7 reasons why your dog pees on the couch! (+ solution)
You’re overjoyed because your puppy has finally moved in with you. But your joy is marred because the puppy has peed on your couch. Or pees your housebrooken dog on the couch or in the living room again?
Now you are rightly wondering why your dog pees on the couch and how you can break him of the habit. I have done some research and go into more detail in this article.
There are many reasons why your dog pees on the couch. When a puppy isn’t housebroken yet, it’s not uncommon for them to pee on your couch at times. As sad as it is. The most important thing is to get your dog housebroken quickly. Also, get the couch as clean as possible quickly and get rid of the urine smell. But also fear, stress and diseases can be reasons why your dog pees on the couch.
Table of Contents
Why does my dog pee on the couch?
The reasons why your dog pees on the couch can be many. I will discuss each of the possible causes below.
Dog is not housebroken and therefore pees on the couch
The most common reason why a dog pees on the couch or in the apartment in general is that he simply doesn’t know any better. Your dog may not be housebroken at all.
If you have a puppy, it’s up to you to get your dog housebroken. You can usually get there at 2 to 3 weeks.
If you adopt a dog from a shelter, you often have no way of knowing if it is housebroken or not. Again, your dog may pee on the couch or in the apartment because he doesn’t know any better.
It is important that you clean the couch as soon as possible and get rid of the smell. If your couch continues to smell like urine, there is a possibility that your dog perceives this place as a suitable place to urinate.
Your dog is stressed or scared
If your dog is very anxious and too submissive, he may pee on the couch alone when you enter the room.
If you have your dog for example from the animal protection, you usually do not know what this dog has been through. Maybe he was beaten by a man and is now afraid of getting a beating every time you enter the room.
Or maybe your dog is stressed because he suffers from separation anxiety. Not every dog can stay alone for 8 hours. Some can’t stay alone at all if you don’t teach them slowly from the beginning.
Your puppy also needs to learn to stay alone. Even if it is currently not the case, but eventually everyone comes to the situation in which the dog should stay alone for a few hours.
Also noise, like New Year’s Eve firecrackers or constant honking of passing cars can cause stress that will cause your dog to urn uncontrollably.
A second dog comes into the house
Maybe your dog can’t cope with the situation that there is now a second dog in the house. The dog, which should be housebroken, pees again in the apartment or on the couch. This can be stress-related, but jealousy can also play a role.
Your dog marks his territory
If your dog specifically goes on the couch and pees it may be that he wants to mark his territory. However, this usually happens when he feels threatened.
A threat in his eyes could be a second dog. He suddenly has competition when it comes to eating and even the petting has to be shared.
You should slowly get your dog used to the perceived threat by spending more time with both dogs. Get them used to each other and show him that the new one is not a threat.
If necessary, feed the dogs in different rooms to show the first dog that he does not need to be afraid for his food.
Your dog is old and suffers from incontinence
Old dogs can suffer from incontinence. This is when they can no longer hold their urine and urinate involuntarily. Often this happens while they are asleep, when they are relaxed. You should have this checked out by your vet.
However, there are also disease-related reasons why your dog suffers from incontinence. Kidney disease, he can’t tolerate specific medications or suffers from diabetes. Again, the first course of action is to see your veterinarian.
Urinary tract infection
There may simply be a medical reason why your dog is peeing on the couch a lot. A visit to your vet can help diagnose a urinary tract infection, for example.
Especially when it’s wet and cold, dogs can get a urinary tract infection or even a bladder infection. This is caused by bacteria and can be treated within a few days.
Joint problems
If your dog is in a lot of pain due to inflamed joints, it is possible that he can only move around in pain. He may prefer to pee on the couch or in his dog bed instead of going out the door.
How to keep my dog from peeing on the couch
If you have a puppy or a dog that is generally not housebroken yet you can easily work on this problem with him. Within a few weeks you can housebreak a puppy and get him to stop peeing in the house or on the couch.
If your dog is actually housebroken, talk to your vet first to rule out medical reasons.
If your dog is healthy, consider what changes have occurred in your lives that may have caused stress in your dog.
- Have you had a baby and therefore less time for the dog.
- Have you taken in a second dog, perhaps even a dominant one?
- Have you moved and the dog is not yet coping well with the changes
How to protect your couch from dog urine
The most obvious point is, that your dog is not allowed on the couch as long as the problem exists. However, if your dog is older and has been allowed on the couch for years, it will be difficult to get him off. Especially if you are not in the house.
Fact is: Your dog is currently peeing on the couch. That’s the way it is for now. While you are trying to break the habit, it will probably happen again and again.
Cover your couch with a waterproof pad (incontinence pad) * and a blanket for your dog to lie on.
You will not be able to 100% prevent your dog from lying on the couch in the beginning.
The advantage is that your couch is protected by the waterproof pad and the blanket on which your dog lies, you can quickly and easily put in the washing machine.
At the same time, your couch will not take on the smell of urine and you will avoid your dog perceiving the couch as a suitable place to urinate.
*A*Amazon Affiliate/Advertising Link
Conclusion: Why does my dog pee on the couch?
Your dog pees on the couch or even in the apartment because he is not yet housebroken and does not know any better. But also fear, stress or medical reasons can be the reason why your dog is not housetrained anymore and pees in the apartment again.
New Africa-stock.adobe.com (Contributed image)
