Why does my dog poop on her bed?
Below are some possible causes and what would make them more likely.
It could be the case that your dog is not able to make it through the night due to an illness. This would be more likely if your dog has started doing it suddenly and if they have been showing other signs of illness such as vomiting, fatigue or diarrhea.
Just like humans, some dogs have nervous personalities which make them prone to exceptional behaviors. A dog who suffers from separation anxiety may be prone to getting so worked up that she poops and pees uncontrollably. This behavior may become even worse when she is confined to a small space, as in her crate.
Believe it or not, pooping on their bed may be more frightening of an experience for your dog than it is for you! Many dog experts have linked pooping in bizarre areas around the house to emotional issues, such as fear.
Did you ever house-train your dog? Were they house-trained as a puppy or an adult dog? By you or by someone else? It could be the case that they need to be trained some more so that they can remember how they are supposed to behave.
First, if they’ve never been house-trained, it’s certainly time to do this. Pick up a book or watch a series of videos on YouTube on how to house-train a dog. There are also classes that can help.
If your dog has already been house-trained but they seem to be regressing, you can do a bit of an update training as well. There are articles and videos about this online too. You are basically reminding your dog of the house-training rules you set at the beginning of your relationship.
Bored dogs who have pent-up energy may end up pooping in strange places, like on their bed. Certain breeds need to expend more physical energy throughout the day. For example, border collies and golden retrievers need to be taken on at least three or more walks every day. Ideally, they will have a place to run around and play freely throughout the day.
If you have one of these breeds or another breed that needs an especially high amount of physical energy expenditure every day, you need to find a way to get your dog more exercise. This might mean going for more walks, having a penned-in area where your dog can run freely, or taking your dog to a local dog park. Some people even get babysitters for their dogs if they’ll be home all day at work or school.
In some situations, the problem is your dog hasn’t been able to go outside frequently enough, and therefore, they’ve had to go to the bathroom for a long time and simply chose to do it inside.
Why on their bed? Probably because it’s comfortable, and they like to lay there. If you think this issue may be the core problem of your dog pooping on their bed, it’s up to you to fix it. You’ll need to find ways to let your dog out more often.
Keep in mind that if your dog is elderly or getting on the older side, their bathroom habits may have changed, and they may need to go outside to go to the bathroom more often than they used to. You need to adapt to this, and take them for more frequent walks or let them out in the yard more. If they can be out in a gated area, consider installing a doggy door so that they can go in and out as they please.
Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.
If your dog has not always pooped on their bed, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started. If it started happening suddenly, it would be more likely to be due to things such as illness, something causing it to be fearful or suddenly having to be alone for long time periods.
One common reason for dogs pooping in odd places around the house is thunderstorms. Most dogs are afraid of thunderstorms, and they may run around in circles frantically, pace, pant, hide, and do other strange things during them. It’s not uncommon to find an unpleasant surprise in the corner of the basement, or the bathroom, or — you guessed it — their bed after a big storm.
Of course, like thunderstorms, firework displays can also distress your dog, as can guns going off and other loud noises inside or outside. If you are having work done on your house, for instance, this can also set off your dog’s fears.
Other reasons your dog might be scared and poop on their bed as a result include being afraid of going to the vet, having guests or new people in the house, having a new dog or other pet in the house, or having a run-in with another dog or animal outside.
How to stop my dog from pooping on his bed?
Below are some options you have when getting your dog to stop pooping on their bed.
If your dog has started doing it suddenly and it seems likely to be due to illness, the best option would be to take them to a vet. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular dog and to deal with any illnesses.
If you think fear, anxiety, and general nervousness could be linked to your dog’s incontinence, you have several options as well.
First, if you think it’s an ongoing problem that you can’t handle with changes to your and your dog’s behaviors and environment, talk to your veterinarian. There may be a medication that they recommend your dog take to loosen their nerves and relax more.
Additionally, on your own, think of ways you can comfort your dog and alleviate some of their anxiety. This might simply be creating a nice little area in your living room or kitchen where they can lie down and be warm and comfortable. Give them a few special toys. You can also give them treats more frequently (if their diet allows) or a better grade of dog food. If you don’t have any other pets, you might consider getting another dog. Just make sure the two of them will be compatible!
All of these small changes can help your dog alleviate some of their anxious feelings and hopefully avoid eliminating in their bed or on your furniture.
We all want our dogs to immediately tell us when they need to go to the bathroom so that we can let them outside right away or take them for a walk. But this isn’t how a lot of dogs operate.
They aren’t always able to tell us when they have to go to the bathroom. And even if you’re used to taking your dog for frequent walks, again, their elimination habits may have changed over time. When this happens, you need to adapt with them and help them out.
For example, you might start by seeing if you can take them for more walks. If you’re not there during the day, get someone to come over and take them on a walk or at least let them outside a few more times. If you have an outdoor area where they can go, set up a small fenced-in area where they can run freely. If you know a fellow dog owner who’s home for part or some of the day, ask them if your dog can come over to play with their dog (if they’re compatible).
The extra time outdoors and energy expended can greatly help with incontinence issues in your dog.
It would also help to encourage your dog to poop and pee outside by rewarding your dog whenever it do so. It would also help to try to avoid giving your dog rewards when it does poop in its bed.
Doggie Diapers To Avoid Accidents
If your dog has fecal incontinence due to age, there may not be a solution to this problem. In this situation, it may be interesting to resort to dog diapers to avoid accidents during sleep.
His dog started pooping on his bed…
We’ve all been there. You come home from a long day of work, ready to unwind in your own bed, only to find that your dog has beaten you to it… and added a special surprise. Why do they do it? Is there any way to prevent your dog pooping on the bed? Let’s look at some potential causes and see what we can do to stop dogs from pooping on our beds.