Bathroom Break \u2013 7:15 am <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Time for a trip to the zoo. Whoops sorry \u2013 meant to say loo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Did you know:<\/strong> Puppies aren\u2019t that good at holding it in just yet, so it\u2019s important that they go to the bathroom after they\u2019ve eaten or drunk to avoid accidents. Better yet, these potty breaks are a massive opportunity to treat them for going in the right place, making potty training work much faster. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Up next on your puppy\u2019s daily schedule is some fun time. Take around 10 minutes to fit in a bit of training practice and playtime. You can choose to work on sitting, watching the world go by outside, or anything else depending on the week you\u2019re on. Our blog here goes into more detail about what training or lessons you should focus on each week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yep, another trip to the loo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After all the excitement of food, poo and play, your puppy will probably want to nod off for one or two hours. Maybe minutes. It\u2019s hard to tell for how long puppies might nap for really, but you can be sure to get some time for yourself at around this time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After a little kip, a trip to the loo is nothing to skip. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you tell we had to make it rhyme. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After they\u2019ve gone to the loo, take the time to practice some skills or go through some training. The more consistent their practice gets, the better results you\u2019ll see in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wonderful \u2013 time for a snack in your puppy\u2019s daily routine. At brunch, you should probably feed your puppy about a quarter of their daily food portion. You can take the opportunity to work on some crate training exercises like feeding them their meal inside the crate. We talk a lot more about crate training<\/a> in our blog here if you want to know all the deets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t forget to grab something for yourself too; some biscuits and a cuppa always sound good at this time. Or any time at all to be fair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You guessed it \u2013 after food, always go to the loo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And yes! Time for some more play and training. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Back to the bathroom. You\u2019re not nearly as done with the potty breaks by the way. Fun\u2019s just getting started. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe you\u2019d like to work on recall training<\/a>? Otherwise, teaching him how to play fetch is something he\u2019ll definitely appreciate. Add it to your puppy\u2019s daily routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well done, you\u2019ve done a good job at keeping your puppy happy and entertained. They\u2019ll probably hit their crate for a quick nap now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You know it \u2013 after some good sleep, nothing feels better than a good wee. Remember to reward them after doing so in the right spot!<\/p>\n\n\n\n They\u2019ll be nice and awake now for a good training session. What about teaching them their name? This one doesn\u2019t take long to do, but it\u2019s always good to remind them what their name is. Don\u2019t want them thinking their name is your partner\u2019s or children\u2019s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n About time for some good food to be added to your puppy\u2019s daily schedule! At the start, they\u2019ll probably go crazy for their kibble, so put it in a puzzle feeder again to avoid them getting sick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You know the drill \u2013 a good toot generally comes after some good food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After being fueled with energy, you know they\u2019ll want to play a good game of fetch or tug of war. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And yes, after they win the game, they\u2019ll want to go to the loo again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can see how it\u2019s getting repetitive now, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yup, time for a wee. Again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Almost the end of the day, but not the end of your puppy\u2019s daily schedule! But there\u2019s always time to squeeze in an extra bit of training. Maybe you can try showing him how to walk on different surfaces? Bubble wrapping paper should be a good one to try tonight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Food! Fabulous. It\u2019s their last meal of the day before bed. Still a couple hours to stay awake for though \u2013 so they\u2019ll definitely have time to go for a last poo later on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ah, see? Told you. But there will be more potty breaks ahead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These are the last 15 minutes they\u2019ll have with high energy activity. It\u2019s probably a good idea to tire them out with a good game or letting them explore the yard for a bit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yep, time to go again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This section of your puppy\u2019s daily routine is quite important in order to secure as many hours of sleep as possible. Use these last hours of the day to calm your puppy down, get them nice and quiet in preparation for a full night\u2019s sleep. We suggest things like gentle grooming, gentle massage (who doesn\u2019t love a relaxing massage!), and just some lovely snuggly cuddle time. Don\u2019t want to wind them up with games anymore!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting late now\u2026but there\u2019s always time for one last go at a poo. Going to the bathroom now is a good way to try and get them to not wake up in the night\u2026although they probably will anyway. Don\u2019t worry, they won\u2019t need the loo at all hours forever!