Imagine this:
You come home after a tiring day at work and find your dog has pooped on your bed—not the best way to start a relaxing evening.
Initially, you may be disgusted or mad at your dog. But please remember that this isn’t an act of revenge by your dog.
There could be a medical or psychological reason behind this behavior. And that’s what we’re going to explain in this article.
So without further ado, let’s dive into it!
Reasons why dogs poop on the bed
Finding poop on the bed is one of the worst things a pet owner can encounter. But it’s important to understand that such incidents might not even be in your dog’s control.
In most cases, the pooing will be unintentional and could indicate an ongoing issue that your dog is hiding. To help you out, we’ve listed out the most common explanations for this behavior and how you can unravel them yourself:
1. Stress or Anxiety
It’s well-known that stress and anxiety can cause dogs to do things they normally wouldn’t. But how is it related to pooping your bed? When a dog is nervous, they seek places with their owner’s scent to comfort themselves. Your bed is the go-to place in this case.
Once the dog finds where you sleep, they will stick around even if they have to relieve themselves. The important thing is to recognize what’s making your pet anxious or stressed in the first place. In the majority of cases, it’s one of these reasons:
- You’re working odd hours or a new shift
- Shifting to a new house
- Bringing home another pet
- New, unfamiliar people in the house
2. Fear
Loud traffic, thunderstorms, strange faces, traffic, or anything else that gives your dog a scare can cause them to soil themselves accidentally. Unfortunately, your bed can also get dragged into this mess if your pup happens to be relaxing on it.
Fear of loud noises and separation from their humans are common fears in dogs. Fireworks, gunshots, and thunder negatively affect many dogs because they don’t understand the nature of the sound. Moreover, the fear of separation can also cause dogs to bark loudly, chew things they normally wouldn’t, and defecate in unconventional places like your bed.
Dogs adopted from shelters also have a high chance of losing bowel control on your sheets. Many of these dogs have a history of abuse and can accidentally soil your bed out of fear if they see unfamiliar faces or re-live past traumas.
3. Health Issues
Taking your dog to the vet for pooping your sheets might not occur to you; however, this behavior may result from an underlying health issue that needs to be checked by a professional.
Your vet will thoroughly check your dog for parasitic infections, gastrointestinal upsets, inflammatory bowel disease, and food poisoning, amongst other illnesses.
Dogs also tend to lose bowel control as they grow older. The condition is called Fecal Incontinence and is a part of growing old. If your senior dog is not excreting due to stress or fear, your vet might recommend doggy diapers or some medication to get this situation under control.
4. Poor outdoor conditions
Defecating outside can leave some dogs vulnerable to attack. If a dog finds outdoor conditions unsuitable for relieving themselves, they might just let loose on your bed.
Several things that can make pooping outside for your dog:
- Large predators like hawks, eagles, and coyotes
- Strange or unfamiliar faces
- Loud machines
On the other hand, your dog could also be avoiding the outdoors due to extremely hot or rainy weather. After all, no one wants to shiver from cold on the toilet!
5. Lack of potty training
If your pup is repeatedly soiling your bed, it could be possible that their potty training is incomplete or has become outdated. Dogs will naturally poo in the most familiar and comfortable places.
On average, puppies take 6-8 months to become fully potty trained, while some can take up to a full year. Unfortunately, most owners quit in-between and don’t follow the routine consistently.
It’s also possible that your dog forgot where to toilet after shifting to a new home. In this case, you need to housebreak them again so they don’t poo on your bed.
Ways to stop your dog from pooping on bed
Once you’ve figured out what’s causing the toilet incidents, it’s time to move on towards treatment. Here are some of the best ways to stop your dog from pooping on the bed:
1. Get them checked by a veterinarian
The first step to solving the bed-soiling problem is taking your dog to the vet. There’s a good chance that your pup might be suffering from an illness or psychological condition that is causing them to poop on your sheets.
It could be something as simple as diarrhea from eating too many snacks or trying a new dog food. But it could also be a serious problem like intestinal worms or bowel cancer. In any case, explain all the symptoms to your veterinarian so they can make a proper diagnosis.
