Are you having trouble cleaning up after your pup because it hasn’t mastered potty training yet?
Are you a dog owner in a city apartment constantly worried that your dog will ruin furniture because there isn’t a lawn to pee in?
Accidents like these are more normal than you’d think. Babies aren’t the only ones with a bed-wetting problem. So while you try to get your dog familiarized and comfortable using the toilet for its needs, we have a solution: Pee pads. Trust us when we tell you that this will make your life easy.
What Are Dog Pee Pads And How Do They Work?
Dog pee pads, also known as potty pads, piddle pads, and creatively “wee-wee pads,” are square or rectangle-shaped pads made of layers of absorbent material to soak up your dog’s mess. You can place them in an easily accessible part of the house (avoid corners that are difficult for your dog to reach in a hurry or elevated places for which they need to climb steps). Whenever your dog shows signs of holding in pee, take them to the pee pad. Eventually, your dog will become used to using the pad.
You might underestimate the need for a pee pad or might think of this as an unnecessary expense. But a pee pad is a must-have, especially if you have a young pup or a dog with a medical condition that causes it to pee a lot.
The most apparent reason why your dog will need a pee pad is that potty training can take time. Not only do you have to teach your dog where to pee (which takes several tries), but you also have to teach them how to use a standard toilet. Plus, a regular bathroom can take much more getting used to because it doesn’t pair well with your dog’s free spirit that isn’t too concerned about limitations and cleanliness.
You also want to consider getting a pee pad if you just adopted a puppy or your old dog became a parent. This is because young pups that haven’t yet gotten their vaccine shots are vulnerable to catching diseases. And if other people are using your dog’s designated pee area, it isn’t a safe option.
Even from your perspective as a pet owner, it can be tedious to take time out for repeated and unpredictable washroom visits.
This is especially the case for the elderly, who can’t be expected to take the dog out to the lawn every time it needs to pee. So at the end of the day, a pee pad is a convenient and almost necessary object to have for your dog’s safety and comfort.
Besides, you can only be so vigilant and cautious at all times, and there’s bound to be a mishap. A pee pad can save you the effort of cleaning it up.
Best Pee Pads for Dog Buying Guide
Pee pads are incredible. They can be lifesavers. But it’s important to do your research before you go out and get yourself one. From size to material, you need to know what you are getting and whether that pee pad best fits your dog’s needs. Different pee pad brands have various perks, and they suit different people accordingly. But don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as it sounds, and we are here to help you with selecting the best pee pad for your dog.
What To Look For In A Pee Pad
Pee pads come in all sorts of sizes and shapes. But there are many essential features that you should familiarize yourself with when shopping for the best pee pad for your dog. Whether it’s getting the right size for your dog or looking for options that reduce smell, there are several aspects to consider.
Here’s a list of things you want to keep in mind when getting a pee pad. Remember to keep in mind your dog’s particular needs when considering things like size and absorption. A larger dog breed may need a larger mat with heavy-duty absorption, while a toy breed like a Yorkshire Terrier will be fine with a smaller mat.
Quick-drying surface
When it comes to dogs wetting their pads, it’s essential to consider that a wet surface can be irritating and annoying for your furry friend. So a pad that has a quick-drying surface can be very comfortable for your dog.
Leak proofing
This one is far more obvious. The purpose of getting a pee pad is to avoid the hassle of cleaning up and keeping your furniture safe. While sometimes it comes down to getting the right size, you need to check how leakproof your dog pee pad is. We recommend getting dog pads made of several layers and layers containing the water on the surface.
Tear-resistant
Dogs aren’t known for handling their belongings with care and delicacy. It won’t come as a surprise if you find your dog getting a bite out of its pee pad. Like all products for your dog, you need to make sure that what you’re getting is tear-resistant.
Odor-neutralizing
When getting your dog a pee pad, it’s just as important to factor in whether it will neutralize the pee scent as it is to make sure it will not leak. Many pee pads these days don’t just block out the pee odor but are also fragranced with various choices.
Wetness indicator
Pee pads also come with a feature that tracks the places that your dog wets. While this seems like an off feature, it can give you an idea of how much your dog wet the bed.
