Why does my dog pee on the couch only when I leave him alone?

Question

My dog will not stop peeing on my couch when he is alone. It is the only place he pees in the house. If we block the couch with boxes before we leave he does not pee anywhere else. But if we leave it unblocked and leave the apartment, even for just a minute to check the mail he will pee on it. He always alerts us when we are home and he needs to go outside.

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

The most common cause of housetraining accidents like this that only occur when you're not home is separation anxiety - so I suspect that your dog may be quite stressed and anxious when you're gone. If you're unsure, you can set up a video camera to record him the next time you go out - it's usually quite easy to tell based on the video if this is an anxiety-related problem or not. I would suggest leaving a special long-lasting treat of some kind for him every time you leave the house, such as a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter. This will help to keep him busy and encourage him to settle, and over time will help to decrease his anxiety by giving him something to look forward to when you leave. You can also try a DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure. If these things don't help, I would recommend taking your dog to the vet for a check-up to make sure that there is not an underlying medical issue contributing to the problem. You can also discuss the possibility of prescription anti-anxiety medication for him if needed.

Why does my dog pee on the couch only when I leave him alone?

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