Why does my dog pee on my bed?

The AKC says: Dogs aren't vindictive, and they certainly don't look at pee from a human point of view. It also says: Sometimes dogs use urine to mark objects, including your bed.

Dog Peeing on the Bed: Cleanup and Why It Happens

Q: How do I wash bedding after my dog peed on the bed?

Humane World for Animals says: Add a one pound box of baking soda to your regular detergent and wash as usual, air drying if possible. Purple adds: Check the tags and follow their washing instructions.

Q: Can I soak a mattress to get dog pee out?

Casper says: A word of caution: Make sure you don't soak your mattress with your cleaning solution. For its own mattress covers it adds: Be careful not to use too much, as the foam core can soak it up.

Q: When can I put the sheets back on the mattress?

Purple says: Always make sure your mattress is properly dry before replacing the bedding. If you try to put bedding on while your mattress is still damp, it could prevent your mattress from drying completely and create mold and mildew growth.

Q: Should I punish my dog for peeing on the bed?

Humane World for Animals says: Don't punish your pet. Punishment only increases their anxiety and may cause them to hide when they need to go to the bathroom, thereby decreasing their ability to give you a cue when they need to go outside.

This guide covers what to do when your dog pees on your own bed: stripping and washing the bedding, blotting the mattress without soaking it, drying it fully, and why a dog may pee on a bed and what helps, using what the AKC, the ASPCA, Humane World for Animals and two mattress makers say. If the accident was on your dog's own bed, see how to clean a pet bed after an accident.

Step 1: Strip the bed and wash the bedding

Purple's mattress cleaning guide starts with the bedding: "Remove all your bedding, including the pillow case, comforter, sheets, blankets, and mattress protectors." It adds: "Check the tags and follow their washing instructions."

For the wash itself, Humane World for Animals says of machine-washable items: "Add a one pound box of baking soda to your regular detergent and wash as usual, air drying if possible." For the full rinse, wash and smell-check routine, see our guide to getting pet pee smell out of clothes, bedding and towels.

Sources: Purple, How to Clean a Mattress; Humane World for Animals, Get urine smell and pet stains out of carpet.

Step 2: Blot the mattress, do not soak it

The Carpet and Rug Institute's advice for wet urine is written for carpet, but its first step is blotting: "Blot liquids with a dry, white absorbent cloth or white paper towels."

Mattress makers warn against too much liquid. Casper says: "A word of caution: Make sure you don't soak your mattress with your cleaning solution." For its own mattress covers, Casper says: "If you need to clean your Casper mattress cover, simply spot-clean any affected areas with a little water and mild detergent. Be careful not to use too much, as the foam core can soak it up." Purple notes: "Memory foam is a denser material that can absorb liquid and be harder to dry."

Check before you unzip anything. Casper says: "Casper mattress covers are not designed to be taken off or washed, and removing them will void your warranty." Purple says of its own cover: "If you remove the cover and put it through the washer and dryer, the mattress cover will shrink, voiding our return and warranty policies." Your mattress maker's care instructions are the rule for your mattress.

Both makers' stain steps also name cleaning products we do not cover here; read Casper's and Purple's pages for those, and check your own warranty first. For a longer walkthrough, see Pet Cleanup Kit's mattress guide.

Sources: Carpet and Rug Institute, Spot Solver: Urine, Wet; Casper, How to Clean a Mattress; Purple, How to Clean a Mattress.

Step 3: Let the mattress dry fully

Casper says to "Let the area air dry completely before you put your sheets back on." Purple gives the same order and the reason:

"Always make sure your mattress is properly dry before replacing the bedding. If you try to put bedding on while your mattress is still damp, it could prevent your mattress from drying completely and create mold and mildew growth."

Purple also says: "Avoid steam cleaning a memory foam mattress, as this can leave it waterlogged." If the smell returns once the mattress is dry, see why pet urine smell comes back after cleaning.

Sources: Casper, How to Clean a Mattress; Purple, How to Clean a Mattress.

Protect the bed while you work on it

Purple says: "Mattress protectors go between the mattress and sheets to keep dirt and other stains off your mattress." It adds: "You can typically wash mattress protectors in the washing machine, just like the rest of your bedding."

