Why Does My Dog Pee on the Bed?

No matter how much we love out canine companions, we cannot pretend that there aren’t some behaviours that irk us. We can take the shredding of the newspaper. We can take hiding the slipper in the garden. But we really must draw the line at peeing on the bed. This isn’t a behaviour of unknowing puppies, dogs of all ages have been known to like to take a tinkle on their owner’s beds. However, it could be much more than just a misbehaving pooch. So, why does man’s best friend urinate on the bed?

They Love Your Smell

To your dog, your odour is something they cannot get enough of. They love you. They love your smell. They love anything that smells like you. This is the same reason as to why our dogs often go through phases of stealing our dirty underwear and socks – our scent.

Looking at the behaviour of wild dogs can help us understand this reason. Wild dogs encounter predators throughout their lifetime and they have two choices; fight or flight. Neither is ideal for the dog so they will try and cover their scent. This is why you can sometimes find your dog rolling in the carcass of a dead animal or fox poo. They replicate this in your home by rolling in your dirty laundry and, yes, your bed! Dogs urinate on your bed because it hides their scent in your – what the dog considers to be – the smell of their protector and companion. This makes Fido feel less exposed.

Your Dog is Overly Submissive

Whilst a smidge of the submissive can lead a dog to be calm, good with children and easy to teach, too much submissiveness can be a bad thing. Dogs which are over submissive tend to be somewhat trigger happy with their bladders. They will urinate if they are scared or excited. Any emotion other than the normal level of happy and they can be prone to a leakage.

Often this behaviour is most noted in puppies and they grow out of it. However, they are cases of adult dogs who continue the pattern through their lives. If this is the case it can be worth consulting your vet or an animal behaviourist.

Angry or Afraid?

Is your dog peeing on your bed after you have told them off? Do they do it after being left alone for a period of time? Many people assume that their dog urinates on their bed out of spite. However, dogs do not have the capacity to act in this manner out of anger and this behaviour is actually due to feeling vulnerable.

Dogs often look guilty after peeing on your bed but this is not their way of admitting they have done something wrong. Your dog, in this instance, will be peeing on your bed because they are afraid. Urinating on your bed makes them feel safe again.

How Can I Stop My Dog Peeing on My Bed?

One easy way to stop your dog urinating on your bed is to not allow them on it. Keep the door shut or pop your pooch in a crate if you are heading out for a short while. Most dogs actually find being in a crate comforting as they are comfortable snug spaces. However, your dog should only ever be crated overnight or for a small fraction of the day.

If your dog is a puppy or adolescent, they may be peeing on your bed because they haven’t been correctly house trained. This can also be noticed in rescue dogs. It might be appropriate to start house training again from scratch to ensure that this is not the issue. If your dog is urinating on your bed and other areas around the house, it is likely that this is the issue.

Always make sure to thoroughly clean up after your dog makes a mess. If they can still smell their urine in your bedroom they are more likely to do the same again. Pet odour eliminators can be extremely handy for ensuring no trace is left behind.

If you have tried everything and you aren’t sure of where to turn it could be best to get in touch with an animal behaviourist. They will be able to help your and your dog work together to bring the unwanted behaviour to a stop.

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