If you dog is pooping on your bed, you need to find out why it is happening so that you can ensure that this behavior ends. It can be dangerous to your health and to the health of your dog. Your dog can spread a condition called campylobacteriosis in its feces. This condition was reported by the CDC.
To determine the reason for this activity, you must find out if it caused by a health problem that your dog might have or if it is psychologically based.
Why did my dog poop on my bed? A dog will poop on a bed because is a safe place to do so, plus there is the presence of its scent or the scent of its owner. They did not realize that they are doing something wrong. Nevertheless, there are ways to curtain this activity.
A dog that needs to go potty, will do so inside if the owner taking their dog out often enough. They do not have a choice in the matter. When they need to go, they will go in a place that is familiar and safe to them. If they are used to jumping on the bed, they will see that area as a haven and use the washroom there.
This does not mean that your dog is stressed to such a degree that is it confused and accidentally relieves itself on your sheets. Dogs would rather go where other dogs have been because of the familiar smells. In your bedding, they can sense your scent and their own scent. These scents have a calming effect, and they demonstrate the lack of danger. They need to feel safe while defecating.
What if you dog was suddenly pooping on your bed. Is this a sign of a health issue or could it be due to an environmental change that is affecting your dog’s behavior?
Why is my Dog Suddenly Pooping on My Bed?
I did some research on what dog owners were reporting in forums regarding how often their dogs were defecating on their beds and the probable reasons for the pooping on the bed.
The main reason for a sudden pooping incident seemed to be after a move. The environment was not familiar to their dog and there was a change in behavior due to this move. One dog owner mentioned that the pooping incidents were not very often, but they only started after the move to a different house. Many people feel that it is due to the stress of the move but based on my research is because that area is familiar scent-wise to your dog. The other areas on the new place have odd smells that are less known to your dog.
Another reason that I noted for the start of defecation on a bed is due to being trapped in a room. An owner felt that they needed to isolate the dog from the rest of the house by adding a baby gate and locking their dog in their room. If a dog is locked away and they need to go potty, they will not have a choice, they will go in the room in a place that they feel is ok. If they defecate on the bed, they will not have to deal with the excrement while in the room.
Some people that feel that if you lock a dog into a room, that it will be stressful for them. In a sense, it will less stressful because being isolated from loud noises and other disturbances. I do not feel that it is stress that is causing these dogs that locked into a room to defecate on bedding. They are calm and are ok being by themselves from time to time. Nevertheless, ff your dog is a puppy, they may need more interaction from you instead of being locked in a room.
Another scenario is when a younger dog is used to peeing and pooping on doggy pads when they are alone. If you allow a younger dog to be on your bed, they may be confused into believing that bedding is the same as a dog pad but just a lot larger. If they are on your bed and they just happen to have to go to the washroom, they might defecate on a portion of the bedding that ressemble the pads that people use for smaller dogs.
So, in other words, your dog could suddenly start to relieve itself on your bed after you have trained them recently to use dog pads,
If you have an older dog and it is starting to defecate on your bed, it might sign that it is having a bowel control problem
If your older dog is suddenly pooping in your bed, it could be that they cannot control themselves. In other words, it might just be a health reason. Older dogs have trouble dealing with new food sources. Vets tends to check focus on diet specific activity and changes according to a report by the Veterinary Practice Guidelines. Vets do report difficulties that could cause an older dog to less control over defecating.
Some dogs will suddenly poop on a bed due to stress
Stress that a dog might feel has been proven to affect a dog’s health. The high cortisol levels created by stress influences many systems according to Jessica Hekman, a PHD student studying the genomics of the domesticated dog. It is not a stretch to suggest that stress can affect the digestive system in a dog and a dog’s behavior. Suddenly defecating on the master’s bed could be due to high stress level that did not exist previously.
A high stress situation can arise for dog could simply be that the dog owner is starting to yell constantly. Screaming at a dog is one training technic that some owners use. Dogs do not react well to being yelled it. It is abusive. You could e be creating anxiety in your dog that will cause them to lose control of their bowels when they have retreated to your bed to be alone in peace.
