While you may consider your FIDO one of your priciest possessions, being a pet owner isn’t the easiest task at all. It comes with a whole lot of responsibilities, and the well-being of your dog is your topmost priority always. So, if your hale and hearty pooch starts leaving brown spots on his bed suddenly, it could stress you to the core. You could be wondering if your housetraining went to waste.
You might even keep thinking if there’s something wrong with your beloved pooch or not. Well, every concern has a solution. So, read on to learn about the different reasons why your dog could leave brown spots on the bed. Also, know about the preventive measures to take from your end.
What Causes Your Dog to Leave Brown Spots on Bed? 7 Probable Reasons

Did your dog leave brown spots on his bed or on the couch where he sat? Does it happen quite often or once in a while? It could be worrisome for you. So, let’s analyze the different reasons why your dog may leave brown spots on his bed.
1. Urinary Tract Infection
The brown spots on the bed are likely to be urine stains. If your dog is stressed, anxious, or hasn’t been housetrained properly, he could urinate on the bed or where he sits. He may even do the same when he attempts to mark his territory. But that may not happen every day. In case your dog leaves urine stains on the bed every other day, chances are that he could be suffering from urinary tract infections.
If your dog has UTI (Urinary Tract Infection), then the urine may appear cloudy or blood-like. He may even strain or whimper while urinating and have a fever. If you have identified your dog has UTI (Urinary Tract Infection), you must talk to the vet at the earliest.
2. Stressful Behavior

Dogs are sensitive, with some breeds being a little more than others. They could get startled at the slightest change in their environment, like a loud noise, sounds of fireworks, and so on. If your dog has separation anxiety and cannot stay for long periods without you, then it will be stressed and anxious. This could make your dog drool a lot. They may even urinate accidentally. The result will be saliva or urine stains on the bed.
If your dog is stressed, it will be evident through his body language. He will yawn, pant, and drool excessively. Your dog might also lick his lips a lot and pace up and down.
When you identify these signs of stress, you need to find out what has triggered the same so that you can address them at the earliest. If your dog’s stress issues become uncontrollable, then do contact the vet at once.
3. Sweat
Dogs do not sweat through the skin like humans do. Instead, they release the sweat through the paw pads. However, they do not sweat as profusely as we do. Yet, chances could be that small amounts of sweat were released from their body when they lay down on the bed.
Resultantly, it led to brown stains on the bed. If your dog has oily skin and isn’t groomed regularly, then too, he might release body oils on the bed or couch.
4. Underlying Medical Conditions

Besides urinary tract infection, your dog could have other medical conditions as well that could make him leave brown spots on the bed. Like, those with dental problems could drool increasingly and leave brown spots on the bed.
Similarly, if your dog doesn’t have control over his bowel movements, he might eliminate on the bed quite often. Your canine could even develop an allergic reaction. Excessive itching could make the affected area infected, leading to pus formation. Pyoderma is one such skin condition that could result in crusting alongside pus or blood secretion.
If you spot pus on your dog’s skin, contact the vet immediately. He will check your dog thoroughly to detect if the pus is due to skin injury or infection or if there’s more to it.
Besides the brown spots, also check if your dog is showing other signs of discomfort. These include vomiting, lessened appetite, lethargy, etc. If you see anything unusual, seek medical help at the earliest.
5. Dietary Problems
When your dog isn’t given a healthy diet or feeds too much on table scraps, and unhealthy treats, it could result in an unhealthy stomach. Your dog may, therefore not be able to control his bowel movements, leading to accidents at night.
If your dog chanced upon the leftover sausage or bacon on your plate, then his urine could appear concentrated and cloudier. And if he eliminates it in bed, the outcome would be brown spots.
6. Due to Old Age

If you have a senior dog at home, he would have trouble moving easily like his younger counterparts because of stiff and weak muscles and joints. Because of this, he could have frequent accidents on the bed due to urine or stool leakage.
7. Impaction of the Anal Glands
Every dog has two anal glands on the lower part of their anus. The anal sacs contain fluids mostly secreted when a dog passes the bowels.
However, when the fluid isn’t emptied properly, it dries up and thickens to the extent that it may plug the opening of the sac, making it impacted, swollen, and inflamed.
In the case of severe infection, the anal glands could secrete blood or pus, leading to brown stains on the bed. Do talk to the vet at once in such cases. Do not try anything at home. It could worsen your dog’s condition.
Signs That Your Dog Needs to Have Its Anal Glands Checked Out