Dog attractant
Pee pads rely on your dog’s desire to use them in times of emergency, even if it takes some more time. So when looking for a pee pad, be on the lookout for a color or design that your dog will like. It can be effective in getting your dog comfortable with the pad quickly!
Absorbent capacity
This is by far the most important feature you want to have in your dog’s pee pad. There’s no use for a pee pad that can’t contain the mess; then it might as well be your doormat. The absorbent capacity of a pad comes down to the number of layers it has and those layers’ material. Usually, polymers and nylon are good indicators of high capacity. You may even come across a type of technology that converts the absorbed mess into gel foam and prevents runny leakage as well as odor.
Here’s another Yorkie article you’ll enjoy: How to Prevent Urinary Infections in Yorkshire Terriers
The Best Pee Pads For Dogs
Getting the right pee pad for your dog can be an overwhelming activity. So we compiled a list of the best pee pads out there to narrow down your search.
Paws & Pals Dog Pee Pads
The Paws & Pals Dog pee pad is a fantastic option. It has five layers of material that will make sure it can contain large amounts of waste at a time. The absorbent capacity is the best selling point among others. This pee pad also has the gel foam technology that we talked about earlier. It converts the collected waste material and converts it into a foamy gel that ensures that the waste doesn’t leak.
To further avoid leakage, the leakproof pad is laced at the edges with plastic, which effectively contains any overflow. The pads come in many sizes, but the regular one should work for a medium-sized dog. You can buy a pack containing a hundred of these mats, which means you will have plenty of backup mats. The Paws and pals pee pad is also quick to dry for the comfort of your dog.
With all of these features, this pee pad encompasses all your needs.
AmazonBasics Pee Pads for Dogs
These pee pads are another favorite of ours. Like the Paws and pals dog pee pad, this one also comes with the gel converting feature to guarantee high absorption. The Amazon Basic’s pee pads can contain up to an impressive 3 cups of liquid! This is very effective, especially with young puppies who are just starting their potty training and have much less bladder control or discipline. This also extends to some older dogs, which may have issues making it to the bathroom on time.
The AmazonBasics pee pad is also our top pick when it comes to odor-neutralizing pads. They are very effective at removing any dog pee scent, which makes them a great pad to be placed around the house. If scent (or the lack of scent) is of particular importance to you, then the AmazonBasics pee pad is the perfect pick for you. It also covers the other basics like being quick-dry and being a built-in attractant to get your dog to use it.
You can find yourself a pee pad online
Hartz Home Protection Gel Dog Pads
While these dog pads may not come in the one hundred a pack counts as the above, they make up for that size. The Hartz Home protection gel pack is an excellent pick if you have a big dog or multiple dogs because it is made for all sizes. To ensure that none of your dog’s urine leaves the pad and seeps into the floor, carpet, or furniture, the Hartz home dog pad takes several effective measures. We can vouch for foolproof protection. Firstly, it is covered with many oversized quilted pockets containing a lot of the absorbed waste. Secondly, this pee pad also has gel technology that efficiently prevents leakage by changing the absorbed liquids’ consistency.
The most impressive selling feature, however, has to be the six-layered floor armor leakproof system. This “wee-wee pad” is guaranteed to be a lifesaver for you and a comfortable pad for your dog!
Do yourself and your dog a favor and get your Hartz Home protection gel dog pad now:
All-Absorb Dog Training Pads
If you find the prospect of having a scented pad exciting, this pick is definitely for you. The all-absorb dog training pads by the American Kennel club take away bad odor and replaces it with a fragrance. It comes in a variety of scents. You can choose from fresh, citrus, Eucalyptus, and lavender scents.
This training pad gives you much more than just scent. It has an impressive seventeen-layered composition with an added quick-dry gel. This gel dries up immediately to provide quick and instantaneous absorption. It’s also lined with a non-drag plastic that not only prevents overflow but also does an excellent job of preventing tracking.
Simply put, the all-absorb dog training pads are a great option, especially if you are concerned about the scent.
