You love your French Bulldog to pieces, but you cringe every time you discover he’s peed on his dog bed. What gives? Well, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Lots of French Bulldog owners struggle with this issue. The good news is that there are some common reasons why your Frenchie might be peeing on his bed. Understanding these reasons can help you get to the root of the problem and resolve it. In this article, we’ll explore the five most likely causes, ranging from medical conditions like urinary tract infections to behavioral issues like separation anxiety. We’ll also provide some tips to curb unwanted potty behavior. So grab some paper towels and let’s get to the bottom of why your Frenchie keeps wetting his bed!
Medical Reasons Your French Bulldog May Be Peeing on His Bed
Your Frenchie peeing on his bed can sometimes indicate an underlying medical issue. It’s a good idea to take your pup to the vet to rule out any problems. Some possible medical reasons for bed wetting in French Bulldogs include:
- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): If your French Bulldog is peeing small amounts very frequently, especially if the urine is dark or bloody, it could signal a UTI. UTIs cause a burning sensation that makes dogs feel like they have to go constantly.
- Kidney Problems: In some cases, excessive peeing and bed wetting can be a symptom of a kidney issue in French Bulldogs like kidney disease or kidney stones. Blood tests and urine tests can determine if there are any kidney abnormalities. Treatment may involve medication, diet change, or in severe cases hospitalization.
- Diabetes: Unquenchable thirst and frequent urination are telltale signs of diabetes in dogs. If your Frenchie seems to be drinking water excessively but still peeing a lot, especially at night, it’s best to have his blood sugar tested. Insulin shots and diet are usually used to manage diabetes in dogs.
- Spay Incontinence: Female French Bulldogs that have been spayed can develop spay incontinence, which causes leakage of urine while resting or sleeping. It’s usually treated with medication.
- Anxiety or Submissive Urination: Sometimes French Bulldogs may pee in places they shouldn’t due to anxiety, excitement, or submissive behavior. Using positive reinforcement training, sticking to a routine, and avoiding punishment can help address these behavioral issues. You should still have your vet examine your Frenchie to rule out any medical causes first before assuming it’s solely due to behavior.
The key is to monitor your Frenchie for any other symptoms and be proactive by taking him to the vet, especially if the bedwetting is a new behavior. Your vet can examine your pup, run any necessary tests, and determine the underlying cause so you can get your Frenchie back to peeing where he should – outside!
Behavioral Causes of Your French Bulldog’s Bed Wetting
Your Frenchie may be peeing on his bed due to behavioral issues. Some possible reasons for this undesirable behavior include:
- Territorial marking: Male French Bulldogs in particular are prone to marking their territory. If your Frenchie is not neutered, he may be marking his bed to establish it as his own space. Neutering can help curb this behavior.
- Anxiety: French Bulldogs are prone to separation anxiety and stress. Peeing on his bed could be your Frenchie’s way of expressing anxiety over being left alone or other stressful situations. Providing interactive dog toys, plenty of exercise and affection can help ease anxiety in French Bulldogs.
- Lack of training: If your Frenchie is still a puppy, he may not have full control of his bladder yet or understand that peeing on his bed is unacceptable. Consistent and patient housetraining is key. Take your Frenchie out frequently, especially after eating or drinking, and reward him when he goes to the bathroom outside. Also, restrict access to his bed when you can’t supervise.
- Attention seeking: Some French Bulldogs learn that peeing on their bed, or other inappropriate places, gets them attention from their owners. While you need to properly clean any accidents, avoid scolding or punishing your Frenchie. Instead, reward and praise your Frenchie when he goes to the bathroom in the right area. Make sure he has plenty of opportunities to interact with you so he doesn’t feel the need to act out for attention.
- Medical issue: In some cases, bed wetting can be caused by a medical issue like a urinary tract infection or diabetes. If your Frenchie seems to suddenly start peeing on his bed frequently, or the amount of pee seems excessive, it’s a good idea to have your vet examine him to rule out any medical causes. They can also guide on addressing any behavioral causes of the problem.
With patience, training, and affection, you can get to the root cause of why your French Bulldog is peeing on his bed and take steps to remedy the situation. In no time, you’ll have your happy, well-adjusted Frenchie back and his bed will be dry once more!
Tips to Stop Your Frenchie From Peeing on His Bed
Your adorable Frenchie peeing on his bed can be frustrating, but there are some things you can do to help resolve this issue:
- First, make sure his bedding is washed regularly using an enzymatic cleaner that breaks down urine proteins to remove any smell that may trigger his instinct to pee in that spot. You should also consider getting him a new bed, as the smell may have soaked into the bed itself.
- Give your Frenchie plenty of opportunities to go out, especially after eating, drinking, or waking up. Take him out every 1-2 hours and praise him when he goes to the bathroom outside. This positive reinforcement will help teach him that outside is the appropriate place to relieve himself.
