Urinating In Owners Beds

Question
Hello, I'm Linda and I have a two year old dachshund that is seemingly house trained. However there are times when he will urinate in our beds even after being taken "out" and doing"all" of his business. Silly question, why?

Answer
Hi Linda,

Oops! Your little boy needs to lose sleeping-in-your-bed privileges, at least for some months. Is he neutered? If not, do it as soon as possible would be a good idea.

This is not deliberate defiance, but an instinctive behavior. You may be outraged by it, but treat it just like any other housebreaking mistake, no punishment. You just aren't going to let it happen anymore!

A child-gate is a great way of keeping a dog out of any room.

This will become a very entrenched habit if you let it, so block his access to the bedroom when you're not there to watch him. To keep him off the bed at night, you could tether him (careful, this method carries a risk of strangulation if not done exactly right) so he has to stay in his own comfy bed on the floor. Or you could use a crate at night for awhile. I would not ban him from the bedroom, just the bed.

Treat the spots with a bacterial enzyme odor eliminator product such as Nature's Miracle. Then when any new spot occurs, that would be a goof on your part, meaning you failed to supervise. Saturate the spot with white vinegar. That sends him a scent message and tends to discourage a dog from using the spot again. It also neutralizes the odor, but only if done while the original urine is still wet.

One study showed something like 40% of us do have our dogs on the bed -- yes, including me! So I won't say he should never be allowed back on the bed. But you'd be very wise to get him off of there for now. Make sure his new bed is padded and cozy, and good ventilation at all times, especially in warm weather. And have him close to you so he doesn't feel ostracized from his pack.

Best of luck,
Patti