When dogs are young, they often pee on the sofa because they don't know any better. In adulthood, however, anxiety or even illness are usually behind it.
- The problem? The more your dog pees on your couch, the harder it will be to stop him from doing so.
- The reason? An existing smell of urine signals to dogs that this is a suitable place to pee.
For this reason, in this article you will not only find the 6 most common causes, but also bombproof instructions for cleaning your couch.
Are you worried or unsure? Then click here to start a live chat with a veterinarian.
#1 Lack of house training
If your dog is still relatively young, peeing on the sofa could just be a sign of a lack of training. This is particularly the case with puppies.
Because they can only hold their urine for an hour on average. Adult dogs, on the other hand, can suppress their bladder for up to 12 hours.
Typical characteristics of a lack of training are:
- Dog pees out of defiance (“protest peeing”)
- Dog pees out of joy (“Freudenpipi”)
In other cases, it could just be boredom or a cry for attention. The following measures help here:
- Reward peeing outside with a treat.
- Point to the urine stain and say a firm “no” to your dog.
- Provide more appropriate places to urinate.
- Go for walks regularly.
- Get a chewing bone made of coffee wood to keep you busy.
It is also important to clean the area well. An existing smell of urine signals to dogs that this place is okay to pee.
In very young dogs, peeing on the couch is often a sign of poor house training. The solution here is to set up a feedback system, go for walks more regularly and ensure enough mental activity.
#2 Territory marking
If your dog goes specifically to pee on or to the sofa, the urine usually serves as a territory marker. Not only male dogs, but also female dogs tend to exhibit this behavior.
However, this is not normal. Dogs usually only mark their territory outside of their living space. The exception? When they feel threatened.
The following things can be perceived as a “threat”:
- New pet or baby that suddenly gets all the attention.
- Sudden competition from other pets when eating.
- The neighbor's new dog, which your dog considers to be stronger.
- The used couch smells like strange people or dogs. [1]
In this case, you should gradually accustom your dog to the new threat.
Depending on the underlying situation, this helps:
- Spend more time together with the new family member and your dog.
- Feed your pets in separate rooms.
- Visit your neighbor's dog and let them sniff each other.
- Clean the sofa thoroughly with BactoDes (Amazon) so that the foreign smell is lost.
Additionally, you should reward any peeing outside the home with a treat.
New pets, a baby, or a new dog in the neighborhood can seem threatening to dogs. Peeing on the couch serves as a marking of territory. The solution here is to get the dog used to the new threat.
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#3 Urinary tract infection
If your dog spends a lot of time on the couch and is normally house trained, then peeing on the couch could indicate an existing urinary tract infection.
In 9 out of 10 cases, bacteria are responsible. If these penetrate deep enough, it can also lead to a bladder infection.
Bitches are more often affected here. On average, according to studies, 15% of all dogs suffer from it at least once in their lives. [2]
In addition to peeing on the couch, the following symptoms are also more common:
- Constant urge to urinate
- Suddenly peeing in the basket
- Blood in urine
- Constant licking of genitals
- Whining when urinating [3]
This happens relatively often, especially in cold, wet weather. If bacteria are responsible for the infection, antibiotics are usually sufficient for treatment.
After around 3-5 days the symptoms should disappear. Until then, you should ban the sofa and provide your dog with plenty of water. [4]
Statistically, one in seven dogs will have to deal with a urinary tract infection during their lifetime. Even housetrained dogs pee on the couch more often. Antibacterial medications are usually sufficient for treatment.
#4 Anxiety & Stress
If your dog only pees on the sofa when he is alone, then anxiety and stress are usually responsible. Common causes here are:
- Separation anxiety: The fear of being alone and not seeing your master again.
- Noise: Loud noises from trains, alarm systems, honking cars, fireworks or even household appliances. [5]
Basically, the more trusting and loving a dog is, the harder it is to be left alone. Separation anxiety is therefore very common.
In many cases, dogs not only pee on the couch, but also overcome their loneliness by constantly barking, howling and gnawing on furniture.
The following measures can help here:
- Walk your dog before you leave the house.
- Keep your four-legged friend busy.
- Reduce potential noise.
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Emotional stress and anxiety often cause even housetrained dogs to pee on the sofa. It helps to go for walks regularly and in a timely manner, to keep them busy and to avoid potential noise.
#5 Incontinence
If you have a neutered female dog or an older dog, peeing on the couch could also be due to incontinence.
Because with age or when the ovaries are removed, the hormone “estrogen” is reduced. And this hormone controls the urethral sphincter. [6]
In addition to hormonal reasons, incontinence can also be caused by the following things:
- Prostate disease
- Kidney disease
- diabetes
- Spinal injury
- Medication [6]
In this case, they often pee not only on the sofa, but also on other potential sleeping places. However, according to studies, male dogs are only rarely affected (1%). [7]
Here you should visit the vet to find out the underlying cause. In the meantime, the following measures can help:
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When incontinence occurs, dogs lose the ability to keep their urethra closed. They therefore pee more often on their lying surfaces such as the sofa and their own bed. The vet should be consulted for treatment.
#6 Arthritis
Doctors understand arthritis as the inflammation of the joints. According to studies, one in five dogs over the age of one is said to suffer from it. [8]
The problem? Over time, getting up and walking becomes so painful that affected dogs prefer to pee on the couch rather than go outside.
Arthritis is usually accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Problems getting up
- Stiff gait
- Dislike of stairs
- Swelling of the joints [9]
Affected dogs often empty their full bladders on the sofa. The recommended measures here include:
- Painkillers
- Physiotherapy
- Diet & changing your diet
- Cooling envelopes [10]
Arthritis is often chronic and cannot be cured. The symptoms can be treated very well with medication.
Arthritis can make standing up so painful for dogs that they prefer to pee on the couch rather than go outside to pee. However, this problem can be treated well with the help of special medication.
More tips
In rare cases, other illnesses can also be responsible for sudden incontinence. This includes:
- Bladder and kidney stones
- Spinal injury
- Tumor disease
A visit to the vet is recommended if:
- Your dog was previously house trained.
- Your dog constantly pees on the sofa.
- Further pathological symptoms occur.
Tips for removing urine stains from sofa
Here I recommend the following bombproof approach:
- Start cleaning as early as possible to prevent drying.
- To do this, dab the area with kitchen paper until it no longer releases moisture.
- Mix BactoDes (from Amazon) with 10 times the amount of water.
- Rub the affected area with the mixture and a cloth.
- Allow the area to dry for around 10 minutes before patting it dry.
If you can still smell or see the urine stain afterwards, I recommend repeating the procedure with a mixing ratio of 1:5.
Amazon's BactoDes cleaning product was made for exactly this purpose. This also explains the around 3,000 satisfied reviews.
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