Dog Peeing on My Couch All of a Sudden? Reasons and Fixes You Need to Know.
Okay, so picture this: I came home from a long day, all ready to just crash on my couch, and bam! There's this smell. Not a good one. My dog, Buster, a usually well-behaved golden retriever, had peed on my favorite spot on the couch. Seriously? I was baffled. He's house-trained, never does this.
First thing I did, obviously, was clean up the mess. I grabbed my trusty enzyme cleaner – got to use the enzyme stuff for dog pee, it's a lifesaver – and went to work. While I was scrubbing, I started thinking, "Why would he do this?"
Rule Out the Obvious
- Was it a one-time accident? Maybe he just couldn't hold it. I made a mental note to watch his water intake and make sure he was getting enough potty breaks.
- Medical issues? This was a big one. UTIs, bladder stones, or even diabetes can cause dogs to have accidents. I decided to call the vet and make an appointment, just to be safe.
While waiting for the vet appointment, I started doing some detective work. Did anything change recently? New food? New people in the house? I racked my brain. Then it hit me. We had a friend over last weekend who sat on, you guessed it, that exact spot on the couch. Could Buster be marking his territory?
The vet gave Buster a clean bill of health. No medical problems. Phew! That was a relief. So, it seemed like the territory marking theory was the most likely. Maybe he smelled our friend's scent and felt the need to, well, reclaim his spot.
From then on, I was super diligent. I made sure to thoroughly clean the couch again, and whenever we had guests, I kept a close eye on Buster. I also started reinforcing his training, just to remind him where the appropriate bathroom spot was – outside!
It's been a few weeks now, and so far, so good. No more couch incidents. I think we cracked the case. It was a bit of a headache, but hey, that's dog ownership for you. You never know what kind of surprises they'll throw your way. But I love the little guy, pee accidents and all.
