Why does my dog pee on my bed? While having your dog sleep on you is one of the greatest comforts in the world, nothing is appealing about a wet bed. As a dog lover, you may have developed a bond with your furball that lets you communicate without words. A soft whimper is enough to let you know they are ready to go outside.
This accident, however unfortunate, is the first step for dog owners to learn more about our four-legged companion and, in turn, grow an even stronger bond between us. Here are the most common reasons potty training may not be working as you hoped.
Contents
Why Does My Dog Pee on My Bed?
Finding out why this happens is essential. First, you will need to determine whether the action is related to behavior or medical conditions. Many of your dog’s behavior can be linked back to its history as a wild pack animal. We explore the basic causes for your furry friend peeing in the bed below.
1. Urinating Due to Excitement or Stress
In younger dogs, a dribble of urine is expected when they are overly excited. The behavior will likely disappear as your pup progresses into adulthood. Stress, on the other hand, is a potent cause for your dog to urinate inappropriately.
A stressor can be from its environment or internal stress due to a medical condition. A change in your dog’s environment, such as a new family member (two legs or four) or loud noises can be a cause of stress. It is essential first to rule out the possibility of it being a medical problem. Then a pet parent can begin to focus on reducing your pet’s stress.
2. Health Issue Causing Your Dog to Wee
While it is less likely to be medically related, we should mention urinary tract infections can cause dogs to urinate by accident. To determine if your pet is suffering from an infection, you can give your vet a urine sample to test.
Other medical issues relating to the urinary tract could cause a lack of bladder control. These include pollakiuria (more frequent peeing), bladder stones, kidney disease, and tumors. Diseases like Cushing’s disease and diabetes can also cause complications to the urinary tract.
3. Old Age & Incontinence
If your dog experiences incontinence, urine will, unfortunately, leak involuntarily. This is common in older dogs and is experienced both while your furball is sleeping and awake. Young dogs can also experience a loss of control of their bladder caused by a disability at birth or following a medical procedure like neutering.
Spayed female dogs often experience hormone-responsive urinary incontinence. The levels of estrogen following the procedure may inhibit the urethral sphincter (the muscle helping your dog to hold it). Luckily, urinary incontinence in old dogs can often be treated with surgery or medication. If your dog appears to urinate without control, consider visiting a vet for a professional opinion.
4. Training Issues
Did your dog complete house training as a puppy? We all know the saying, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. While your pup may appear to be house trained, peeing in your bed is simply not an option.
If you have yet to practice training with your pets, consider starting with basic commands and house training. The fun process of training your dog is likely to bring you closer.
5. Is Your Dog Allowed on the Bed?
If your dog has lived harmoniously with you and has only recently been practicing inappropriate urination, consider if there have been any new stressors. Stressful events such as a loss in the family, whether human or animal, can have a significant impact on your pet. A dog would prefer to keep its sleeping place clean, so urinating on the bed while awake is a concerning behavior.
If you are introducing your bed for the first time, a dog that was kept in a kennel or confined space for a prolonged period may pose a challenge to house training. The established behavior of eliminating in the area the dog sleeps tends to weaken the dog’s understanding of the right and the wrong place to pee.
6. Marking its Territory
A dog peeing on your bed on purpose may be marking its territory. A dog may see marking an area in the house as a necessary way to say ‘hello’ to other dogs that might be nearby. New smells such as a guest’s jacket can cause your dog to feel the need to mark its territory. We recommend keeping new purchases and items with foreign smells off of the floor.
The best solution is to verbally interrupt the action of marking and guide your dog to the correct place to eliminate. You’ll know your dog is marking and not peeing when only a small amount of urine is released. If you cannot watch over your pet, consider having your dog confined to its crate for an hour or two to prevent bad behavior from occurring.
How to Stop a Dog from Peeing on Your Bed
As mentioned above, it is best practice to check with a veterinarian if health conditions cause urinating. With the confirmation of a clean bill of health from a trained professional, you can assume the urinating is based on the dog’s behavior. If your dog keeps peeing in the house, it is time to work on correcting the underlying issue.
If the Dog Had Previous Training
Training is best done during a puppy’s developing months and can take place in many forms. We recommend sharing your bed only when you are with your dog, restricting access to your bedroom door when you are not in the room. Your dog can learn by receiving rewards for good behavior soon after it takes place. Positive reinforcement will help your dog to understand right and wrong.
A dog that has been trained to respond to basic commands like sit may learn to eliminate outdoors more easily. However, house training is no short walk in the park. Training your pet not to pee inside requires patience and consistent time spent with your dog. The aim of the interactions during training is to create a routine.
If the Dog Had No Previous Training
If you have to clean up an accident (not the most exciting part of your day), place the soiled rags in the area you would like your dog to eliminate in. This way, your pet can associate the smell with the area it is supposed to eliminate. Your best way forward starts with training, no matter the dog’s age.
First, keep the door to your bedroom closed. Restricting access will help you to control the times that are spent on the bed together. We recommend allowing your dog to get on the bed only when you are on the bed.
Give a training treat as a reward for urinating in the correct place, using positive reinforcements soon after the desired action. We do not recommend punishing your dog for peeing in the bed or any other inappropriate place. If you notice your dog dipping down to pee, or lifting a leg in the house, a simple interruption with a ’no’ and guidance to the correct location is recommended.
If you are not managing to build a new habit, you can consider a dog trainer or animal behaviorist to assist you with the challenging behavior.
Establish a Routine
Build a good relationship with your dog every day. By taking your pet outside at set times, in the morning, afternoon, and evening, your dog will learn to eliminate in a specific area easier. With your dog on the lead, guide him or her to the outdoors or a location not too far from the door. If you are in an apartment, a corner with laid out newspaper or a litter box may be necessary.
Praise your dog and play together following a successful pee in the right place. You can also begin to associate a short phrase, such as ‘go potty’ with the action of going to pee. This can help you to remind your pet what they should be doing when you reach the desired area.
Lastly, do not leave your dog unsupervised at home. Sniffing and circling are often signs that your dog is ready to wee. Immediately lead your dog outside.
What Not to Do If Your Dog Wet The Bed
Knowing what not to do is equally important in training your dog not to wet the bed. Firstly, as mentioned above, do not punish your dog for its negative behavior, particularly senior dogs. Reprimanding your pet will likely cause anxiety, and the increased stress is not conducive to training efforts. A stressed animal is less likely to learn the correct behavior.
Do not startle your dog during or after elimination. While you may want to react after discovering a wet bed, it is necessary to clean it up and first consider what may have caused the accident. If it is a new stressor, the solution may be as simple as removing the item causing the stress. If it is a medical issue, your veterinarian will best describe your treatment options.
Now You Know Why Does My Dog Pee on My Bed
After you have solved the problem of your dog peeing on the bed, it is worth confirming your dog drinks enough water. A dog that is drinking water too often and peeing inappropriately may be under stress from an illness. If it is a behavioral issue, the easiest way is to start with training or hire a professional dog trainer to assist you.
If you found our solution helpful, consider sharing your experience in the comments below.
Related Posts:
Amanda O’Brien is the owner of The Dog Snobs website. She is dog mad and dog aunt to Clover in London and Poppy in Sydney. She can’t wait to have a schedule that allows her to have a dog of her own (for now it is two Siberian cats) and loves learning about dog breeds and dog behavior.