Bedwetter

[hopefaith]

Hello, I have a 11 month old Beagle mix female who has the strange habit of peeing before she takes a nap. I acquired her from a rescue organization. She knows where to pee the regular way - but for some reason before she takes a nap beneath the covers of my bed, she goes in circles several times, stops, pees, and then settles down for a nap. WHY DOES SHE DO THIS? I can't figure it out! Is there any way to train her not to do this - she does it even when I'm not home.

[Lucky Rescue]

Yikes..I assume she's spayed? Is she actually lying down in her pee?

Are you watching her do this without stopping her? If she's healthy with no bladder problems, you cant' allow this.

First, get her off your bed completely, until you break this habit. When you see her circling at any time, clap your hands and say "NO" then take her outside immediately on a leash and praise her like crazy when she goes.

If you aren't home, make sure to confine her somewhere there aren't any soft surfaces for her to pee on. Dogs don't like peeing on stuff like tile floors since it splashes and runs on their feet.

[hopefaith]

I have tried to stop her whenever I see her doing her little "dance", I clap my hands and say no, or push her off the bed, but she usually keeps right on peeing. Is this a habit she could have acquired by being kept in a crate, perhaps - possibly she got used to sleeping in her own pee?

[Lucky Rescue]

Is this a habit she could have acquired by being kept in a crate, perhaps - possibly she got used to sleeping in her own pee?

Oh that's certainly possible, if she came from a puppymill or was crated constantly.

It might be very hard to break this habit. I suggest you let her drag a leash when you're home. That way you can correct her immediately and BEFORE she pees and take her outside so she'll connect the actions. Do not let her out of your sight when you're home.

Pushing her off the bed isn't going to work, since it doesn't tell what she SHOULD be doing - namely going outside.

Be very persistant with this and try not to let her ever pee indoors. Does she pee anywhere else, or just on your bed?

[poodletalk]

My husky use to do this on my husband's side of the bed (I hope he doesn't read this) for her it was a sign of dominance.

Since then, she's NOT allowed in my room when I am not there and when she's in my room she's not allowed on the bed. (First dog I ever owned not allowed on the bed)

She never peed anywhere else except for my bed, so she lost the privledge of sleeping on my bed.

[hopefaith]

My bed is the only place she pees - it's always connected to her settling down for a nap (I've spent a fortune on bedding in the past few months.) She basically sneaks under the covers, then starts "digging" and circling, which she does for several minutes, making a nest for herself I guess, and then she'll suddenly stop, pee, sniff the spot where she peed, and then lie down. My other dog finds her behaviour quite perplexing. I never thought of the dominance issue - she is actually quite a submissive dog I think, as whenever I take her to the dog park and other dogs approach us she tucks her tail between her legs and sometimes will dribble a bit of urine, which I've read is a sign of submission to the other dogs.

[rainbow]

If it's only your bed that she's peeing on then I wouldn't let her go on it anymore.