Besides scolding your dog, they are other situations that can increase the anxiety level of your dog. For instance, a move to a new place totally changes a dog’s surroundings. It is as if you are taking away the safety feature of a den that had been marked continuously by your dog. Here is a chart that outlines probable causes of a dog pooping on a bed. The chart was developed by data found on dog forums. I also had indicated the frequency of the bathroom accidents by the dogs so that you will have an idea on the severity level reported by each dog owner.
| Frequency of Dog Pooping on Bed | Why Owner Feels that their dog pooped on the bed? |
| Twice over a period of a few weeks. | Just recently moved. |
| Once. | Trapped behind a baby gate for too long. |
| Three nights in a row. | Was a younger dog, did not seem to understand that it was a mistake to do so. |
| Once a month | Comforter has similar feel to the doggy pads used. |
| Five times during a month. | Older dog that had trouble with bowel control. |
| Every day. | Dog had been abused in the past and cowers when screamed at after an incident. |
Do Dogs Poop Out of Spite?
I have read that a lot of owners feel that their dog is getting back at them by defecating on their bed. It is as if the even feels that a dog is pooping on their bed out of spite. I conducted research in medical journals to see if there was any validity to this premise.
A dog is not able to do something out of spite. Your dog is not punishing you by urinating on your carpet or by tearing about your couch. Dogs can only sense certain low-level emotions. Dogs cannot analyse situations to the same degree as a human being.
Tests have been performed on dogs to see if they could get revenge on their owners. For instance, by defecating on a bed or on a carpet. The US Library of Medicine concluded that spite is not an emotion that had surfaced during their testing.
Here is a list of emotions that their testing highlighted:
- Dogs can feel glee.
- Excitement can be felt by a dog.
- Dogs can become enthralled when trying to please their master
- Dogs are not vindictive.
The above emotions are not even close to being vindictive, or for a dog to feel anger or resentment. A dog will not be able to put into motion a plan to get back you by defecating on a bed or on any other surface. Dogs love to please and to be rewarded.
If your is pooping where it should not, I am not suggesting that you ignore that behavior. I would not yell at your dog, or to rub its nose in its poop or pee that is on your rug. My parents would do just that with our poodle. It never stopped the behavior.
My parents also felt that our poodle would hide from us after peeing on the rug. I noticed that she hid when their body language had changed after they had discovered the pee on the rug. Our poodle would hide at that point because she was afraid of them. She had no idea why they were upset.
Nevertheless, you need reward your dog for having done something correctly, such as peeing on the grass.
If you are still perplexed on the steps to take on curtaining potty accidents of your dog, please study the following chart. I highlight steps that can be taken that are based on a reward system.
How do I Stop My Dog from Pooping on the Bed?
I found a report on the training tactics for a CIA dog that I altered to show you how to train your dog not to poop on your bed.
| Steps to Stop Pooping on Bed | Details of the actions to take to stop your dog from defecating on your bed |
| 1. Do not yell and scream at your dog if they defecate on your bed. | Dogs will not respond to yelling after having an accident on a bed. They will not be able to learn to do otherwise. |
| 2. Motivate your dog to use the washroom outside. | Dogs wish to please you. If they are rewarded, they will repeat a behavior. Reward your dog with a small treat if he poops outside. Make sure to pick up the earth-friendly Pet N Pet Poop Bags, which are available on Amazon. |
| 3. Reward even slight changes while your dog is outside. | If there is the slightest improvement, provide a small reward such as verbal encouragement. |
| 4. Stay present with you dog while outside. Did not text or take phone calls. | Your dog has to understand that you are engaged and focused. If you are having a bad day, your dog will pick up on that and the positive pooping behavior will be less apparent. |
| 5. Disrupt your dog if they become too distracted outside. | Take your dog to an area that will be best for them to defecate, |
| 6. Be consistant. | Try to take your dog outside around the same time each day to defecate. Usually after a meal for the average dog. |
Why is My Dog Peeing on My Bed?
Some dogs have been known to defecate on a bed, and others seem to urinate on beds. I will explain why this happens.
First, we need to discuss that it could be simply a medical condition that is causing incontinence in your dog. UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Department states that a urinary tract infection is the most the probable cause of urinary incontinence for a dog. An infection can cause an extra ureteral opening that is in a place the bladder.
I recommend the Angry Orange Pet Odor Eliminator for the Home for dog urine smells. Click here for pricing on Amazon.
Another reason, which is less medically related for a dog to pee on a bed is that a dog is marking territory. According to a report made by the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, a dog’s brain has this marking instinct embedded into brain cells due to the exposure to certain hormones during the utero stage.
Here is a video by Dr Clayton Greenway explains another reason as to why your dog might be urinating on a bed or somewhere else within your home:
He mentions that it could be medically related. Nevertheless, he mentions that stress can cause the same behavioral urination problem in a dog. He also explains how to curtain this behavior by rewarding your dog when he pees outside:
