UPDATE: TheraPetMD is up to 50% OFF today. 3 rooms $59.99 instead of $147 with Subscribe & Save. Check today's price
Dog Owner Stories
I Tried 7 Things to Stop My Dog Peeing in the House. Only One Actually Worked.
This is the story of the calming diffuser my vet recommended to stop my dog's indoor peeing.
Because pee pads and training were doing nothing.
Here's where my 5 months and $716 went, so yours don't go the same way.
I tried pee pads, 4 enzyme sprays, a 6 week training class, calming chews, an anxiety wrap and a crate. Then I tried one more thing: the one my vet wrote on a sticky note.
Six of them failed. One didn't. Tap through them in the order I tried them.
Before you buy another pack of pee pads, read this first. It takes 2 minutes.
The $35 a Month Pee Pads
I've fostered 37 rescue dogs in 12 years. I thought I'd seen every kind of accident.
Then came Rosie. A 4 year old shepherd mix who came as a foster and never left.
Sweet. Gentle with the cats. Perfect on a leash. And she peed on my living room rug every single day.
So I did what everyone does. I bought pee pads in bulk and lined the floor by the door.
Rosie walked right past them. And peed on the rug.
Here's the part I missed: she went outside like a pro. She only peed inside when I left for work, when the mail truck came, or when it thundered.
Four Different Enzyme Sprays
Next I blamed the smell. Every website said the same thing: if the spot still smells like pee, she'll go there again.
So I bought the enzyme spray with the best reviews. Then a stronger one. Then two more.
By week 6 there were four bottles under my sink.
The rug smelled better. Rosie peed on it anyway, about two feet to the left.
My husband started calling the living room "the swamp."
The $250 Training Class
Twelve years of fostering, and I signed up for a 6 week class like a beginner.
The trainer was lovely. Rosie spent most of every class pressed against my legs, shaking.
After week 4 the trainer pulled me aside. "She's not stubborn," she said. "She's scared of something."
I didn't know what to do with that. I'd paid $250 to learn my dog was nervous.
The puddles kept coming.
Group training classes run $120 to $600 a course. 2
The Calming Chews Everyone Raves About
A friend swore by calming chews for her doodle. $38 a tub.
Some days Rosie ate them. Some days she sniffed them and walked away.
Two tubs later, I still came home to the same wet spot on the rug.
And on storm nights, nothing in a treat could reach her.
The Anxiety Wrap
Then a snug wrap vest. The idea is that gentle pressure feels like a hug.
The first big storm of the summer, I strapped her in.
She sat in the corner between the couch and the wall, panting, for two hours.
When the thunder stopped, there was a puddle by the window.
It's a nice idea. But it only helps when you're home to put it on. And I'm at work most days.
The Crate (And the Guilt)
A neighbor said, "Just crate her when you leave."
So I did. She stopped peeing on the rug. She started peeing in the crate instead.
And she cried the second I picked up my keys.
Some mornings I sat in the car in the driveway feeling like the worst foster mom alive.
Then my sister came for dinner. I saw her face change at the front door. The smell hit her before I did.
I stopped buying things. I took Rosie to the vet.
The One My Vet Wrote on a Sticky Note
I asked Dr. Ellis to check Rosie for a bladder infection. The urine test came back clean.
Then she asked me one question: "When does she pee inside? Right when you leave? When it storms?"
Yes. And yes.
"Then she's not being bad, Linda," she said. "She's stressed."
For a lot of dogs, peeing indoors isn't a potty problem. It's a stress problem. A door closing, a truck, a storm. To a nervous dog, those moments feel like danger. And a dog who feels unsafe marks her space to make it feel like hers again.
Dr. Kelly Ballantyne, veterinary behaviorist, Today's Veterinary Practice 1"Dogs with separation anxiety may soil during even brief owner absences, whereas dogs with noise aversion may do so during loud noise events, such as thunderstorms or fireworks."
That's why everything I'd bought missed. Pads, sprays, the class, the crate: they managed the mess. None of them made Rosie feel safe when I wasn't home.
Then Dr. Ellis wrote one name on a sticky note: TheraPetMD.
Why TheraPetMD Was Different
TheraPetMD is a plug in diffuser that releases calming dog pheromones into the room, 24/7.
