We all know the feeling– the feeling of having a full bladder. As humans, we usually have the privilege of going to the bathroom whenever we please. ‘Holding it’ is even considered dangerous for our health, so why should that be any different for our pets?
To get an idea of what our dogs go through each day, I decided to conduct an experiment on the art of ‘holding it’. I reached out to Dr. Phil Zeltzman, who told me Harley’s bladder is about the size of a fist- less than HALF the size of my bladder. I decided to see what it’s like when a medium-sized dog, like Harley, only gets 1 pee-break during the average workday. Watch the video below as I try to ‘hold it’ for 10 hours. And let me tell you, the struggle is very real!
When Harley was a puppy, the first thing we tackled was house training [Learn about house training here]. Once we conquered that, I made the biggest mistake in thinking: ‘Awesome! She’ll never have an accident again!’ Boy was I wrong! Sure, she had accidents– but I found it very hard to put the blame on her. If someone had asked me to ‘hold it’ until they returned, I’d probably look at them like they had 5 heads.
So, what are your options for reducing accidents in the house? The first thing you may think of is to restrict water, but do not do that unless under a veterinarian’s direction. Hydration is an important part of kidney health. Learn more about kidney disease in dogs here >>
Without restricting water, here are some other options:
- Try seeking out a local pet-sitter to make daily visits to relieve your pooch >>
- Look into a doggy-day care! Here are some tips for finding the right doggy-daycare service >>
- Are you going away or planning a vacation? There are plenty of boarding facilities that will take great care of your pup >>
- Does your work allow pets in the office? If so, bring your little fluffball with you to ensure she's getting the bathroom breaks she needs.
If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian -- they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.
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