A dog may urinate in his own bed for a few reasons. He might be stressed by a current or recent occurrence. There may be a problem with the dog’s urinary tract. Or there may be a deeper, more systemic issue.
Emotional Issues
A dog may urinate in his own bed if he is experiencing stress, anxiety, fear of abandonment, or grief, such as for the passing of another dog in the family. Anxiety can be caused by changes in a dog’s physical environment, loud noises, such as the sound of fireworks, thunder, or vacuum cleaners, separation from his pet parent, being left completely alone and isolated, or travel. Even emotionally stable dogs can have problems with anxiety, but if experienced repeatedly, anxiety can develop into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Emotionally disturbing events that might lead to PTSD can include being attacked by another animal, being in a natural disaster, or witnessing violence to a close friend of any species.
Incontinence
A dog may urinate in his own bed involuntarily, typically while relaxed or sleeping, if the urethral sphincter begins to fail. In this condition, muscles that involuntarily close the dog’s urethra stop working properly and no longer contract, allowing urine to leak. This usually happens in spayed female dogs of large breeds, but can happen in any dog. Often the result of physical deterioration associated with aging, this can also be related to neurological problems, tumors and infections in the bladder, and various anatomical causes.
Arthritis
A dog with arthritis may experience so much pain from standing up and walking that he opts to urinate in his own bed rather than stand up and go outside. Arthritis is usually a result of normal wear and tear on a dog’s joints taking a toll with age, but is treatable with medication. Most dogs will develop arthritis as they age. The most common forms of arthritis involve degeneration or inflammation of the joints.
Urinary Tract Infection
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is caused by bacteria adhering to and multiplying inside the dog’s urinary tract. A UTI is more likely to develop when a dog suffers from a variety of other conditions, such as diabetes, tumors, bladder stones, and stress, among others.
Kidney Disease
Kidney disease can be either acute or chronic, and in both cases results from the kidneys failing to eliminate toxins from the dog’s bloodstream. Acute kidney disease is sudden and sometimes can be reversed, while chronic kidney disease develops more gradually and cannot be cured. It can occur for many different reasons, including an obstruction of the urinary tract, ingestion of a toxic substance, poor diet, organs deteriorating with age, and high blood pressure. Some breeds are more likely to inherit chronic kidney disease, including the Samoyed, Shih Tzu, Poodle, Rottweiler, Cocker Spaniel, and the Doberman Pinscher.