Why Does My Dog Pee On Her Bed (And How To Stop It!)

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When Maggie was younger, she was still potty training and getting used to my house at the same time.

I thought making her a little bed would make her more comfortable, so I used the fleece blanket she came home with to create a haven surrounded by her stuffed animals.

I pictured her napping in her little corner, but all she ever seemed to do was pee on it!

I understood that she was potty training and accidents were going to happen, but it’s like she peed on that one spot on her bed on purpose.

Why Dogs Pee Their Beds

So why did she pee on her bed?

Turns out, it was one of many reasons.

Here are the reasons why your dog pees on their bed and how to stop it.

Emotional Issues

Dogs at all stages of life will experience their emotions differently, which is why you should consider the age of your dog while thinking about their emotional state.

Maggie would cry a little at night and whine for me while I was gone during the day, but her anxiety never showed at the same time she peed on her bed.

Other dogs may pee on their bed when they’re feeling scared or sad.

Or, if they’re older, they may pee a tiny bit on their bed when they feel the need to mark it as their territory^[1].

Incontinence

Older dogs sometimes pee on their bed even though they’ve been house trained for years. This incontinence can be caused by a few things^[2].

Does your dog pee on their bed while they’re asleep?

This is actually more common than I’d ever realized.

For some dogs, it’s an involuntary reaction to deep slumber and dreams.

Plus, it can happen at any age.

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Older dogs may pee on their bed seemingly without a schedule. As dogs age, their urethra may not properly contract. That causes leaks to happen.

Incontinence may also occur if there are undiagnosed neurological problems.

Medical Reasons for Bed Wetting

Dog diapers to prevent mess when dog pees marks their bed from incontinence — Doggy diapers won’t stop the peeing but they can stop the mess

The reason for your dog’s bed wetting may be caused by a simple medical condition.

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) can happen for dogs of any age.

If bacteria get inside your dog’s urinary tract and multiply, it will make them feel like they need to pee all the time, leading to accidents.

UTIs can also happen when your dog’s hormones are out of balance^[3].

Your dog may also have a kidney disease.

This means that one or both of your dog’s kidneys may not be properly eliminating toxins from their bloodstream. The kidneys end up working overtime, resulting in more pee.

The onset of arthritis could also explain why your dog pees his bed.

It’s painful for dogs to get up and down from their bed when they have inflamed joints. They might decide it’s easier just to go where they’re sleeping.

How to Stop the Peeing

Depending on what’s causing your dog to pee on their bed, there are a few different ways you can stop the peeing.

Try to Relax

If you think your dog is anxious, stressed, or scared, try to get them to relax.

How to stop dog from peeing bed distract play games tug of war — Distract the doggo!

You’ll know how to do this better than anyone, but here are a few things you can try.

Get your dog to start playing their favorite game. Tug, fetch, whatever it is.

They’ll get caught up in a fun game and forget why they were ever upset.

You can also start a snuggle session.

Most of the time, dogs are anxious because they feel alone.

Dogs are pack animals, so let yours know that you’ve got their back by giving them all of your attention.

Spend time petting and loving on them to help them feel more comfortable.

Get a Prescription

Older dogs who have already been diagnosed with a potential oncoming bladder issue may just need a prescription for certain medications.

When dogs age, their urethral sphincter loses the ability to tighten up, which makes leaks happen whether your dog wants to go or not.

They may need a prescription for medication like phenylpropanolamine or ephedrine^[4].

Many older dogs get prescriptions for these and have success after taking them regularly.

Visit the Vet

If your dog pees the bed regularly, it’s always a good idea to get them looked at by your vet.

Even if you don’t think they need medication, the vet may be able to diagnose the issue and get your dog immediate relief.

UTIs and kidney diseases may be treated by antibiotics, although a more serious kidney condition may require hospitalization.

Your dog might need fluid therapy to flush toxins out of their system and restore health to their kidneys.

The vet may also recognize other symptoms of arthritis.

Arthritis doesn’t have a cure, but the symptoms will ease with the right exercises, diet and potential anti-inflammatory medication.

A little water therapy could be all your dog needs to feel like their old self again^[5].

Change Their Lifestyle

None of these options would have seemed right for Maggie, and you might find yourself in the same place.

Try changing their lifestyle by making slight adjustments.

Instead of letting them sleep on their bed, let them sleep in their crate.

Crates are a good potty training tool regardless, plus it’ll make your dog feel safer if they pee when they feel exposed in the dark at night. (Yes, they can be afraid of the dark!^[6])

If your dog suffers from anxiety or stress, an anxiety vest could be what they need.

Being swaddled in the vest distributes equal pressure around their back and chest.

It’s essentially giving your dog a permanent hug, which will calm them right down.

Older dogs may appreciate raised beds that they don’t have to painfully lay down on or a mini set of stairs that small dogs can climb up to bed.

This is helpful for dogs with arthritis, because they’ll put less pressure on their joints.

Try Essential Oils

This won’t address any underlying issues but you can use certain scents to dissuade your dog from peeing in a certain area, such as their bed.

You can find more information on this topic in our article on using essential oils to stop indoor peeing!

Conclusion

It takes time to figure out why your dog is peeing on their bed.

I tried different lifestyle changes for a few weeks with Maggie, but I noticed that as she got more potty trained, she peed less on her bed.

It’s always smart to ask your vet any questions you may have about your dog’s health.

They may be struggling with any of these incontinence causes, with help just around the corner.

Why Does My Dog Pee on Her Bed (And How to Stop It!)