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally! Off to Bedfordshire. At the start, you\u2019ll have them sleep next to your bed in their crate, so pop them in there, turn off the light, and get into bed. If they get a bit fidgety, use that soft and gentle voice of yours to calm them down, or put your fingers through the crate to comfort them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They\u2019re only little, and only wish they had your attention all the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Surprise! Bet you didn\u2019t see this one coming. Don\u2019t worry, you really won\u2019t have to wake up everyday at 3 am to do this\u2026only for the first few weeks! And it will<\/em> be worth it \u2013 you won\u2019t be waking up to puddles of wee next to your bed if you do this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n PRO TIP: <\/strong>Get them to and from the potty quickly, without much interaction. You don\u2019t want to get them too excited on your way to the loo since we bet you still want to go back to sleep for a few more hours, right? Don\u2019t forget to treat them!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Wakey-wakey! Time to do everything all over again. Good luck! And remember to enjoy the ride As you can see, your puppy has a tight schedule where he\u2019ll need lots of naps, training time, meals, snacks, bathroom breaks, love and attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But exactly how much of each will he need? It\u2019s a good question. We see how it can be confusing to measure times out \u2013 but as you will see, they\u2019ll need a lot of everything the younger they are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve made it nice and simple for you below. Here\u2019s a checklist of what your puppy\u2019s day needs to contain: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your puppy needs lots of sleep. Like around 16 \u2013 20 hours a day which is a lot. After having to absorb so much new information like a sponge, they\u2019re bound to want to get some rest!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because they\u2019ll use a lot of their brains throughout the day, you\u2019ll see that they\u2019ll fall asleep after doing pretty much any activity that requires them to use some sort of energy. This is what their their sleeping times will look like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Puppies have big juicy brains, but a short attention span. To get the most out of their training, we recommend keeping them short and sweet (5 minutes is already plenty per session) so that they remember everything they learned well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At first, your puppy will need the loo a lot. Like a lot, a lot. This makes sense though \u2013 their bladders are only tiny and can\u2019t really hold it for very long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At only 8 weeks, they\u2019ll probably need to go for a wee every hour! But don\u2019t worry \u2013 as they get older, they\u2019ll manage to control their longing \u2018to go\u2019 a lot better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Puppy crate training<\/a> can help a lot with learning how to hold it in \u2013 but there\u2019s no need to rush it. Everything will fall into place eventually!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to get a better idea of how much they\u2019ll need the toilet as they grow, here\u2019s a nice table for you to check out: <\/p>\n\n\n\n How much your puppy will eat depends on their age. But just so you know, the younger they are, the more they\u2019ll need to eat. Although they might look small, their bellies are big and need filling with lots of food! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, this is quite logical \u2013 as young pups, they need to have all the necessary nutrients for their mental and physical development to become the best adult dogs they can be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It makes sense though, they are growing, and need huge amounts of calories for their mental and physical development. It\u2019s actually quite right that they gobble so much food down! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your puppy\u2019s feeding times should be distributed the day using activity feeders to give them a chance to develop their problem solving skills, and make their day a little more fun. Also, for those who like to gobble everything like there\u2019s no tomorrow, it will prevent them from having digestive issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The table below shows how many meals a day your puppy should have. You\u2019ll see that this changes depending on their size, breed, and their own preferences of eating times. Some puppies would prefer to go on a walk first before eating!<\/p>\n\n\n\n PRO TIP: <\/strong>Let\u2019s not overfeed or underfeed your puppy. To get it right, work out how many grams of food they need per day, and then divide it by the number of meals. Easy peasy.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n We knew you\u2019d have more questions. Glad you asked!<\/p>\n\n\n\n How long can a puppy be left alone during a day?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s the thing. Dogs are social animals, and are at their most comfortable and happy states when in company of other people. This means that while they\u2019d rather you\u2019d dedicate your whole lives to being at their beck and call all day, the reality is that you also need to work in order to keep them in constant supply of their favorite food and treats. So \u2013 it\u2019s all about a good balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, if you happen to be at work all day and can\u2019t be there for your puppy, pet professionals are always a great option to consider. These may be: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 A dog sitter who pops in and out for puppy visits or stays with your puppy all day How many naps should my puppy have?