11 Effective Ways to Stop Your Dog From Peeing on Your Bed

#1: Schedule a Vet Appointment

If your dog has suddenly started peeing on your bed, especially if their potty training has regressed, they need to see a vet. It’s vital to rule out illness before treating this as a training issue.

Dogs often pee on soft surfaces like beds due to pain. This could be from arthritis, a urinary tract infection, or a number of other health problems.

Mental health conditions such as dementia are another possible cause, and sometimes dogs become incontinent due to age.

#2: Spay or Neuter Your Dog

If your dog is intact, they’re more likely to pee indoors. This is especially true for males, but females can also use urine to mark their territories.

This isn’t an issue of dominance or your dog trying to take control of the home–it’s just a natural behavior that can make them feel more secure.

Spaying and neutering is best for dogs, and often for yourself and your community as well. Your dog is likely to live a longer and healthier life with fewer behavioral problems, and you’re guaranteed not to have any poorly-bred and unwanted puppies in your future!

#3: Bring them Outside More Often

If your dog starts peeing indoors, you’ll need to go back to potty training basics. This means taking them out every couple of hours and after they eat, drink, or play. Bring your dog potty first thing in the morning and last thing before bed as well.

#4: Stay Outside Until they Pee

Some dogs will be stubborn about going outside. They might even fear peeing in front of you if you’ve punished them for peeing inside before.

Give them time and keep the experience positive, but boring–you don’t want this to be a distracting playtime, but you don’t want your dog to feel punished either.

Let your dog sniff a bit so they can find a place to go, but don’t go for a full walk, run around, or play at this time. Make those outings separate from potty time!

#5: Reward them for Peeing Outdoors

If your dog pees outside, it should be a huge celebration! Shower them with praise, give them the tastiest treats, and let them know how proud you are.

You won’t have to make such a big fuss every time, but while they’re relearning, you need them motivated to do their business outdoors.

#6: Keep Your Dog Close and Supervise them Carefully

Going outside many times a day often isn’t enough if your dog has decided that the bed is a potty spot. You’ll also need to supervise them closely, especially near the bed and any other indoor potty areas.

Keep your dog close to you during the day by closing the door of the room you’re in, using a leash, or putting them in an exercise pen. Don’t let them go into the bedroom on their own, as they’re likely to pee again.

If at any point your dog begins acting like they need to pee (sniffing, squatting, etc.) take them outside immediately.

#7: Avoid Punishments

Never, ever punish your dog for peeing indoors. Try to avoid scolding them, no matter how frustrating it is to have to wash the sheets again. Remember that it isn’t their goal to make your life harder.

To the best of your ability, act like nothing has happened. Wash the bedding and go on as if they didn’t pee. Focus on supervision indoors, frequent potty breaks, and big rewards for peeing outside.

Punishing your dog by rubbing their nose in the mess, dragging or locking them outdoors, or hurting them in any way is counterproductive. Even if they do link the punishment to their mess (which is unlikely unless you can catch them in the act), they’ll only learn to hide from you while they pee.

This not only makes messes harder to find and clean but also makes getting your dog to go potty in front of you outside more difficult as well.

#8: Clean the Bed Thoroughly

If your dog can still smell their urine on the bed, they’ll continue to pee there again and again. Remember that their noses are much more sensitive than ours, so you need to clean the bedding and mattress well.

White vinegar can help get odor out of bedding. You can soak the stain with vinegar for about an hour before washing the bedding, or add it directly into the washing machine as you would your laundry detergent.

For your mattress, you’ll want to dab the stain with paper towels to absorb as much liquid as possible. Then, use a pet enzyme cleaner on the stain to remove the smell and any remaining stain. Follow the instructions on your cleaner and repeat as necessary.

#9: Purchase a Waterproof Mattress Protector

While it won’t stop your dog from peeing on the bed, a mattress protector will make clean-up easier and prevent you from needing a new mattress if the peeing continues.

By making the mess easier to clean, you’ll feel less irritated by the accidents and more able to treat your dog with patience. Your mattress will also smell less, which may reduce their peeing.

#10: Close the Bedroom Door

If all else fails, and especially if the bed is the only place your dog pees, you might need to close the bedroom door. This can be a permanent solution that’s easier than training if you’re all right with keeping them out of the bed long-term.

If not, it can also be a short-term solution to protect your mattress until you’ve cleaned well and trained your dog to potty outdoors again.

#11: Use Doggy Diapers

Lastly, belly bands and dog diapers can help dogs with incontinence. They shouldn’t be used as an alternative to potty training but can help seniors and sick dogs so that they don’t have to stay out of the bed entirely.

Keep in mind that you’ll have to change your dog’s diaper regularly. They will get urine and possibly feces on their coat, which will need to be washed each time. So, it’s not less work–it’s more a last resort for pups who need the help.