I’ve got a three-month-old Rottweiler cross Malinois puppy who keeps pooing on my bed. She doesn't wee there, and it's only ever my bed, not any of the others in the house. I’ve tried everything to house-train her, but she’s still doing it.
I really need some help to work out why she's doing this and what I should do.
Translated from French
The forum content is sometimes translated from another language, and posts may concern countries with different animal laws. Do your research before making any decisions.
Since the forum is translated by AI, the translations may contain errors.
You got her at six weeks old? That’s really early! She wouldn’t have had enough time to learn from her mum, which could be one of the reasons she’s having accidents and other issues. Does she have a problem with nipping as well?
Right, about the fact it's your bed and not the others... 🤔 I have a few theories. First off, how does he act with you, and how are you with him day-to-day? I’m not talking about "revenge" here 😅—I just mean there might be a very close bond there, and so he’s rolled around in your sheets, played, and then... nature calls! It's an "excitement poo" (or stress-related; some dogs do "stress poos" when their owners aren't around, which is an issue that needs sorting). Then it just becomes a habit! It could also be a bit of territorial marking... We'll see... But personally, I don't think so. I’m of the mind that dogs shouldn't be on beds or sofas (otherwise shops would go bust selling dog beds and mats!) 😁 If he’s a bit of a "Velcro dog", you need to create a bit of space, gently. Tell him to "go to your bed"... Don't let him follow you everywhere... Constant monitoring or being too "at one" with the dog risks causing stress... Just avoid that by using the "on your bed" command 😉
She likes me, but she’s much more attached to my partner. Personally, I look after her by giving her cuddles and strokes and taking her for walks when I’m home. I did wonder if it was jealousy, though, because we have an older dog who sleeps with me.
Ah right, that could definitely cause some confusion for her... Maybe you need an XXXL bed then?
But seriously, puppies often take things belonging to the person who’s away the most—not out of spite, but because they miss them. Ours used to take my partner’s slippers to sleep on, not mine, and it wasn't because I was wearing mine all the time!
You just need to gently guide your puppy away from areas that are off-limits, whatever you decide those are. Maybe she’s allowed on other beds (watch out for her just swapping one for another...) or the sofa (everyone has their own rules...) until she breaks the habit. You’ll see how it goes over time and with supervision...
Don't get cross with her; I really think it’s pointless. She’s young, you just have to teach her calmly... (I’m only just learning how to actually "get cross" myself 😅 because after all these months, I haven't needed to... keep your cool 😉). When you do need to be firm and just raise your voice slightly, it’s much more effective. Keep that "joker" up your sleeve!
Ah, right, regarding your bed specifically and not the others... 🤔 A few theories... First off, how does he act around you, and what are you like with him on a daily basis? I'm not talking about "revenge" here 😅, I just mean that maybe you’re very close and he’s been rolling around in your sheets, playing, and—oops—nature calls! It could be an "excitement poo" (or stress-related; some dogs have accidents when their owners are out, which is an issue that needs sorting), and then it just becomes a habit! There might also be a bit of territorial marking involved... possibly... but personally, I don't think that's it here. Mind you, I’m of the opinion that dogs shouldn't be on beds or sofas (otherwise the shops would go out of business with all their dog beds, mattresses, and mats!) 😁 If he’s a bit of a "velcro dog", you need to create a bit of distance, gently of course. Tell him to "go to your bed"... don't let him follow you everywhere. Constant shadowing or being overly attached can lead to stress... try to avoid that by using the "on your bed" command 😉
She likes me well enough, but she’s much closer to my friend. As for me, I look after her by giving her plenty of cuddles and strokes, and I take her for walks when I'm at home.
I did wonder if it might be jealousy, though, because we have another older dog who sleeps with me.
How old was she when you got her? What house training method did you use? Could you give us a bit more detail, please?
Evening, we’ve had her since she was about 6 weeks old.
As for the house training, we let her know she’s done something wrong by giving her a bit of a telling-off, then we put her outside to show her that’s where she’s meant to go, and we ignore her for a bit.
Right, regarding the fact it's your bed and not anyone else's... 🤔 I've got a few theories...
First of all, how does he behave around you, and what’s your daily relationship like with him? I’m not talking about revenge here 😅, I just mean that maybe you’re so close that he’s been rolling around in your sheets, having a play, and then—whoosh—his system kicks in! It’s an "excitement poo" (or stress-related; some dogs do a "stress poo" when their owners aren't around, which is a problem that needs sorting), and then it just becomes a habit.
It could also be a bit of territorial marking... maybe... but I don't really think so in this case.
Mind you, dogs shouldn't really be on beds or sofas anyway (otherwise the shops would go bust trying to sell all those dog beds and mats!) 😁
If he’s a bit of a "velcro dog", you need to create a bit of distance, gently. Tell him to go to his bed... he shouldn't be following you everywhere. Being hyper-vigilant or overly attached can lead to stress... you can avoid that just by using the "on your bed" command 😉
You’ve got to make the bed strictly off-limits, and if you can't keep an eye on him at all times, keep him out of the bedroom altogether – just shut the door and that's that.
Take him out five or six times a day for toilet breaks and socialisation walks. If he’s properly exercised and relaxed, he’ll learn much more easily. And don't shout at him, I’m just mentioning that just in case.
You need to set firm boundaries so he has clear, stable rules to follow; dogs need them to feel relaxed and confident with their owner and their surroundings. It’s vital for their mental balance and general well-being.
It’s entirely up to you, but aside from the risk of them peeing on things, keeping them off the bed and the sofa isn't a bad shout, especially with a big dog. Letting a dog know its place is essential, and I don't mean that in a negative way at all! 👌
Mind you, I totally agree that each to their own and everyone has to do what feels right for them! 😁
It’s up to you, of course, but besides the issue of them peeing on things, banning them from the bed and the sofa isn’t such a bad idea, especially with a big dog. Letting a dog know their place is essential, and I don’t mean that in a negative way at all!
Hi, I looked after a puppy for a week and he peed on the bed and the sofa at our place... that was the end of that! He was banned from the bed and the sofa straight after! To avoid these kinds of issues, take him out frequently so he can do his business outside; at that age, they can’t hold it for very long... spot the signs of when he needs to go – as soon as he gets a bit restless, straight outside! Don’t train him to use newspapers or puppy pads as it delays house training, and he might even never be fully house-trained. Once he’s house-trained, you can decide whether to let him on the bed and the sofa, but for now, don't allow it :)