- Never punish your Frenchie for accidents in the house. Simply clean them thoroughly using an enzymatic cleaner and take him out more frequently. Punishing can frighten or confuse him and damage your bond of trust.
- Consider crate training your Frenchie. His crate should be just big enough for him to stand up, turn around and lie down. When you’re not home to supervise, or overnight, keep him in his crate. Dogs naturally avoid soiling in their sleeping area, so this can help break them of the habit. Be sure to give him opportunities to go out right before crating him.
- You should also limit his access to fluids in the evening before bedtime. Remove his water bowl 2-3 hours before bed to decrease the chance he needs to go during the night. Of course, always have fresh, clean water available for him during the day.
With patience, consistency, positive reinforcement, and the tips above, you can get your adorable Frenchie to stop peeing on his bed. But if problems continue for more than a month, it’s best to consult your vet to rule out any medical causes.
How to Clean Dog Urine From Bedding
Accidents happen, but cleaning up urine from your dog’s bedding needs to be done properly to avoid lingering odors that may prompt your Frenchie to pee there again. Here are the steps to take:
- First, blot up as much of the urine as possible with paper towels or old rags. Do not rub it in. Apply a mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar or a commercial pet odor neutralizer product.
- After soaking, launder the bedding in a washing machine using the hottest setting possible and a pet odor-fighting detergent that contains enzymes or hydrogen peroxide to break down urine proteins. For tough stains, scrub the area with a brush. A bio-stain remover or oxy clean bleach can also help.
- Once washed, inspect the bedding to ensure the urine smell is gone. Even if you can’t detect anything, your dog might still smell traces of it. It’s best to re-wash the bedding to ensure full odor removal.
- For urine that has soaked into the filling of the bed, you may need to replace it. Baking soda can help absorb and deodorize urine in foam or fluffy fillings. Sprinkle it on, let it sit, and then vacuum up. You may need to repeat it a few times. For severe cases, replacement is best.
- As an alternative, you can try renting a carpet cleaning machine that employs hot water and suction to deep clean the bed. However, there is a risk of shrinking or damaging some bed materials. It may still be necessary to replace the filling.
The key is to act quickly and thoroughly clean and deodorize the area to avoid repeat accidents in the same spot. With patience and consistency in training, your innocent Frenchie will learn to only pee in appropriate areas. In the meantime, protect bedding and consider using a crate when you’re not home to supervise.
FAQs: Why Does My French Bulldog Pee on His Bed?
Many French Bulldog owners deal with the frustration of their Frenchie peeing on his bed, blankets, towels, or other soft surfaces. There are some possible reasons for this behavior:
- Medical issue: The most common reason is a medical issue like a urinary tract infection. Take your French Bulldogs to the vet to rule out any medical causes. They can check for infections and test kidney function.
- Anxiety: French Bulldogs are prone to anxiety and stress. Peeing in inappropriate places can be a sign of anxiety in dogs. Make sure your Frenchie has a consistent routine, lots of social interaction, and playtime. You can also try anxiety medication or supplements to help calm your dog.
- Submissive urination: Some French Bulldogs may dribble urine as a sign of submission, especially puppies. Do not punish or yell at your dog for this behavior. Instead, ignore the dribbling and avoid direct eye contact or intimidating stances over your dog. Gently pet and praise your Frenchie when he’s being calm and well-behaved.
- Lack of house training: If your French Bulldog is still a puppy, he may not be fully house-trained yet. Stick to a regular feeding and bathroom schedule. Closely supervise your pup and take him out frequently, especially after eating, drinking, or waking up. Thoroughly clean any accidents to remove the smell. With consistency and patience, house training a Frenchie usually takes 4 to 6 months.
- Marking territory: Male French Bulldogs may mark their territory by spraying or dribbling small amounts of urine. Have your Frenchie neutered to help reduce territorial behavior. Also, thoroughly clean any areas where marking has occurred to remove the smell which can trigger more marking.
Paying close attention to your Frenchie and determining the underlying cause of the behavior will help you take the appropriate steps to resolve the peeing on beds issue. With time and consistency, you can get your Frenchie to stop this frustrating habit.
Conclusion
So there you have it – five of the top reasons why your little French Bulldogs might be peeing on his bed. From medical issues like UTIs to anxiety when you’re away, several things could be causing this frustrating behavior. The key is observing your pup to try to pinpoint the trigger. Then you can work on solutions like more potty breaks, calming aids during separations, and checkups at the vet. Having a pee-soaked dog bed isn’t fun for anyone, but don’t get discouraged. With some patience and tweaks to their routine, you can get your French Bulldog back on track with going potty outside where they should. Just remember they aren’t doing it out of spite – there’s always an underlying reason. Keep that in mind as you get to the bottom of it!