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A lot. As we\u2019ve said above, puppies need a lot of sleep during the day so that they\u2019re able to do a good job at retaining all this new information and learning the ropes of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This means that throughout the day, you can expect your puppy to take around 4 naps throughout the day (of perhaps 2 hours each), plus their \u2018fuller\u2019 sleep time at night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can use these opportunities to train them as well by popping them inside their crate as they start falling asleep. This will teach them that their crate is a comfy, safe place to be \u2013 they\u2019ll eventually start going there themselves!<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that\u2019s when you\u2019ll get to say mission accomplished. <\/p>\n\n\n\n PRO TIP: <\/strong>When your puppy is napping make sure to leave them undisturbed! Not only is it annoying to be woken up from a nap (as you may know) but it can also make your pup feel vulnerable, and could impact their ability to get quality sleep in the longer term, which they really really need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How long should I play with my puppy each day?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As you see on the schedule, you\u2019ll see that your puppy will need to be played with or trained during the day quite a lot. If you want to get precise, around 7 times a day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But really, there\u2019s no need to go over 15 minutes of play in each session! As much as puppies may seem highly energetic (which they are), they also get tired pretty quickly, so there\u2019s no need to go overboard. Actually, play sessions that run too long are likely to make your puppy too excited and stimulated \u2013 making them act kind of intense \u2013 they can get quite bitey and irritable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember that the schedule we give you is a general overview, and there\u2019s no need to follow it exactly. Let your puppy guide you to what they need \u2013 they can\u2019t speak English, but their behavior can speak way louder than words! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you know what your puppy\u2019s daily schedule might look like, here is how to make sure they\u2019re well behaved throughout their adventures with our guide to obedience puppy training<\/a>. Or why not download the whole ZigZag puppy training app<\/a> for the whole shebang?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Play and Training \u2013 7:30<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bathroom Break \u2013 8:15 am<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Nap Time \u2013 8:30 am<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bathroom Break \u2013 10:30 am<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Training \u2013 10:45 am<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Brunch \u2013 11:00 am<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bathroom Break \u2013 11:15 am <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Play and Training \u2013 11:30 am<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bathroom Break \u2013 11:45 am<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Play and Training \u2013 12:00 pm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Naptime \u2013 12:30 pm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bathroom Break \u2013 2:30 pm <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Play and Training \u2013 2:45 pm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Dinner Time \u2013 3:00 pm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bathroom Break \u2013 3:15 pm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Play and Training \u2013 3:30 pm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bathroom Break \u2013 3:45 pm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Naptime \u2013 4:00 pm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bathroom Break \u2013 6:00 pm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Training \u2013 6:15 pm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Supper time \u2013 7:00 pm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bathroom Break \u2013 7:15 pm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Play and training \u2013 7:30 pm <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bathroom Break \u2013 7:45 pm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Relaxation and winding down \u2013 8:00 pm <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bathroom Break \u2013 10:45 pm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bedtime \u2013 11: 00 pm \u2014 midnight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bathroom Break \u2013 3:00 am <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Wake up: 5 \u2013 7:00 am<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\ud83d\ude42\"](\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/14.0.0\/svg\/1f642.svg\")
<\/p>\n\n\n\nEverything a puppy needs in their daily schedule<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sleep <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/mk0zigzagcwy7sqx1uba.kinstacdn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Ideal-puppy-routine-1-1024x768.jpg\")
Activity (training or play)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bathroom Breaks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Age of my puppy<\/td> Maximum they can hold it for is<\/td> At night they might hold it for<\/td><\/tr> 8 weeks<\/td> 2 hours<\/td> 5 hours<\/td><\/tr> 12 weeks<\/td> 3 hours<\/td> 7 hours<\/td><\/tr> 16 weeks<\/td> 4 hours<\/td> 8 hours<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Meals a day <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Agey<\/td> Meals per day<\/td><\/tr> 8 \u2013 16 weeks<\/td> 4 times a day<\/td><\/tr> 16 weeks \u2013 6 months<\/td> 3 times per day<\/td><\/tr> 6 months +<\/td> 2 times per day<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"The](\"https:\/\/mk0zigzagcwy7sqx1uba.kinstacdn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Ideal-puppy-routine-2-1-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
Puppy daily routine FAQ <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 A doggy day-care center
\u2013 A dog walker who takes your puppy on walks<\/p>\n\n\n\n