DogsLife

Makes a potty (toilet/house-training) schedule for a puppy aged 8 to 52 weeks: how long it can usually hold it, how often to take it out during the day, whether to plan night trips, and a sample day with clock times from wake-up to bedtime. For questions about how often to take a puppy out to pee, puppy potty or house-training schedules, and night-time potty trips. Age is in weeks (1 month is about 4.3 weeks). Gives general guidance based on vet and kennel-club sources (VCA, AKC, PetMD), not veterinary advice; not for adult dogs' medical problems such as accidents, diarrhoea or frequent urination.

Works out how much a puppy or young dog (8 weeks to 24 months) typically sleeps per 24 hours, how much of that its night covers given the household's bedtime and wake-up time, how many hours of naps are left for the day, and the typical nap pattern for that age. For questions about how much a puppy should sleep, how many naps it needs, or whether a puppy sleeps too much or too little. Gives typical ranges from vet and kennel-club guidance (Agria, AKC, Zoetis), not veterinary advice; a sudden change in sleep or lethargy is a question for a vet.

Works out how much walking and exercise a dog needs per day for its age, size and energy level. Puppies (until about 12 months, large breeds 18 months): the 5-minutes-per-month-of-age rule for formal walks, up to twice a day, never above the adult amount for the dog's type. Adults: the Royal Kennel Club daily bands (up to 30 minutes, up to 1 hour, or more than 2 hours). For questions about how long to walk a puppy or a dog, or how much exercise a breed type needs. General guidance from kennel-club and vet sources (Royal Kennel Club, PDSA, AniCura), not veterinary advice.

Makes a puppy feeding schedule: how many meals a day for its age (8 weeks to 24 months), meal times spread over the household's day, and when to switch to adult food for its size. Does not calculate food amounts (those follow the food's own label). For questions about how many times a day to feed a puppy, puppy meal times, or when to move to adult food. General guidance from AKC, Agria and PDSA, not veterinary advice.

Estimates a puppy's adult weight from its age (6 to 18 months) and current weight, using the share of adult weight puppies of each size class usually reach by that age (American Kennel Club growth chart), and says when puppies of that size usually finish growing. For questions about how big a puppy will get. An estimate only: breed, genes and diet change it, and it is not veterinary advice.

Converts a dog's age (1 to 16 years) into human years using the American Veterinary Medical Association chart (about 15 human years at 1, 24 at 2, then about 4 to 6 per year), and says when dogs are usually considered seniors. For questions like how old a dog is in human years.