Why Does My Dog Pee On My Bed?

You’ve come home from a long day at work and you notice a pungent smell coming from your bed. You see a small wet patch and know the culprit is your dog. You immediately wonder to yourself, “why does my dog pee on my bed?” There are multiple reasons why your dog might be displaying this behavior and some will require a visit to the vet.

5 Reasons your dog is peeing on your bed

1. Health issues

If your dog has been completely potty trained but is now peeing on your bed, you’ll want to rule out any health issues. Multiple health problems can cause urinary accidents in the home. These can include:

• Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
• Cystitis
• Kidney disease
• Tumors
• Bladder stones
• Cushing’s disease
• Diabetes

Solution: It’s best to take your dog to the vet to rule out any health concerns. They can often be the cause of dogs not being able to control their bladder. Your vet will be able to advise you on medication and next steps.

2. Incontinence 

If you have a senior dog then they may be starting to suffer from incontinence. This is when the muscles around a dog’s bladder start to weaken leading to urine leaking out. 

Urinary incontinence is most common in large breed, spayed female dogs (11-20%) but of course any dog can suffer from this. You might also find that your senior dog’s ability to hold their pee before they get outside is decreasing. If your dog is lying on your bed and is incontinent, they might leak urine involuntarily onto your bed.

Solution: An indoor dog potty can help senior dogs who aren’t able to hold their bladder for as long anymore.

3. House training problems 

If you have a puppy who is peeing on your bed then it may be because they aren’t fully potty trained yet. Accidents happen during the housetraining process and the whole process can take a while (usually 4 – 6 months).

Puppies can struggle with holding their urine through the night. If they are sleeping on your bed and you don’t take them out, they could relieve themselves on the bed. If it’s happening during the day it could be because you are asking them to hold their urine for too long. they might not be

Additionally, if they have had accidents in the past in a particular place such as your bed, they are likely to return to the same spot because of the enticing smell.

Solution: You can use an enzyme cleaner to remove the odors from your bedding and restrict access to certain areas until they have completed their house training. You can use a dog gate or a crate to help.

4. Scent marking

It’s important to note that dogs do not scent mark out of spite or because they are being vindictive. A dog’s urine contains pheromones (chemical messages) that denote their age, gender, and overall health, including whether they have been neutered or not. It is used by dogs to communicate with one another.

Dogs use scent marking to mark their territory. It is especially prevalent in households with multiple dogs where they are competing for their food and space. It usually happens on food bowls, toys and beds. It is also more prevalent in unfixed male dogs who are more inclined to scent mark to signal their sexual availability.

This is different to complete relief of their bladder because only a small amount of spray is used in scent marking. Dogs also are less likely to mark over their own urine or a spot with no smell so removing any smells which prompt the scent marking is key.

Solution: Neutering a dog can reduce their desire to scent mark. If you are in a multi-dog household then removing the scents with an enzyme cleaner is a good idea.

5. Emotional stressors

Anxiety and stress

Your dog may also be peeing on your bed if they are feeling anxious or stressed. As your bed smells like you, your dog may be drawn there in stressful situations. Situations that could lead to anxiety include someone leaving the house and causing separation anxiety. A stressful situation may be hearing loud noises. It is important to note that scolding a dog for urinating inside due to anxiety will only exacerbate the problem.

Instead, it is advisable to pay attention to your dog’s body language during these episodes to identify the underlying cause of their anxiety. By understanding the source of their distress, you can take appropriate measures to create a more comfortable environment for them and effectively address these anxiety-related behaviors.

Solution: Make a note of the times your dog has peed on your bed and determine if there were any events that might have caused them anxiety or stress beforehand. Try to remove these stressors from their environment to reduce their anxiety.

Submissive urination

Submissive urination is common in puppies which they usually grow out of as they become adult dogs. It is similar to a dog peeing inside when anxious but is combined with submissive body postures. This might include:

• Lowered head/cowering
• Tucked tail
• Ears pinned back
• Rolling over to expose their belly

It usually happens when your dog is being greeted and they are feeling anxious.

Solution: Gentle approach your dog whilst they are on the bed with a calm and soft voice. You want to avoid exhibiting any behavior which could be interpreted as dominant.

Tips to stop your dog peeing on your bed

Here are some quick tips for stopping your dog from peeing on your bed.

• Take your dog to the vet to rule out any medical issues which may be causing the inappropriate urination.
• Keep your bedroom door closed.
• Take puppies outside for regular potty breaks.
• Use an enzyme cleaner to clean areas your dog keeps marking.
• Train your senior dog to use an indoor dog potty.
• Remove your dog from the emotional stressors which are causing the peeing on the bed.

Conclusion

It’s important to understand why your dog may be peeing on your bed, so you can take appropriate steps to stop it. From scent marking to emotional stressors, knowing what causes the dog urine will help to stop it. A quick visit to the vet is important to rule out any health problems.

Be sure to keep your bedroom door closed, use an enzyme cleaner on any areas that have been marked before, and train your dog to use an indoor dog potty if necessary. With these tips in mind and a lot of patience, you’ll soon see success in keeping your bed nice and clean.