Humane World for Animals speaks to this exact problem: "If your pet soils the sheets or blankets on a bed, cover the bed with a vinyl, flannel-backed tablecloth while you retrain them. It's machine-washable, inexpensive and unattractive to your pet."

Sources: Purple, How to Clean a Mattress; Humane World for Animals, Get urine smell and pet stains out of carpet.

Why a dog may pee on your bed

The AKC says: "Dogs aren't vindictive, and they certainly don't look at pee from a human point of view." It names several reasons.

House training gaps. "If your puppy has not yet learned appropriate and inappropriate places to pee, don't be surprised if your bed becomes a toilet spot. It's just as soft and absorbent as the carpet, a common place for potty accidents." For an adult dog new to your home, see new rescue dog peeing in the house.
Marking. "Sometimes dogs use urine to mark objects, including your bed." and "After all, the sheets are thick with our scent, so it's no wonder dogs want to add their scent to the mix." More in dog marking indoors.
Anxiety when alone. "Dogs who are distressed when alone will often have accidents in the house, and your bed can be one of those places." See dog pees when left alone.

Humane World for Animals, writing about dogs peeing in the house in general, says: "If you have already successfully completed potty training, your dog may be peeing in unwanted spots to mark their territory, or it could be submissive urination, in which a dog pees as a response to fear or anxiety." It adds: "If your dog urinates when they are playing or being greeted, but doesn't exhibit submissive postures, it could be excitement urination." See submissive and excitement peeing in dogs.

Humane World for Animals also says: "If your pet is having regular accidents, have them checked by a veterinarian to rule out medical causes."

Sources: AKC, Why Do Dogs Pee on Beds?; Humane World for Animals, How to stop your dog from peeing in the house; Humane World for Animals, pet stains and odors.

What helps

Clean so the smell does not draw the dog back. The AKC says: "If your dog is marking or confused about house training, any urine smell that remains will encourage your dog to repeat the behavior. In your dog's mind, if it smells like a toilet, it must be a toilet." Read more in why dogs and cats keep peeing in the same spot.

Keep the dog out of the bedroom for now. The AKC says: "Finally, limit your dog's access to the bed while you work on the underlying issue", and suggests you "Use dog gates, an exercise pen, or a dog crate to keep them out of your bedroom". Humane World for Animals says: "Make previously soiled areas inaccessible or unattractive."

Supervise, and use a crate when you can't. The ASPCA says: "Limit the dog's run of the house to the one or two rooms where you are able to see her at all times." Humane World for Animals says: "When you're unable to watch them, put your dog in a crate (if they're crate trained) or consider tethering your dog to you with a leash when you're distracted (like when cooking dinner) to monitor them for signs they need to urinate."

Go back to house training basics. The AKC says: "Prevent your dog from having accidents with constant supervision." and "If you catch them about to pee on the bed, calmly interrupt their behavior, then immediately take them to the proper potty spot. Reward them heavily when they finish doing their business."

Sources: AKC, Why Do Dogs Pee on Beds?; ASPCA, House Training Your Dog or Puppy; Humane World for Animals, How to stop your dog from peeing in the house; Humane World for Animals, pet stains and odors.

Don't punish your dog

Humane World for Animals says: "Don't punish your pet. Punishment only increases their anxiety and may cause them to hide when they need to go to the bathroom, thereby decreasing their ability to give you a cue when they need to go outside."

The ASPCA says: "But a dog will not learn anything by being scolded for a past accident, even one a few minutes old. Just clean it up and soldier on."

Sources: Humane World for Animals, How to stop your dog from peeing in the house; ASPCA, House Training Your Dog or Puppy.

Accident on the carpet or couch too?

P-Cleaner is the Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Foaming Liquid from Pet Cleanup Kit. The product listing says: "Works on carpets, upholstery, tile, and more." It is not described for mattresses or bedding; for those, follow the care label and the steps above. Follow the directions on the product label.

Buy P-Cleaner on petcleanupkit.com

Quoted from the petcleanupkit.com product listing.