When puppies nurse, their mother gives off a natural scent signal from her skin. It tells them: you're safe here. Dogs keep reacting to that signal their whole lives. People can't smell it at all.
The refill uses an analogue of that dog pheromone (2%). No training. No pads. No pills. You plug it into the wall and let it work.
Gaultier et al., Veterinary Record, 2005 3In a study of 67 dogs with separation related problems, a synthetic dog appeasing pheromone did as well as clomipramine, a prescription anxiety drug. Owners of the pheromone group reported fewer unwanted events, and found it easier to use than daily pills.
- Safe and drug free. No chemicals or medications.
- Works 24/7, even while you're at work.
- Covers up to 700 sq ft per diffuser. One per room works best.
- Made for dogs. Only dogs detect the pheromone, so it's safe with your other pets.
- Vet recommended, with 300,000+ pet parents served.
How All 7 Compared
Same dog. Same rug. Same 5 months. Here's where each one landed.
| Fix and result for Rosie | Cost | Calmed her | Worked when I was out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pee padsA new place to pee | $175 | ✕ | ✕ |
| Enzyme spraysCleaner spot, same puddles | $80 | ✕ | ✕ |
| Training classLearned she was scared | $250 | ✕ | ✕ |
| Calming chewsSame wet spot | $76 | Some days | ✕ |
| Anxiety wrapPuddle by the window | $45 | ✕ | ✕ |
| CratePeed in the crate | $90 | ✕ | ✕ |
| TheraPetMD, 3 roomsDry rug by week 2 | $59.99 | ✓ | ✓ |
The 6 that failed cost me $716. The one that worked: $59.99 for 3 rooms with Subscribe & Save.
The Only One Still Plugged In
I plugged in three. Living room, bedroom, kitchen.
Within a few days, the puddles got smaller and further apart.
By the end of week two, I realized I hadn't bought paper towels in a while.
The first big storm came in week three. Rosie slept through it. On the rug. Dry.
When my sister came back for dinner, she didn't make the face.
My dad uses one for his rescue, Buster, now. And both of my neighbors bought one after seeing what it did for Rosie.
But don't take my word for it. TheraPetMD has over 4,000 five star ratings and reviews. Here's what other dog owners said:
Turns out my dog indoor peeing was due to stress. We put a few diffusers around the house, and no accidents for 2 weeks now, he goes outside! Glad we tried this.
Used pee pads and tried potty training but nothing worked. Got these diffusers and finally no more messes around the house
Every time we left the dog alone because of his separation anxiety, we'd find pee on the floor, so frustrating. Saw an ad, bought a few diffusers to give it a shot. No accidents since we plugged them in, so far so good!
But Will It Work for My Dog?
What if it's a medical problem?
If your dog suddenly starts peeing inside, see your vet first, like I did. A urine test rules out the medical causes. If the vet says she's healthy, and the accidents happen when you leave, when it storms or when people visit, it's worth trying.
How many do I need?
Each diffuser covers up to 700 sq ft, but walls block the scent. So it's one per room your dog uses. According to TheraPetMD, most customers use 2 to 3 diffusers. I use 3.
Is it safe with my cats?
Only dogs detect the pheromone, so it's safe with your other pets. Rosie shares the house with two cats.
How fast does it work?
Is it magic? No. Some dogs settle in a few days. Some take a few weeks. TheraPetMD says most owners notice a difference within a week, but every dog is different.
How to use it
1. Assemble
Screw the refill into the diffuser.
2. Find the spot
Pick the rooms where your dog spends most time.
3. Plug it in
Leave it on. It works 24/7.
Try these diffusers for 30 days. If it doesn't ease your dog's stress or the bad behavior, return it for a full refund, no questions asked.
Coming Home to a Dry Floor Again
I spent $716 on six things that didn't work. A new living room carpet costs about $1,800. 4
TheraPetMD for 3 rooms is $59.99 today with Subscribe & Save. That's about $1 a day to protect the whole house.
And if it doesn't work for your dog, you have 30 days to get your money back.
UPDATE: As of October 6, 2026, TheraPetMD is still up to 50% OFF on the official page, and you save up to 59% with Subscribe & Save.
