How to Keep Dogs from Peeing on Furniture?

Did you know the dog’s pee contains ammonia that is not suitable for human health because it produces toxic fumes once it evaporates, leading to respiratory problems?

Does this scare you because your dog pee on your couch and bed? Well, don’t panic. We are here for you. 

Many other tricks can help you get rid of this issue. Try using essential oils or vinegar to make a repellent spray. Or give him the proper training.

If you wish to know more, then go through the article.

 

How to Stop a Dog From Peeing on the Couch

Check the following list of tricks that can help keep your dog off furniture from peeing.

 

1. Use an aroma that hinders dogs from peeing.

Using certain smells will prevent the dog from peeing on unwanted spots because the scent will trigger his nose. 

Check the following list for that.

• The vinegar has an acrid smell which repels dogs as it is too strong for them.
• Using citrus acids will also help and act as a great dog repellent. You can use orange and lemon. The odor is so strong for your dog that it will irritate his nose.
• Essential oils can be helpful. Just use ten drops of oil in a bottle of water and splash it on the furniture.

Note: Essential oils are poisonous for dogs. Only use citrus, cinnamon, eucalyptus, mint oil. They are safe. Plus, make sure that your dog does not ingest the oil.

• Rubbing alcohol can also work well to keep dogs off the furniture.
• You can also try ammonia. Dogs dislike its smell
• Lastly, hot pepper is effective. The spicy smell of the pepper irritates the nostril of the dog. Thus, he will back off immediately. 

 

2. Clean perfectly, so they stop coming back to the same place.

It would be great to clean the pee spot from the furniture immediately once the dog does his business.

If the smell lingers, he will be encouraged to come again and pee on the same spot because he is familiar with it, and now it is his safe spot.

You can buy a professional enzymatic cleaner and deodorizer to eliminate the stain and odor from the furniture. 

Ensure it is safe for kids and doesn’t include harmful chemicals; otherwise, your furniture can get spoiled.

You can even use baking soda, vinegar, and water solution to remove the odor and stain.

Want to try another recipe? Then use orange peel, brown sugar, and water. It is also effective.

 

3. Neuter or spay your dog

Urine marking is standard in dogs. To save your furniture from his pee, you can go for surgery and get him spayed. It will help to lessen the chances of peeing for mating.

As per research, it is estimated that 50-60% reduce urine marking after dogs are neutered or spayed.

Even after the surgery, your dog still urinates on the furniture; it can be because of a physical problem or behavior issue.

 

4. Use pheromones

You can use pheromones to control your dog’s anxiety. It helps to prevent unusual peeing behavior.

There are many OTC (over-the-counter) anxiety tools available in stores. You can buy a collar or diffuser.

The effect of pheromones helps to control and calm your dog. Hence, it also reduces the marking urge.

 

5. Try crate training

Using a dog crate can be a good option for some dog owners. But, it may not be correct for some as they find it unacceptable. They may think it is harsh, like punishing their pet.

But, the fact is you are not using it to punish your dog. It is just a simple way of training which many owners and professionals suggest for housebreaking training.

You have to keep your dog in the crate so that he does not pee anywhere.

Make sure to buy a perfect size crate in which he can move his body, sleep along and stand. It should not be very spacious. Otherwise, your dog may pee and poo inside.

So, here is the rule: you have to crate train your dog and take him out of it only for peeing and pooping. 

Take him to the same spot so that it becomes easy for him to remember where to pee, and also that place will become familiar to him because of his pee smell.

You can use treats and positive reinforcement tricks and keep practicing crate training until he is used to it. By doing this, you can control his involuntary peeing actions.

 

6. Place treat or food

Dogs don’t eliminate where they eat. So you can use a treat. Place that on the spot where he pees nearby the furniture. Thus, he will eat the treat and won’t pee again.

TIP: Make sure that you repeat the step because consistency is the key.

 

7. Make sure your dog spends enough time outside.

If your dog is an energetic outdoor dog, you must take your dog outside because his energy is well utilized in running and playing outside. 

It can control accidental situations like peeing on the floor or furniture. It will keep him calm and less worried.

