How Long Can Dogs Hold Their Poop?
By
Anastasiia Malaman Updated on |Reviewed by Shannon Kenny
If you’ve been stuck in rush hour, slept past your alarm, or had a stubborn dog who just refused to go out, then chances are you've asked yourself: how long can dogs hold their poop?
Key Takeaways
- Healthy adult dogs can hold their poop and pee between 8 and 10 hours, but pushing beyond it isn’t recommended
- Puppies, older dogs, and those with health problems might need more frequent potty breaks
- Holding their stool for too long can lead to constipation, pain, and bowel issues
- Dogs may hold their poop due to anxiety, routine changes, stress, fear, learned habits, or surface preferences
- Regular schedules, activity, and nutrition are important to the health of their bowels.
Dogs are impressively good at holding it when they need to, but doing so too often, or for too long, can eventually cause real health problems. Knowing what’s normal, what’s not, and why your pup may be clamping down on the poop can save everyone a lot of unnecessary nerves and avoid unnecessary discomfort for their dog, too.
Here’s a simple, practical way to break it down.
How Long Can a Dog Hold Their Poop?
On average, adult dogs can hold poop for about 8 to 10 hours, especially overnight. Some dogs can go longer, but that doesn’t mean they should. If you’re comparing bowel habits with bladder control, our breakdown of how long dogs can hold their pee explains why the two timelines aren’t the same.
Veterinary sources generally agree that once you pass the 10–12 hour mark, the risk of constipation and bowel discomfort increases. According to The Spruce Pets, dogs who routinely hold their poop too long may develop harder stools that are more difficult and painful to pass.
Puppies, senior dogs, and animals with digestive or mobility issues often need to go much sooner.
Factors influencing holding time
Several factors affect how long a dog can hold poop comfortably.
Age
Puppies have very little bowel control and may need to go every 1–3 hours. Senior dogs may struggle due to muscle weakness, incontinence, or digestive changes.
Size
Larger breeds tend to hold their poop longer than smaller ones, simply because of body capacity. Toy breeds often need more frequent breaks. Though individual digestion and routine play a bigger role.
Diet
High-fiber, high-quality diets support regular bowel movements. Poor diets can slow digestion or cause irregular stools. If you’re unsure whether your dog is drinking enough, here’s how to spot the signs of dehydration in dogs.
Exercise level
Movement stimulates the bowels. Canines that don’t get enough exercise are more likely to hold poop or become constipated.
Sleep
Dogs' natural slow digestion while sleeping, which is why holding poop overnight is usually easier than during the day, if they have regular opportunities to go during the day.
Health issues
Conditions like arthritis, gastrointestinal problems, or canine incontinence can make holding poop uncomfortable or unpredictable.
Routine
A dog may poop once early in the morning and once late at night because they can't while their human is at work.
When bowel movements become difficult, painful, or inconsistent, it signals a need to talk with your dog's vet, as it may be beyond simple routine or emotional changes.
Why Does My Dog Hold Their Poop?
Why do dogs hold their poop? If your dog holds in poop even when given the chance to go, it’s due to emotional or environmental factors, but not stubbornness.
Common reasons dogs hold their poop
Anxiety or fear
Loud noises, traffic, unfamiliar people, or past negative experiences can make them hesitant to poop outside.
Performance anxiety
Yes, it’s real. Some paw pals feel pressured when owners hover, rush them, or watch too closely.
Desire to stay outside
Some dogs quickly learn that pooping means the walk ends. Holding waste becomes a way to extend outdoor time.
Choosy about location
They’re sniffing to find the “perfect” spot that already carries messages from other dogs and lets them leave their own scent behind. Through this smell-based communication, pooches share information about territory, identity, and even reproductive status, which is why they can seem surprisingly picky about where they go.
Surface preference
Many doggies prefer grass, dirt, or specific textures. Snow, ice, pavement, or wet ground can cause a dog to hold poop on purpose.
Dietary issues
Low fiber, dehydration, or sudden diet changes can slow bowel movement and make pooping uncomfortable.
Stress
Stress, travel, schedule changes, new homes, or new pets can disrupt normal bowel habits. Dogs that feel anxious may avoid pooping even when they clearly need to go.
This is especially common in canines dealing with separation anxiety or dogs who struggle with environmental stress signals, as explained in our guide to dog body language.
As one canine behaviorist quoted by Bernie’s Blog explains: “Dogs thrive on routine. When that routine is disrupted, bowel habits are often one of the first things to change.”
How Can You Know If Your Dog Is Holding Poop?
A dog holding poop doesn’t always make it obvious, but there are signs to watch out for.
Signs your dog may be holding poop
Behavioral changes
Restlessness, pacing, whining, circling, or avoiding walks can indicate bowel discomfort. They could also repeatedly ask to go outside.
Straining
Repeated squatting with little or no stool is a red flag and may indicate constipation.
Stool changes
When your dog finally goes, the stool may be very hard, dry, or unusually large.
Physical discomfort
A tense abdomen, hunched posture, or reluctance to sit can signal bowel pressure or sensitivity around the abdomen.
If your dog holds in waste regularly or seems uncomfortable, it’s worth checking in with your veterinarian and scheduling a routine wellness exam for dogs to rule out medical causes.
Is It Bad for Dogs to Hold Their Poop?
Occasionally holding waste, like overnight or during travel, is usually harmless for healthy adult animals. However, frequent or prolonged holding can cause problems.
The longer a pooch holds on to poop, the longer the colon has to absorb more water from the stool, resulting in a stool that is dry, hard, and painful to pass. Eventually, that can result in constipation, anal gland problems, or even a stretching of the bowels.
Dogs who have had digestive problems or are incontinent are particularly at risk.
Wrap-Up
So, can dogs hold their poop? Yes, but only to a point.
Most adult dogs can manage several hours comfortably, but regular opportunities to go are essential for long-term bowel health. If your dog is holding poop on purpose, the cause is usually emotional, environmental, or routine-based, not defiance.
Pay attention to patterns, keep a consistent schedule, and make bathroom breaks calm and pressure-free.
If your dog struggles with where or when to go, this step-by-step guide on how to encourage a dog to poop outside can help reinforce healthy habits.