[LoveLilly]

How long can your papillon's hold their pee? Lilly is 9 months old and was at 5 hours for the longest time (except night time holding which has been 7 hours since she was 4 months old), which I thought was normal, and recently over the past couple weeks jumped to being able to go 7-8 hours! Now is that normal or is she possibly not drinking enough water. Water is available to her 24x7, I never need to limit it anymore like during the potty training days. Even on the weekends when I am home and she runs free 24x7, with unlimited water its like every 7 hours I need to take her out. I just read so many nightmare stories about it. I'm so proud of her!

I guess size plays a part so you may want to know that. She is 6 pounds.

[yooper_at_heart]

As a rule of thumb take their age in months and that's how long he/she can hold their bladder depending on the dog. So it sounds a normal as long as she's active eating and drinking.

[briteday]

Our paps are both older (1.5 and 7 years) and they can easily go 10 hours at night when we sleep in on the weekends.
However, I have also used the age in months as a rule of thub when they are pups. As long as she's not constipated and her mouth seems moist. she's getting enough water.

[LoveLilly]

Originally Posted by briteday

Our paps are both older (1.5 and 7 years) and they can easily go 10 hours at night when we sleep in on the weekends.
However, I have also used the age in months as a rule of thub when they are pups. As long as she's not constipated and her mouth seems moist. she's getting enough water.

She actually was constipated just recently but seemed to work it all out this morning. I felt so bad for her b/c she was scooting her little bottom the night before. Could constipation be caused by lack of water?? I do feel like she does not drink enough. How do I get her to drink more water?

[briteday]

Constipation can be caused by not drinking enough. If you want to be sure she is getting enough fluids you could put some warm water in her kibble. Dogs will usually be impressed by the treat. However, this may lead to problems later on with not eating unless you add the water. You can also add some canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, to her food to increase the fiber in her diet.
What food do you have her on?

[LoveLilly]

She is not real fond of pumpkin, but she does get sweet potato for additional fiber. She has quite a few food allergies to some grains and meat products so I have her on a grain free kibble called Raw Instinct, basically various raw poultry (chicken/turkey/pheasant/quail) that is freeze dried and turned into kibble along with fruits, veggies and vitamins/minerals. She gets an 1/8 cup of the tiny kibbles & mixed with it are 2 moist type of foods. She gets 2 moistened tablespoons of a dehydrated "raw" mixture that is grain free and contains chicken, all sorts of veggies, vitamins/minerals. It is called The Honest Kitchen - Force. Then her other moist mixture was something I started when we were trying to understand her allergies and poop/anal gland issues. I make it myself and its cooked chicken breast, raw carrots, raw green beans, cooked barley and steamed sweet potato.....all whiped up together in my food processor. She loves it so much I keep it in with her other 2. She gets 2 tablespoons of it as well on her kibble. She is fed twice a day. It sounds like a crazy concoction but she's healthy & my vet reviewed and approved it all. She does not like to eat, unless of course its our dinner or treats! And she does not eat in one sitting otherwise it bloats her little tummy so she generally grazes for 2 hours & when she is full she walks away and does not touch it.