How Often You Should Stop When Driving With A Dog

how often should I stop when driving with dog in car

Are you about to embark on a road trip with your dog but you have no idea how often you should be taking breaks from driving to let your dog go to the toilet or just to stretch their legs. Don’t worry any longer as we have done the research and figured out exactly how often you should be stopping when driving with a dog!

So how often should you stop when driving with a dog? You should stop every two to three hours to let your dog go to the toilet. A young or elderly dog will not be able to hold their bladder as long, so they will need to take breaks every 30 minutes to 1.5 hours.

Continue reading to find out specific break lengths and frequencies depending on your dog’s age!

Table of Contents

FAQs About Driving With A Dog

woman in red tank top sitting on white car hood during daytime

Can dogs go on long car rides? Yes, dogs can go on long car rides however they will need to get out of the car to stretch their legs and have toilet breaks quite regularly. You should stop every two to three hours during a long car ride with a dog.

How often should I stop on a road trip with my dog? You should stop every two to three hours when on a road trip with your dog to let them go to the toilet. Taking breaks for exercise is also a good idea to tire your dog out so they sleep in the car.

How many hours can a puppy travel in the car? A puppy can travel in a car for many hours as long as they have many toilet breaks. As puppies can’t hold their bladders for long periods of time, you should take breaks approximately every 30 minutes to 1.5 hours.

How long can you drive in a day with a dog? You can drive up to 5 hours in a day with a dog however you will need to stop multiple times for toilet and exercise breaks. You should stop every two to three hours for an adult dog while driving.

How Often To Stop When Driving With A Young Dog

When driving with a young dog, one should stop driving when his/her bladder is roughly one-third to one-half full. The time corresponding to how long your puppy can hold it’s bladder can be found using the formula stated below.

The rule of thumb when it comes to how long a puppy can hold its bladder is one hour for every one month of his/her age.

General Formula For How Long A Puppy Can Hold It’s Bladder:

1 Hour x Age In Months

How Long Puppies Of Different Ages Can Hold Their Bladders

Puppy’s Age	Approximate Duration A Puppy Can Hold It’s Bladder
One Month Old	1 Hour
Two Months Old	2 Hours
Three Months Old	3 Hours
Four Months Old	4 Hours
Five Months Old	5 Hours
Six Months Old	6 Hours

While this is a general formula, your puppy will get a to certain age where one month does not equal to an hour of being able to hold his/her bladder. This is generally around the eight month old mark. Veterinarians recommend that any dog, no matter the age, should not be holding his/her bladder for more than 6-8 hours.

While these statistics are the maximum, it does not mean that you should leave your dog for extended periods of time without a toilet stop. While he/she may be able to hold their bladder for the entirety of a road trip, it would not be a comfortable or pleasant experience at all for your dog. Furthermore, waiting until your dog cannot hold on any longer could lead to accidents in the car and also the formation of urinary tract stones or crystals or an infection. That is why as I stated at the beginning of this section that you should make a pit stop when your puppy’s bladder is around 1/3 to 1/2 full according to the age guide above.

How long can a 2 month old puppy hold their pee? A two month old puppy can hold their pee for approximately 2 hours.
How long can a 3 month old puppy hold their pee? A three month old puppy can hold their pee for approximately 3 hours.
How long can a 4 month old puppy hold their pee? A four month old puppy can hold their pee for approximately 4 hours.
How long can a 6 month old puppy hold their pee? A six month old puppy can hold their pee for approximately 6 hours.

How Often You Should Stop While Driving Depending On Your Puppy’s Age

Puppy’s Age	Approximately How Often To Let Your Puppy Take A Toilet Break
One Month Old	30 Minutes
Two Months Old	1 Hour
Three Months Old	1 Hour
Four Months Old	1.5 Hours
Five Months Old	1.5 Hours
Six Months Old	2 Hours

How Often To Stop When Driving With A Small Dog

The size of your dog does not significantly affect how long they can hold their bladders, so a small adult dog much like a large dog should be having toilet breaks every 2-3 hours while driving.

If you take a look at the table with data based on how long various small dog breeds can hold their bladder’s, you will see the 2-3 hour rule aligns with the suggestion to take a break when your dog’s bladder is roughly a quarter to a half full.

How Long Various Small Dog Breeds Can Hold Their Bladder’s:

Dog Breed	Approximate Duration It Can Hold It’s Bladder
Chihuahua	6 hours
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel	4 hours
Pug	6 hours
French Bulldog	8 hours
Beagle	6 hours
Dachshund	4 hours

How Often To Stop When Driving With A Large Dog

While larger dog breeds can generally hold their bladders for a little bit longer than smaller breeds as they have slightly larger capacities, you should still take your large adult dog out for a toilet break every 2-3 hours while driving.

The 1/4 to 1/2 full bladder rule for stops is still very applicable for large dog breeds and as you can see from the data in the table below, all of these large dog breeds would need to have a break every 2-3 hours.

How Long Various Large Dog Breeds Can Hold Their Bladder’s:

Dog Breed	Approximate Duration It Can Hold It’s Bladder
Golden Retriever	8 hours
Labrador	7 hours
Border Collie	6 hours
German Shepherd	6 hours
Poodle	8 hours

Do Dog Medications Effect How Often Toilet Breaks Should Be On A Road Trip?

Yes, it is very likely that if your dog is on any medications or has any medical conditions you are going to have to take more toilet breaks on a road trip. You should consult your veterinarian to get advice about how often you should space out your breaks according to the effects the medication has on your dog’s bladder. You should also ask if the medications will affect how easily your dog can become dehydrated during a car ride as well because dehydration has a big effect on how often your dog needs to take a toilet break.

How Long Should A Potty Break Be When Driving With A Dog

When you stop to let your dog go to the toilet every 2-3 hours of a car trip, you should be aiming to stop for around 15-20 minutes. During these breaks you should let your dog go to the toilet, stretch out his legs and also offer your dog some fresh water. One of the best ways to give your dog water while on a road trip is to use a dog travel bottle or a collapsible dog water bowl that you can fill up with your personal water bottle or from a tap.