In this guide we list potential reasons as to why your dog might pee on your bed, or his/her bed.
We also consider potential ways you might either prevent this behavior, or address the problem in an easier way.
Depending on your dog’s physical or mental condition, and their age, the reasons and solutions can be different (each dog is different)
There’s no substitute for the advice of a professional, so always follow their advice over general advice.
But, for minor/non serious issues and solutions like basic house training and waterproofing a bed, some owners try to address these things themselves first.
(NOTE: this is a general information guide only, and is not professional advice, or a substitute for professional advice. A qualified vet or animal expert is the only person qualified to give you expert advice in regards to your pet/s)
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Why Does My Dog Pee On His/Her Bed & My Bed? + How To Stop It
Reasons Why My Dog Might Pee On His/Her Bed, or My Bed
Usually the reasons dogs pee in the house or on a bed can unofficially be divided into mental/behavioural, or physical reasons.
Those reasons might include:
Physical Reasons
1. They are puppies who don’t have control of their bodily functions yet
Puppies take some time until they start to have better control over how long they can hold their bladders and bowels
A puppy usually can’t hold their pee in as long (for as many hours) as an adult dog can for example
2. They are older dogs with incontinence or bladder control issues
When dogs become senior dogs, they may develop weak bladders or other conditions related to their age, which means they have less control over when and where they pee
3. They have a physical condition causing them to pee in an uncontrollable way
Infections, kidney disease and many other physical conditions can cause a puppy or dog to pee inside, on their bed or on your bed
Conditions which cause your dog to drink a lot of water for example might mean they pee more frequently
4. Side effects from medication or surgery
If your dog has been given medication or has had surgery recently, this can be a reason for them peeing inside or more frequently
Behavioral Reasons
1. They are puppies and haven’t been house trained yet
Puppies need some time to learn where they need to pee – usually outside.
They also need time to get used to a potty routine i.e. when and how often you let them outside to go potty.
If your puppy hasn’t been house trained or potty trained yet, they might pee inside on their bed or yours
Puppies need clear and consistent direction on where and when they should be peeing
2. Mark their territory with their scent
Dogs may try to mark their territory by peeing on things – males might be more prone to this
If your bed or their bed has a different scent on it to theirs, they may try peeing to leave their scent and mark their territory
Having said that – dogs generally don’t pee or poop where they have to sleep and spend a lot of their time (i.e. the places they consider their ‘den’), so this reason might not be common.
3. They are excited
Over excited dogs that can’t control their bladder properly may pee when they are excited.
This might happen when they see you, another person or animal, or an exciting stimulus is introduced to their environment.
They may pee on their bed or your bed if they are near them when they get excited.
4. They are scared, stressed or submissive, or have some other mental condition
Anxiety, fear or being submissive can lead to a dog losing control of their bladder voluntarily or involuntarily
Dogs that have suffered a traumatic event or events in the past might be more prone to this type of behavior
5. They aren’t being let out regularly to go potty
Dogs need to build familiarity with when they will be let out the house to go potty
If you aren’t letting your dog out or you’re letting your dog out irregularly, they may think they need to potty inside if they don’t think they will be let outside when they need to to go pee.
How To Stop My Dog Peeing on His/Her Bed, Or My Bed
1. See a vet or animal behavioral specialist if you suspect it’s required
No information is a substitute for a vet’s advice or the advice of a professional.
If you suspect it’s something serious like anxiety or another mental condition, or a physical condition that is causing your dog to pee on beds, see a vet and even a behavioral specialist on top of that
A vet might be able to advise you of your options for a dog with bladder problems, or for a senior dog.
2. See a professional trainer if required
A professional dog trainer (or animal behavioral specialist) may be able to identify the behavior that is causing the peeing and give you training steps to eventually stop the peeing
This is assuming you haven’t or can’t potty train your dog yourself
3. House train/potty train your dog yourself
An obvious one – teach your dog from a young age that they are to pee outside, and also teach them where to pee.
Make sure they know their potty routine (where and how often they are let out to pee)
You can do this by:
– Understanding puppies will usually pee often and irregularly compared to adults
– Understanding that dogs as they mature will usually not like to pee or poop in areas they sleep or spend a lot of time in – so they should naturally want to pee and poop outside if they sleep inside or spend most of their time there
– Try restricting full house access while your dog is a puppy by closing doors and closing off section. You can use a dog crate too whilst they are a puppy
– Taking your puppy outside first thing in the morning and at night when you get home from work, and before going to bed
– Get into the habit of staying outside with your puppy until they pee and poop and then letting them inside
– Praising your puppy when you see them pee outside
– In a firm voice saying “NO” or “STOP” if you see your puppy start to pee inside, and take them outside to finish their business
– Isolating your puppy to one room in the house with newspapers down or puppy training pads while they are learning to be house trained
3. Don’t let your dog in your room where your bed is
As mentioned above, closing the door to your room while you are not at home will prevent your dog from peeing on your bed
4. Make sure you let your dog out regularly to go potty
Get your dog into the routine early on of knowing they will be let outside 2 to 3 times a day to go potty
When they are a puppy, expect accidents as they learn to control their bladder better and become more familiar with being let outside
As dogs mature, they can hold their bodily functions much longer and 2 to 3 outside visits a day should be plenty unless your vet says otherwise
5. Get a waterproof and washable dog bed
This won’t stop a dog peeing on their bed, but it can certainly help in dealing with the problem.
Waterproof and easily washable dog beds are great for dogs that have peeing issues.
Check out some of the best here:
6. Get a waterproof blanket or waterproof liners for your dog’s bed or your bed
Again – won’t stop the behavior, but can help in dealing with the problem.
There are some really good waterproof liners, covers and blankets you can get for dog beds.
Check them out in this guide:
Best Waterproof Bed Liners and Covers For Dogs
7. Know How To Clean Up Dog Urine/Pee
Not a preventative tactic, but it pays to know how to clean up the urine.
Firstly, using a waterproof pet blanket/cover like the Waterproof Mambe Pet Cover (on Amazon) can help
Secondly, check out these cleaning guides:
How To Clean Up Pet Stains and Accidents
Best Ways To Wash & Clean A Dog Bed, & How To Clean Dog Beds With Urine On Them
8. Use doggy training pads as a temporary fix
Some people use crates, some use puppy training pads, some use newspaper, some use puppy training diapers – whatever you use, it’s good to balance potty training with long term sustainable solutions like potty training
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