Most of the time, the cause is usually something simple like old age or separation anxiety. Senior dogs tend to lose bowel control and cannot get off the bed as quickly when they have to defecate. If it’s separation anxiety or stress, we have some tips that can help you.
2. Let them outside more frequently
Most owners are guilty of not providing their dogs with enough potty breaks. When this happens, the dog will poo inside the house, which can sometimes mean your couch or bed.
All you need to do to fix this problem is provide them with more potty breaks. Most dogs can hold their poo for up to 8 hours. Taking your dog for a walk every 4-6 hours is a good way to prevent your dog from going inside the house.
If you have long work hours, ask a neighbor if they can take your dog for a toilet session while you’re gone. Alternatively, you can hire a dog sitter for your pup or leave them at a doggy daycare—a great idea if your pup suffers from separation anxiety or gets lonely while you’re gone.
3. Reduce anxiety and stress
Dogs that become stressed or anxious will find places that carry their owner’s scent and poo on them. To prevent such incidents, you need to give your pup a comfortable and serene environment with lots of company to keep them calm.
One way to do this is by using relaxant medication or calming treats, but be careful. Your veterinarian is the only one who should prescribe medication for your dog.
You can also use a pheromone diffuser to calm their nerves. Pheromones are a type of scent released by the mother of a litter. It has a natural calming effect on dogs and can reduce anxiety when left alone.
4. Potty train them again
If you bring home a new puppy or shift to a new house, they will likely have trouble understanding where they need to potty. And the last thing you want is to have them pooping on your bed.
The only solution to this problem is to potty train your dog. You can start by reminding your dog that the toilet is outside the house. Take them on a walk in the shrubs at least twice or three times a day so they can do their business.
If they accidentally eliminate inside the house, pick up the feces with a shovel and place it in the yard. The next time your dog needs to poop, take them to that spot in the yard, so they learn to associate it with pooping.
Every time your puppy goes outside and does its business successfully, treat and paise them as soon as they finish; this encourages your dog to wait for its potty breaks instead of eliminating wherever they like inside the house.
5. Spay/neuter your dog
Marking their territory with urine or poo is a common behavior in dogs that aren’t spayed or neutered. They use the smell to show their dominance over other dogs or pets, but the main problem occurs when they start eliminating inside the house.
While spaying or neutering can be a rather expensive procedure, it can save you and your dog from many problems in the future. They will be less interested in marking their territory or running after females in heat. Research has also proven that getting dogs spayed/neutered can increase their lifespan and reduce the risk of numerous diseases, including cancer.
6. Lock your door
As a last resort, you can try locking your room while you’re gone to prevent your dog from pooping on your bed. Since this technique is 100% guaranteed to work, why not use it in the first place?
That’s because you could be ignoring potential health or mental conditions if you primarily use this method. First, it is important to get your dog checked by a veterinarian and rule out any illnesses, then move on to simpler solutions like potty training and locking doors.
Moreover, this technique will be ineffective if your dog is untrained or suffering from stress. Instead of pooping on your bed, your dog might use your couch, furniture, or another place with your scent.
FAQ’s
Do dogs poop out of revenge?
Dogs do not poop out of revenge; they don’t feel emotions like spite or vengeance. They don’t plot revenge for something bad that happened to them.
Should you punish your dog for pooping inside?
Punishing your dog for pooping on the bed is never a good idea since they cannot feel guilt or remorse. Punishing your dog will only foster fear or aggression towards you.
How do you stop a senior dog from pooping inside?
Senior dogs usually have bed-soiling accidents because they have poor bowel control, cannot run outside as quickly, and get stomach upsets more often. To prevent such incidents, add more potty breaks into your dog’s schedule and feed them a diet made for sensitive/senior canines.
Why do dogs pee on the bed?
Dogs can accidentally pee on your bed or inside the house if they suffer from a urinary tract infection, urine incontinence due to old age, or kidney issues. If you also notice bloody or cloudy urine, it’s best to get your dog checked by a veterinarian.
