Why Did My Dog Start Peeing in My Bed?

Your bed should be a sanctuary where you can rest and relax in peace, but sometimes that peaceful space may become unpleasant if your dog decides to use it as a bathroom. After all, no one wants to find or smell a puddle of pee on the bed.

Dogs pee on things as a way to mark territory, but urinating on your bed could have other causes, too. Health and mobility issues can lead to this type of inappropriate elimination, as can a lack of bathroom breaks throughout the day. To get to the bottom of your dog's urination issues, it's best to consult with your veterinarian to rule out illness as the cause of her unusual behavior.

When your dog is sick, he can't simply communicate this to you with a conversation, so instead, he may take to sending you pee-mail. Major causes of inappropriate elimination include urinary tract infections, diabetes, spinal injury, kidney failure, and incontinence issues, according to PetMD. It's best to bring your dog to a veterinarian for a health checkup to rule out illness as the cause of your pup's peeing.

If your dog is diagnosed with a health issue, once your vet treats the problem, the inappropriate urination should stop after he recovers. Should the inappropriate urination continue, you may want to keep your dog away from your bed for a while until he starts feeling more like himself.

Dogs mark territory with their urine and your dog may just be claiming your bed as part of her territory. If your dog is depositing small amounts of urine on your bed rather than emptying out her whole bladder, it's probably because she's urine marking. While this behavior is more common in male dogs, female dogs may do it, too, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

Urine marking is especially common in pups who haven't been spayed or neutered. Doing so may resolve this behavior. Keep in mind that urine marking isn't an insult to you, it just means that your pup is stressed out and needs to reassure herself by marking her space with her scent.

Dogs need several potty breaks throughout the day or else they will be forced to eliminate indoors. If your dog is peeing on your bed, it could mean that he needs additional outings throughout the day to empty his bladder, especially after meals and before bedtime, recommends Cesar's Way. Or, he's not quite potty trained just yet and might need some additional training.

If you can't walk your dog throughout the day, consider hiring a dog walker or pet sitter to check in on him. Or, enroll him in doggie daycare for a day of fun while you're away. Another option is to install a doggie door if you have a fenced yard so that your pup can let himself out as he needs to during the day.

Keep in mind that you'll also need to clean up any previous accidents on your bed by washing your sheets and even scrubbing your mattress with an enzymatic pet cleaning solution even after giving your pup additional breaks. This will prevent your dog from re-marking the area due to the smell.

Dogs who are anxious will sometimes eliminate indoors on things like beds and couches because something in the house has changed. If you have recently lost another pet or family member, that can cause stress for your dog. Or, if you've recently moved or even purchased new furniture, this could prompt your dog to pee on your bed to comfort herself. Even a change in your schedule is anxiety-inducing for dogs.

For behavioral issues, your vet can recommend medications to calm your dog and make her less anxious throughout the day, leading to a reduction of peeing issues.

Arthritis is a condition most common in older dogs, but some younger dogs can suffer from it as well. This painful condition makes moving around hard for your dog, and he might not be able to make it off of the bed before an accident happens. Also, dogs with arthritis may not fully empty their bladders when given a bathroom break, leading to leakage later on when they are settled on your bed.

Your vet can determine if your pup is suffering from any mobility issues including arthritis and help develop a treatment plan to take care of your pup's pain. To help combat the problem, make your pup his own comfortable and washable sleeping spot outside of your bedroom. And don't forget to cut off access to your bed if he is unable to fully control his bladder.