If you’ve recently brought home a puppy, you’re going to have all sorts of questions about what they do, and when. Going to the toilet, and their pooping habits and preferences, are just some areas where these questions will arise. But how long does it typically take for a puppy to go after eating? And will they go after every meal? Well, here is everything you are going to want to know about feeding and #2s!
So, how much time after a puppy eats do they need to go poop? Puppies generally poop around 5 to 30 minutes after eating a meal. Although the size, age, and food eaten (type and quantity) can impact this timeframe.
With this in mind, you’re going to need to be ready to let your puppy out shortly after eating.
Unless of course, you intend on purchasing an indoor doggie lawn to let them go.
This is the one to get by the way, if that sounds like something you’d be interested in.
Nevertheless, let us take a closer look at opposing timings and most importantly if you can expect this after every meal time!
How Long Does It Take For A Puppy To Poop After Eating?
Most puppies will poop anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes after eating. The younger the puppy, the sooner you’ll have to take him out to poop once he’s had a meal.
If your puppy poops within this time frame after every meal, you have nothing to worry about.
Sometimes a puppy will poop more often than after each meal, but unless it’s diarrhea, you usually won’t need to be concerned.
The thing to watch out for when puppies poop is if they don’t poop after eating.
Puppies who don’t poop regularly after each meal could be suffering from digestive problems because of a poor diet.
This is why it’s essential to give your puppy age-appropriate food – puppy food that has been formulated for each stage of your puppy’s life.
If your puppy doesn’t poop after each meal, he may have impacted bowels (constipation.)
Constipation can be very dangerous, as the stool can harden and block anything your puppy is trying to eliminate.
Your puppy needs a healthy diet that includes unprocessed food and high amounts of fiber.
If you suspect your puppy is constipated, try adding some soft, canned pumpkin into his diet.
How Many Times A Day Should A Puppy Go Poop?
Your puppy will be eating at least 3 or 4 times a day, so he should poop 3 or 4 times a day.
There are certain elements that can affect how often your puppy goes to the toilet, which includes:
- His diet. Avoid foods made with corn or wheat, as puppies’ immature digestive tracts find these foods hard to break down.
- His hydration. Dehydration can cause some digestive problems as well as many other health issues. Make sure your puppy is drinking enough fresh water. Provide clean, fresh water for him at all times, with several bowls in different parts of your home so that water is always available.
- His routine. Poor gut health can sometimes be a result of irregular eating patterns. Set a specific mealtime routine for your puppy to help him poop regularly.
Some people find it easiest to put together a routine that revolves around their own schedule.
For example, you may want your puppy to eat when you do – at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Your puppy will want treats, too, but make sure not to spoil him with too many snacks between meals.
If you are unsure how much or how often to feed your puppy, check with your vet.
Dietary requirements differ for different breeds, as the bigger the dog, the more food he’ll need as a pup.
How Often Should A Puppy Be Taken Out To Poop?
Your puppy should be taken out to poop after he’s eaten food of any kind, so at least 4 times per day. After every meal is ideal, and most puppies will need the toilet about 10 to 15 minutes after each meal.
On average, puppies need about a quarter of an hour after eating to need to use the toilet.
However, there are some puppies who will need to go after only 5 minutes.
Other puppies might be able to hold off on pooping for an entire hour.
Some aspects that affect the time and place that your puppy will poop include:
- His diet (especially whether he’s eating mostly dry or wet food)
- His meal sizes (if he eats little and often, he’ll need to poo little and often, as well)
- His stress levels (pooping or peeing in the house can be a sign of stress or anxiety)
- How big he is (breed size isn’t a factor, but age is: the older the puppy, the longer he can hold his bowels)
- How much exercise he gets (the more regular exercise he gets, the more regular his bowels will be. Exercise helps move food through the digestive system)
- Which breed he is
- Any pre-existing health conditions or problems
- Any medication he’s taking (some medications can cause your puppy to poop more or less often)
Do Puppies Poop After Every Meal?
Most puppies do poop after every meal. Puppies eat three to four meals per day, and they’ll have to poop after each meal.
Puppies have very efficient digestive tracts.
In addition, while they’re little, they haven’t learned to control their bowels yet.
Puppies can’t ‘hold it’ for as long as adult dogs can, so your puppy will poop after every meal, and soon.
Your puppy’s bowel isn’t mature yet, so he’ll be pooping more than when he’s an adult.
In your puppy, his colon is literally closer to his stomach.
Once food has hit his stomach, the nerve endings in his colon are triggered immediately, and he will need to use the bathroom almost immediately.
The reflexes in the colon will prompt the stomach to get rid of anything that’s even partially ingested. Once your puppy is older, however, he’ll acquire more control over his bowel movements.
Learning to control his bowel movements only happens over time and with careful and appropriate housetraining methods.
Note: Speak to your vet if your puppy has diarrhea for two or more days or if he’s not pooped at least once in the last 24 hours.