Moreover, this will also help him to do his business outside. For the best, make sure to take him outdoors for peeing and pooping 4, 5 times a day.

 

Why is my dog peeing on my Furniture?

There are many causes why your dog does this; it can be because of medical issues or behavioral problems. Let’s learn them all.

 

1. Anxiety

Anxiety in dogs can lead them to behave weirdly. If your dog pees on your furniture, that doesn’t mean he is doing it because of some revenge.

Dogs don’t act like this; they are sweet, caring, and lovely. The anxiety and stress can make them do weird stuff like peeing on furniture because it makes them feel better.

Anxiety may arise because you changed your house, someone new comes to your home, you got a new baby, or you got a new pet member.

It is essential to detect the cause behind his stress and anxious nature. You can get him a comfy sleeping bed to snuggle so that he can have a sound sleep and worry less.

Or try to spend time, play with him, keep him happy. If these things don’t work, you must seek professional help.

 

2. Territorial marking a way of benign bossy

A dog pees to mark the region as his territory. They use their smell to claim it is his place. This is generally a canine way of communication.

If your dog pees on your furniture, he is displaying dominance.

He is showing that no one can come near the furniture. And, when other dogs or pets sniffle the smell, they must not enter the area unless they want to fight.

Such behavior is typical in unneutered male dogs. It is because of hormonal influences and sexual arousal.

 

3. Submissive behavior

Submissive behavior in dogs is an attempt to tell the front party that he is no threat to him. 

If there is a puppy and your dog wants to play with him, he will show submissive behavior. Sometimes this behavior also displays the anxious nature of your dog.

However, your dog may even get excited and may pee a little. Sometimes it isn’t easy to control. You may have to speak to your vet to get rid of the behavior.

 

4. No house training

Your dog peeing on your house furniture could possibly be because of your lack of training. If the dog is not trained well at home, he can accidentally pee anywhere in the house.

Therefore, you must give your dog the proper training. Take him out for housebreaking. You might need dog diapers in the initial period of the training.

Use many positive reinforcement techniques, praise him, give him the treat to lure him, and get things registered in his mind.

Most importantly, you have to make sure that you keep practicing and have enough patience. 

 

5. Health problems

Even after providing your dog professional house training, he still pees in your house or on your furniture then it is a matter of concern. It is not usual. And he must be suffering from ailments.

Yes, if dogs are peeing accidentally, it can be because of urinary incontinence. This occurs when the bladder fails to control urine action. And involuntary leakage happens.

Did you know, according to vcahospitals studies, “Over 20% of all spayed female dogs, especially large-breed dogs, are thought to suffer from urethral incontinence.” And, middle-aged to senior age dogs are likely to suffer from urinary incontinence.

Another medical problem is diabetes. If your dog is diabetic, he is likely to leak accidentally. 

Because dogs’ bodies experience osmotic diuresis in simple terms, they tend to pee more frequently than average.

You can not heal them at home. Therefore, you should take your dog to the vet and get the proper treatment.

 

FAQs

Q1 – Does rubbing a dog’s nose in pee work?

No, this will not help you. When you do this, your dog will become afraid of you. The process of doing his business will become a scary task for him that he will hide all his peeing and pooping marks from the house. As a result, he may end up eating his poop.

 

Q2 – Is Scotchgard effective against dog pee?

Yes, you can get Scotchgard to remove all dog pee stains. It is effective and quickly removes stains from carpet and bed sheets.

 

Q3 – What can you do to prevent your couch from smelling like a dog?

Use baking soda. It is the perfect solution. You sprinkle a dash of it and let it absorb. The soda will take away all the foul odor, and then you can use a vacuum to clear the powder. 

 

Well, that’s a wrap!

To prevent your dog from peeing off the furniture, you can give him training, get a crate, and make a homemade repellent spray.

Sometimes involuntary peeing can be because of medical problems like urinary inconsistency and diabetes. You must speak to the vet and get it treated on time in such a case.

If you know any other tricks on keeping pets away from peeing on the furniture, do let us know in the comment section.