Why Does My Dog Pee on My Bed?

If your dog is toilet trained but has recently started peeing on your bed, it can leave you feeling quite frustrated. Because of its strong odor and for hygiene reasons, you must do a load of laundry immediately, which no doubt is bothersome. But leaving the dog urine on your bed (to deal with later) can backfire because it can cause your dog to pee in the same spot again.

So, read on if you’ve been wondering: “Why does my dog pee on my bed?” We’ll help you get to the bottom of the problem and give you some solutions.

Why does my dog pee on my blanket or bed?

There are various reasons that can make your dog pee on your bed.

• Your puppy is not fully house trained.
• Your bed is soft and appealing and feels like the perfect place for your dog to relieve himself.
• Your bed smells like you!
• It’s an act of rebellion or dominance.
• Your dog is marking territory.
• You have a senior dog with incontinence (urine leakage) issues due to weakened muscles and bladder control.
• There’s a medical issue, such as a urinary tract infection, that is making your dog pee more often.

Should I punish my dog for peeing on my bed?

Before you think about punishing your dog for peeing on your bed, try to find out the cause for it.

For example, if a UTI is causing increased urinary frequency and accidents on your bed, a round of antibiotics from the veterinarian should clear it up and get rid of the problem.

Sometimes, the medical condition is more complicated and requires further treatments, including surgery, such as kidney stones or bladder tumors. The best way to find out is to take your dog to the vet.

Once the vet has ruled out medical issues, start to explore possible behavioral issues. It may be that you need to work some more on house training your dog.

Sometimes, dogs will urinate in a particular spot to mark their territory. If you have recently acquired a new pet, this may be the reason your older dog has recently started peeing on your bed.

Keep in mind also that a variety of emotions, such as stress, anxiety, fear, or excitement can cause urine dribbling or leakage in dogs. Try to find out if anything is causing your dog to be unusually anxious (for example, if you have recently gone back to work, separation anxiety could be playing a role).

How do I get my dog to stop peeing on my bed?

The best way to stop your dog peeing on your bed depends on the cause. Here are some tips to stop your dog urinating on your bed:

• Take your dog on more frequent bathroom breaks, especially after mealtimes and before bedtime. This should help if your dog has a medical issue such as a UTI or urinary incontinence related to age.
• Restrict access to your bed when you’re not at home by closing the bedroom door. You may need to crate your dog for a while to reinforce this. This is a good way to stop your dog peeing on your bed if it is caused by behavioral problems.
• Reward your dog for urinating appropriately outdoors, but do not punish him for urinating on your bed. Yelling at your dog can be misinterpreted as excitement and play time. If you shout after bad behavior like peeing on your bed, it might end up reinforcing this behavior. Your dog also might react to the shouting with anxiety or aggression.
• If you catch your dog in the act of urinating on your bed, firmly say “No” and bring him outdoors to finish the job.

If you have a bigger problem on your hands, i.e., your dog has started doing number 2 in the house, these training tips may help.