Other Puppy Pooping Best Practices
Make sure that your puppy has the right diet and that you follow a routine with his food and toilet breaks. It’s also essential to know what healthy puppy poop looks like.
Feed the Right Diet for Your Puppy
Puppies need roughly twice the amount of calories per day as adult dogs.
If you have a 10-pound puppy who is expected to weigh 33 pounds as an adult dog, he’ll need to eat approximately 990 calories a day.
Puppies also need more minerals, vitamins, protein, and fat when compared to adult dogs.
For healthy and regular pooping, your puppy will need the right combination of:
- Protein (lean beef, fish, turkey, chicken)
- Carbohydrates (potatoes, rice, pasta)
- Vegetables (carrots, green beans, peas)
- Fats (often vegetable oil)
- Supplements for added vitamins and minerals
Be sure to continually increase the portion sizes of your puppy’s food as he grows.
Weigh your puppy every week or two to check that you’re feeding him the right number of calories.
If you are looking for the best food to feed your puppy, then I’d recommend you purchase this brand.
Run through their intuitive questionnaire and you’ll ensure you get precisely the right food for your pup.
Establish a Routine
Your puppy will be trying hard to learn how to fit into your routine.
He wants to please you, so establishing a routine from day one will help him settle. Routines include when to take him outside to use the toilet.
Your puppy will learn by association what is expected of him. The more he poops outdoors and gets rewards for it, the faster he’ll learn that that’s where he’s supposed to poop.
Since puppies poop a lot, you’ll have lots of opportunities to cement this learning for him fairly quickly. Here’s how to do it:
Bring your puppy outside after every meal, whether you think he needs the toilet or not.
When your puppy poops outside, reward him with either praise and cuddles, a treat, or a toy. Try not to always reward him with food, as you’ll have to go back out again soon after!
Make sure you let your puppy outside as soon as you wake up and as soon as you go to bed.
While your puppy is small, you’ll have to take him out during the night as well. Most puppies can’t hold their bladders for 8 hours or so until they’re at least 8 months old.
Generally speaking, your puppy will be able to hold his poop for one hour for every month of his age.
So a two-month-old puppy won’t be able to go for more than 2 hours without needing the toilet.
You may want to consider getting an indoor lawn where your puppy can access a grassy place to do his needs indoors.
You’ll still want to take him out to poop regularly, but it can’t hurt to have a backup place where he can go.
Make Sure Your Puppy’s Stool Is Healthy
Check your puppy’s stool to be sure it’s healthy. His stool should be brown in color with a semi-solid consistency.
If your puppy’s stool is green, it could be that he’s eaten too much grass. However, sometimes green stools mean gallbladder problems that will need treatment.
If you find any red in your puppy’s stool, this could be a cut near his anus. It could also be an infection, as many infections cause blood in the stool.
Take your puppy to the vet asap if you see blood in his stool.
Sometimes dog owners see white in their puppy’s stool, which is usually nothing to worry about. If your puppy eats a mostly raw diet, his stool may be white.
The whiteness is caused by calcium deposits and lots of minerals.
If, however, you see white spots or what look like white pieces of spaghetti, your puppy could have worms.
He’ll need treatment, so see your vet first with a stool sample.
What you really don’t want to see in your puppy is black and greasy stools.
These types of stools may mean your puppy is bleeding internally. In this case, bring your puppy to the vet immediately for professional treatment.
Consider A Doggie Lawn
If you know you are not going to be able to let your puppy out after each meal, or you just want to make their pooping more practical, then consider getting an indoor doggie lawn.
These products make the whole process considerably easier.
And being all-natural grass self-containing and easy to clean, your puppy should soon take to them with minimal training.
The result – is your puppy can go when they want and you rest assured that your young pup won’t go elsewhere inside your home.
This is the one to get if this sounds like something you want to try.
Finally
5-30 minutes, on average.
That’s the kind of timeframe you are looking at here.
That being said, do consider that this is just an average.
There is a range of factors that can influence this timing.
Nevertheless, be ready to let them out when they have eaten.
It generally, won’t be long!
Related Articles:
- How Long Should You Wait Outside For Your Puppy To Poop?
- Puppy Poops Two Hours After Eating [Is It Normal?]
- Why Does My Puppy Not Eat In The Morning?
- Why Does My Puppy Always Seem Hungry?
- Puppy Not Eating After Vaccination
- Why Does My Puppy Have Loose Stools At Night?
- How Long Can A Puppy Hold Its Pee?

I am an experienced pet owner with decades of experience owning a number of different pets, from traditional pets like dogs and cats, to the more exotic like reptiles and rodents. I currently own a Cockapoo (pictured) called Bailey. I am also the main writer and chief editor here at Pet Educate; a site dedicated to sharing evidence-based insights and guidance, based on my vast pet ownership knowledge, experience, and extensive research.