When we become dog parents, we become concerned with some pretty bizarre things. Maybe the weirdest for non-dog parents to understand is the worry over if your Boston Terrier puppy is pooping regularly. After all, how often a puppy poops says a lot about how well things are functioning.
How often should a Boston Terrier puppy poop?
Boston Terrier puppies should poop after every meal, about every two hours. As the Boston grows into adulthood the poop schedule should stay the same pattern, the number of poops equals the number of meals eaten. However, there are external factors that can affect this as an adult hydration, diet, illness, etc.
The Newborn Poop Schedule
Most of the time, we won’t need to worry about this as the mama dog will take care of it. Though it’s good information to know if you ever end up bottle feeding a new baby. Newborn pups can’t urinate or defecate on their own and need stimulation from their mother, licking them to let go.
This typically occurs after every feeding, which for very young one is around every two hours. As Boston Terrier puppies age the number of feedings decreases. With feedings decreasing, so does the number of times that they poop as well. It takes until a pup is around three to four weeks old before they are in control of their bowels, but the pooping frequency remains the same.
The Weaned Puppy Poop Schedule: 6-8 Weeks
Here’s when most of us get involved in our Boston’s pooping business. At weaning, usually around six to eight weeks of age, Boston Terrier puppies should be fully in control of their own pooping destiny.
While they typically can’t hold their pee for more hours than they are weeks old, they can hold their poop until after a meal. Puppies this age will generally still poop within half an hour after eating. It is just that with solid food, those meals can be spaced much further apart.
While some puppies will jump right to a two-meals-a-day schedule, others may need more like four. This means that some puppies of this age are going to poop two times a day and others four times a day.
The Older Puppy Poop Schedule: 6 Months Plus
As your new little Boston baby grows, so will the time between when he needs to eat. By six months of age, most Boston Terrier puppies are ready to enjoy breakfast and dinner only. That’s not to say that you can’t slip a lunch in there if it works for your schedule. And helps keep your puppy from gnawing off your leg in anticipation of dinnertime.
He is still going to poop within half an hour of a meal. In general, the number of meals equals the number of poops. This holds true on into adulthood.
Variations in the Frequency That Your Boston Terrier Puppy Poops
The above poop schedules aren’t a one-size-fits-all-puppies model. There is going to be variation. The number of times that your puppy needs to poop can depend on both internal and external factors.
Your Puppy
Every puppy is different, and some may be able to hold their poop longer than others. Smaller pups especially may need to go more frequently than those pups who are more massive.
If you have a grazer rather than a gobbler, you may also have a more frequent pooper as well.
Dog Food
What you put into your Boston Terrier puppy has a significant impact on the frequency and amount of poop you’ll get back out. Cheaper foods with more fillers will produce more poop. Higher fiber foods, like light and low-fat versions, will create more poop. Be sure to feed high-quality food to help reduce your puppy’s bathroom breaks.
Hydration
Water is part of the recipe for poop, the less water you have, the less poop and vice versa. If your Boston puppy isn’t getting enough to drink, she could experience constipation issues that will have her pooping less frequently than she needs to.
Illness
Puppies can be little germ magnets, and some of those germs can disrupt his poop schedule. Some illnesses can cause dehydration (see above), others can take the opposite route and cause diarrhea. If your pup has diarrhea, the frequency that she needs to go poop will increase exponentially!
Final thoughts…
Tonight while you’re sneaking around your yard with a flashlight trying to determine if your Boston Terrier puppy pooped or not, realize that you’re not alone. The frequency that your puppy poops not only makes some interesting dinner conversation, it’s also essential in assessing her health and development.
If you have any questions or concerns with the frequency of your Boston puppy’s pooping, your veterinarian will be more than happy to discuss it with you.