pads at night, during inclement weather or when i was out. They're very intelligent.

No worse than a litter tray (easier actually) and very handy when traveling or in others' homes.

Chihuahuas love and need to be near their humans. Please don't make it sleep alone downstairs in a crate. That's cruel.

margotrose · 10/12/2023 14:12

I wouldn't put her downstairs in a crate straight away if she's used to sleeping in the bed with you - it would be a huge adjustment.

If she's crate-trained already it may be best to get her a big crate for your room, put her bed and blankets in one end and a puppy pads at the other so she can use the toilet without you needing to get up.

Original poster
Cheewawa · 10/12/2023 15:12

She wouldn't be alone. She would be with my other dogs, as she is if I ever need to nip out during the day.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cheewawa · 10/12/2023 15:13

She's not crate trained. She was but I started letting her sleep in my bed. Big mistake. Now she cries to get in my bed 😂

OP posts:
margotrose · 10/12/2023 15:25

When she's with your other dogs, is she left with the run of a room or downstairs or is she put in her crate? Are the other dogs crate trained or not?

LaurieStrode · 10/12/2023 15:28

I loved my Chihuahuas sleeping with me. To each her own. She's still a baby. I read somewhere that Chihuahuas should be considered puppies till age 2.

Consider the pads. I know some people are against them but it was an amazing quality of life issue for me. I had two brothers from the same litter, from about 12 weeks (or younger; they were rescues so unsure) and they took to them right away as it was winter when the dogs came to me.

(Supposed to be a 3-day foster, LOL, the older one just died at 12 years. I miss them both every minute. They were the sweetest, funniest, most loving boys; not a mean bone in either. Just wanted to please and be loved. Each, sadly, had congestive heart failure from congenital issues).

Having the pads didn't preclude them from going outdoors but at night, etc., were a godsend. And I could leave home knowing they wouldn't be suffering from full bladders.

At any rate I think you should let her be in your room if she wants, if not in the bed.

Original poster
Cheewawa · 10/12/2023 15:30

margotrose · 10/12/2023 15:25

When she's with your other dogs, is she left with the run of a room or downstairs or is she put in her crate? Are the other dogs crate trained or not?

This is the spanner in the works.

She's left with them. And it's always been absolutely fine.

But a few days ago we got back from the shops and went to put the Xmas lights in and they wouldn't work. She had chewed through the wire! Thankfully they were unplugged but she could have died. So now I'm thinking I can't really leave her alone free roaming like she always has!

OP posts:
margotrose · 10/12/2023 15:37

What about dog-proofing a room/area of your home and leaving all the dogs there if it's safe and a suitable size?

Theoretically if she's fine being left with your other dogs during the day, she should be okay at night, but the problem will be that if she toilets in the house, it may encourage the others to do the same to cover her scent.

PrincessHoneysuckle · 10/12/2023 15:47

Mine slept through from about 9 months

PrincessHoneysuckle · 10/12/2023 15:48

But mine were downstairs from 10 weeks

New posts on this thread. Refresh page