Help! Why Did My Dog Suddenly Pee on My Couch?

Okay, so, yesterday was NOT my favorite day. You know how it is when you come home and just KNOW something's off? Yeah, well, I walked in, and BAM! The smell hit me. Dog pee. And not just a little accident, but a full-on puddle on my brand-new couch. Ugh.

My first thought was, "Seriously, buddy?" My dog, Max, is usually pretty good. He's house-trained, no issues for years. So, I knew something was up. I didn't yell or anything, just took a deep breath and started cleaning. You gotta get that stuff up quick, you know?

Step one: Soaked up as much pee as I could with paper towels. Like, a whole roll. Then I grabbed my enzymatic cleaner – the one specifically for pet messes. That stuff is a lifesaver. I sprayed it all over the affected area, making sure it really got in there.

Step two: Let the cleaner sit for about 15 minutes. The bottle said to do that, so I did. While I waited, I started thinking about WHY Max would suddenly pee on the couch. Had he been sick? Stressed? Was I not paying enough attention to him?

Step three: After the 15 minutes, I blotted the area again with clean paper towels. Then, I put a thick layer of baking soda on the spot to absorb any remaining moisture and odor. Baking soda is my go-to for EVERYTHING, seriously.

Step four: Vacuumed up the baking soda after a couple of hours. The couch still smelled a little funky, so I sprayed some fabric refresher on it. Febreze, you're my hero.

But the cleaning was only half the battle. I needed to figure out the reason WHY. Here's what I did to investigate:

• First, I checked Max for any signs of illness. Was he eating and drinking normally? Was he acting lethargic? Did he seem uncomfortable when I touched his belly? Thankfully, he seemed perfectly fine physically.
• Next, I thought about any changes in our routine. Had I been working longer hours? Had we skipped a walk? Turns out, my mom visited that morning, and Max is super protective of me around other people. That’s when the light bulb went off.

The Culprit: Anxiety!

Yep, I think Max peed on the couch because he was anxious about my mom being in the house. He’s a rescue dog, and he can get a little territorial sometimes. He probably saw the couch as "his" spot and marked it to show my mom (and anyone else who might be a threat) that I belong to him.

So, what did I do? I gave Max extra attention that evening. We went for a long walk, I played fetch with him in the park, and I made sure to give him lots of cuddles. I also started looking into some calming aids for dogs, like pheromone diffusers, and maybe even consulting a dog behaviorist. I want to help him feel more secure and less anxious.

The couch still smells faintly of dog pee, despite my best efforts (I may have to call in a professional cleaner), but at least I think I know WHY it happened. And hopefully, with a little extra love and attention, Max won't feel the need to mark his territory on my furniture again. Fingers crossed!