As a continuation of the above point, you would have to closely monitor your dog if you sense that the problem is with the anal glands. Here are some of the signs that would indicate that your dog’s anal glands need to be checked. Take a look at the symptoms:
- Your dog is scooting quite often by dragging his bum along while moving
- He is constantly licking or biting the area surrounding his tail
- You could see pus or blood coming out of his rectum
- He may stain the couch or bed whenever he sits or lies down
- You’ll get a stinky smell coming from his bum
- There may be a change in their stool color to black or brown from yellow
In such cases, get in touch with the vet quickly.
How to Prevent and Remove the Brown Spots from the Bed or Couch?
When you see brown spots on your bed or couch too often, that could indeed be stressful for you. You’ll be worried about your dog and your favorite upholstery or bed sheet. Here are some of the tips to prevent your dog from staining your couch.
Let’s also look at how you could remove the spots from the bed or couch if it has already been stained.
Preventive Measures

Here are some ways to refrain your dog from staining your bed or couch. Do take a look.
- If the brown spots are urine stains, then the first thing to do is to housetrain your dog. When you start this from his puppy days, there are lesser chances of accidents. But, if UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) is the main reason, then you should get him checked at the earliest. Once your dog is treated, he will not urinate on the bed.
- Make sure you give your dog high-quality food that could be homemade or store-bought. Refrain from giving your dog table scraps or unhealthy treats. This will help to keep your dog’s bowel movements under control.
- If your dog have problems with his anal glands before, then make sure that you express them from time to time. This will prevent the sacs from getting impacted. You should seek the help of a vet or a professional groomer for the same.
- When you have a senior at home, it is better to get him to wear a diaper. In this way, he’ll not eliminate in your bed or anywhere else. Ensure to change the diaper in three to four hours for proper hygiene.
- Make sure that you groom your dog regularly. This involves bathing him at least once a month and brushing his coat two to three times a week (based on his requirements). You should even brush his teeth at least thrice a week to eliminate the chances of dental infection.
Stain Removal Tips
When you notice stains on your couch or bed, it will stress you out for sure. Here are some tips to remove the stains:
- If it’s a fresh stain, you must try to clean it immediately. Use a paper towel or clean cloth for the same and blot the affected area gently. Do not rub or scrub the stain, as it could spread all over, making it problematic to be removed. If the stain doesn’t go away after you’ve blotted it, repeat the process, and you may even use a cleaning solution. Once you’ve removed the stain, rinse well using clean water. Allow the stain to dry.
- You could even opt for pet cleaning products. Ensure that you choose the ones which aren’t too harsh and pet-safe as well.
- You may even opt for natural remedies to remove stains. These include spraying a solution of white vinegar and water. You could even make a paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Coat the stain with the paste using a cloth or clean brush. Leave it that way for around 20 minutes before you rinse it off. A mixture of salt and lemon juice, when rubbed on the stain, will also work.
Why is my Female Dog Leaking Brown Fluid from the Anus?
All dogs have anal sacs irrespective of their sex. So, if your female dog’s anus is leaking brown fluid, it could mean that her anal glands are impacted.
There may be another reason as well. If your female canine hasn’t been spayed, she’ll have a heat cycle every 6-9 months. It is then that she may have discharges varying in color from pink or red to brown as well.
FAQ’s
When should you get in touch with a vet regarding your dog’s leaving brown spots on the bed?
If your dog stains the bed or couch with brown spots quite often, then it means that something isn’t right. He may show other signs of discomfort too. These include a reduced appetite, throwing up, lethargy, pus secretion from his skin or anus, and so on. In such cases, consult a vet immediately, or the concern could aggravate.
How can you say that your dog’s anal glands need to be expressed?
Besides the brown stains on your bed, you will also find your dog scooting along too often. He could also indulge in biting or licking the area surrounding the anus. All these are warning signals regarding the fact that his anal gland expression is the need of the hour.
Conclusion
So to sum it up, the brown spots that your dog leaves on the bed don’t always stand for something serious. Yet, if it keeps recurring, then it could be concerning. Do not delay in contacting a vet.
Elena Gherman is a highly skilled and knowledgeable animal care expert. At the start of her career, she gained practical expertise with multiple animals. In addition to that, she works as a DVM veterinary editor for Joy Pet Products, which focuses on offering reliable information on pet health and wellbeing. She meticulously reviews each piece of writing before it is published to make sure pet owners get the most precise and updated information possible.