HELP! Pees in my bed

[Katharine]

Hello, I have an 8lb yorkie/bichon mix female ...she is such a cuddle bug, and is pee pad trained as I work, she sleeps with us at night, she likes to cuddle up close under the blankets right next to me...but sometimes, she pees in the bed.

I dont really know why, as I take her to the pad and tell her to go potty for which she will do, even tho it taked alittle time. But I dont know why on some occasions she pees in the bed...

I have my mattress protected but I want to stop this behavior rather then kicking her out of the bed.

Anyone have this problem or any ideas? She is 2 years old

thanks Kat

[yorkietalkjilly]

Dogs often pee where our scent is strongest and most concentrated, such as our bed, the couch we lounge on in the evening, our clothing or shoes. Dogs pee to relieve stress, anxiety, out of fear, deep respect or nervousness or to mark their territory. Likely she's feeling alone, anxious and stressed and helps herself the best way she knows how - by relieving her bladder where she's most comforted. The sound of another dog in the neighborhood barking or its scent could stress her or make her fearful. Some other noise that happens during the day could make her fearful or worried. You never know what happens to make a dog uncertain or anxious when you aren't there. Sometimes just being alone is too much for some dogs.

Perhaps shutting her off from the bed or removing her doggie stairs so she can't get up there on the bed and leaving her several kongs with her dog food in them so she has to work to get her food out piece at a time, leaving the TV sound or radio on and hiding treats around the house before you leave can give her some things to do for a while after you leave. I put Tibbe's kibble in a 2 liter empty, washed and dried Diet Coke bottle and he loves to bat it around and eventually bounce out a piece of kibble to eat and will work with that Diet Coke bottle until it is finally empty - and my nerves are shattered! lol. But he just loves to work that way for his food. Takes him 45 minutes to eat his 1/4 cup of food that way and he's so happy while he's doing it, he's dog-laughing and just happy as a clam while he's "seeking and hunting" down his own dinner.

Keeping a dog busy with life-enriching puzzles and games and lots of walks, activities and obedience training can calm a stressed or anxious dog down a great deal and fulfill their lives and some dogs just must have that level of involvement and work in order not to feel useless, nervous and anxious when they are alone and left to their own devices. You might try stepping up her activity level when you are home, get her busy working learning obedience commands for treats and praise and leave her more things to do, cut her access to the bed off and see if she won't gain more self-confidence and enjoy her life more and feel less anxious.

[Katharine]

hello and thankyou, i forgot to mention I do have another yorkie, he is 4 1/2 lb and is with her during the day...I put in a camera so I can see them while I am at work ...and I must admit I never really see anything other then they lay on the top of the sofa watching out the window till I get home.

My little yorkie he is 7 years old sleep in his bed at the foot of our bed on a leather bench, she will not sleep in her bed that I got for her, she wants to sleep right next to me under the blankets. she has always liked being under a blanket since she was a young pup.

I will try some of your suggestions as I find them very good and I never thought of it thank you!

[yorkietalkjilly]

If there is another dog there during the day, it could be territorial marking "her" bed from the other dog, as the two of them strive to work out some difference of pack hierarchy but whatever it is, for the time being, you are going to have to cut her off from the bed until she's rehabilitated from what's causing it.

If she's not been spayed, her peeing could perhaps be related to estrus or hormonal changes. Is the little male neutered?

[Katharine]

She is spayed, he is not neutered yet

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by Katharine

She is spayed, he is not neutered yet

IDK, wonder if she feels if the little male is trying to dominate her or anything and that's making her somewhat anxious, leading her to the bed to relieve her stress along by emptying her bladder. Might try the net cam some more and see if there is any attempts at that type of behavior going on while you are away. More likely, it's just her boredom, stress from your being gone and it's something to do that helps her feel better during the day and marks "her" bed, no doubt somehow comforting her. I'd try life-enrichment and obedience training(which just works wonders with dogs' behavior issues if you'll keep it up over time and keep the training fun, upbeat and make a game of it) and see if she blossoms and finds more self-confidence and self-esteem and finds her life is more fulfilled by the work and can leave behind her need to "comfort" herself this way.

LOL - I wish dogs would just always cry out, whine or howl when they are anxious and not pee and potty but many of them just wee or poop away right where they find the most comfort - and still others, having learned that we don't like them peeing/pooping in certain places, slink off and pee/poop behind the bed or couch or under the table where they think we won't know what they did.