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The Go-Home Guide
A Labrador Puppy Schedule That Actually Works
One sample day, and the big-picture plan for the first ninety days.
By Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA. Family-raised Labradors in Sanford, FL.
The bookThe Go-Home GuideThe full printable 90-day schedule is in the book.See it on Amazon
The short version
- A two-month-old can hold it about three hours. Build the day around that.
- Potty after every nap, meal and play session.
- Same times every day, weekends included.
- Each month has one main job: routine, socialization and manners, then the basic commands.
A Lab puppy does not need a perfect schedule. She needs a predictable one. Same wake-up, same meals, same potty spot, every day. A predictable day is how house-training happens, and it is how a puppy learns that a crate is a normal place to rest.
Why the schedule is built around the bladder
Young puppies cannot hold it long. The common rule of thumb is one hour for each month of age, plus one. A two-month-old Lab can usually last about three hours during the day. A playing, excited puppy, less.
The American Kennel Club says puppies can typically hold their bladder for about the number of hours equal to their age in months, plus one.
Source: American Kennel Club
A sample day for an 8 to 10 week old Lab
This is a working family’s day. Adjust the clock to yours. Keep the order.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:00 a.m. | Out of the crate and straight outside to potty. |
| 6:15 a.m. | Breakfast and water. Give her 15 to 20 minutes to digest, then a short walk. |
| 7:00 a.m. | Play in the pen while you get ready. One more potty trip before you leave. |
| Midday | A family member, neighbor or dog walker lets her out once or twice. Potty, a little play, back to rest. |
| 5:30 p.m. | Home. Wait for her to calm down before you open the crate, or you reward the barking. Then straight outside. |
| 6:00 p.m. | Dinner, water, digest, walk, then play and a short training game. |
| 8:00 p.m. | Pick up the water bowl. |
| 9:00 p.m. | Last potty trip, then crate and lights out. |
Add a potty trip after every nap and every play session. Puppies almost always need to go within minutes of waking up.
Florida note: from May through September, put walks in the early morning and after sunset. Pavement in the afternoon sun can burn young paws. If it is too hot for your hand, it is too hot for her feet.
Feeding on the schedule
Borosky puppies eat twice a day, and many of our families move to one meal a day after the first year. Your vet may suggest three smaller meals for a very young puppy. Split the day’s food into equal meals at the same times. A Lab will act starving at every meal no matter what. Measure the food and watch the waistline. Our feeding guide has amounts by age, and your vet has the final say.
The 90-day plan at a glance
The daily schedule stays about the same for three months. What you work on changes, roughly every few weeks: settling in, routine, careful socialization, manners, then the basic commands. The Go-Home Guide hub lists each stretch, and the book breaks them into week-by-week steps.
The book also has a printable schedule for the fridge. For training methods today, start with our Labrador training basics.
Keep training sessions short
Five to ten minutes is plenty at this age. A puppy who has been awake and busy for an hour is a puppy who needs a nap, not another lesson. End on a win and let her sleep on it.
When the schedule slips
It will. A late night, a holiday, a sick kid. Get back on it the next morning. Do not let one bad day turn into a new routine. And on weekends, hold the same times. Puppies learn the daily rhythm fast, and a lazy Saturday resets it.
Common Questions
What is a good daily schedule for a Labrador puppy?
How long can a Lab puppy hold her bladder?
How many times a day should a Lab puppy eat?
Should I keep the same schedule on weekends?
Raising a Borosky puppy?
Our next litter is Luna x Louie, white and cream English Labradors due at the end of November 2026. Deposits open once the puppies are born. Every family gets this same playbook at pickup, plus Dr. Paul’s phone number.
See upcoming littersCall (321) 948-9588