Stop My Dog’s Late-Night Needs

Q. My 11-month-old Labrador Retriever Jaxon has to go to the bathroom at night. I have to get up early in the morning, so I can’t get up two or three times each night to let him out. How can I get him to wait until the morning to go?

A. When a dog past the infant stage has to potty two to three times every night, it often indicates a urinary tract infection or other health problem. At 11 months, dogs in normal health can generally sleep all night without needing a potty outing. Take Jaxon to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

The vet will give him a thorough physical exam and probably will need to do a urine culture, and possibly other diagnostic tests, to determine if hidden health issues are the cause of Jaxon's frequent nightly elimination. Most health issues that cause overly frequent elimination can be cured if found early and given proper medical treatment.