Four Paws Pee Pads for Dogs
This is another pee pad that encompasses all the essentials. It has a quick-dry gel technology and six layers of material to prevent any leakage, along with a plastic seal to prevent overflow. The great thing about this pad is that because of its design, smaller, concentrated pee spots are created, which means that there are many more uses per pad for your dog and even multiple dogs.
Besides all that, it is also lavender-scented. All-in-all, this makes for a great pick, and you can get yourself one here:
American Kennel Club Dog Training Pads
Available in exciting scents, including fresh, citrus, and mountain, these pads are a perfect choice for puppies and elderly dogs.
They have six layers of fabric as well as a quick-dry gel to prevent leaking.
GoBuddy Super Absorbent Training Puppy Pads
The GoBuddy pads are great if your dogs are bitters that chew onto anything in their path. These are a decent option with a durable, non-tear fabric top-layer and a polythene waterproof bottom layer. Plus, you can also get yourself the lemon-scented ones here
AmazonBasics Carbon Pee Pads for Dogs
The AmazonBasics carbon pee pads come in two sizes: Carbon regular and carbon X-large. With many of the same basic features shared by the products above, the carbon pee pad provides five protection layers.
Get yourself a 120-count pack of disposable pads here:
Gardnerpet Pee Pads for Dogs
These pee pads are an excellent option for when you have to travel with your dog because they are compatible with seat holders and are also a match for pad holders, which prevent the pad from moving while your dog uses it. The GardnerPet pee pad not only holds 3 cups of liquid but also absorbs both waste and odor at twice the rate of standard pee pads.
Therefore, we highly recommend this pee pad
ASPCA Ultra Absorbent Training Pads for Dogs
As the name suggests, these pads are perfect for dog training and champion a high absorption capacity. Besides having all the basic features (besides the odor remover), this 30-pack set of 5-layered sheets is a reliable option. You can find it here:
How To Properly Use A Dog Pee Pad
To properly use a dog pad, you need to understand how it functions. Much like any other training activity, you want your dog to learn to use the dog pee pad without command. The idea behind this is the same as the one behind the famous Pavlov’s dog experiment. Associating the use of pee pads with something good and rewarding is essential. At the same time, negative expressions to discourage the dog from peeing elsewhere is also necessary.
It would help if you also were mindful of whether your pee pad is clean. While pee pads can be absorbent, they aren’t necessarily sanitary when left unwashed or unchanged. Be sure to check whether your specific pee pad needs to be hand washed or not.
Here’s another Yorkie article you’ll enjoy: Developing Potty Habits in Yorkies
How To Train My Dog To Use Dog Pads?
Although potty pads are easily the most comfortable and most convenient alternative to the bathroom for potty training intervals, there are ways you should adapt to make the process much faster. To efficiently train your dog to use the pee pad in times of need in a short amount of time, you can follow some tips.
First off, it’s important to be strategic with the placement of the pad. Initially, keep the pee pad next to or nearby your dog’s bed. This way, they will quickly remember to use the pee pad when they have to pee in the morning after waking up. Gradually, as your dog gets more comfortable using the pee pad on its own, start moving it to a place you would want the pee pad to be. If you want to have your dog go outside of the house to pee on the lawn, then first move the pad near the door. When your dog gets comfortable there, move the pad outside. Eventually, your dog will be trained to pee outside of the house.
It’s also important to use commands and rewards to train your dog to use the pee pad, just like you’d use it for teaching it anything else. When your dog is about to “go,” take it to the pee pad and use commands like “go potty” to associate the pee pad with a potty. If your dog follows your command, reward it with a snack or a healthy treat. This way, over a few days (or a couple of weeks, depending on your dog), it will associate “going” in the pee pad with good and rewarding experiences. On the flip side, you should use negative commands when your dog does not use the pee pad and instead dirties your couch. Your dog will register to pee anywhere besides the pee pad as bad.
One last thing you should keep in mind is the timings of when your dog needs to go. While this varies from dog to dog based on health conditions, age, and breed, you should keep track of the available timings when your dog needs to pee. This will typically be around when they wake up, eat their food, and when they play.
Here’s another Yorkie article you’ll enjoy: How to Potty Train Your Yorkie and Teacup Yorkie Puppy
Pros and Cons of Dog Pee Pads
Like all things, dog pee pads have their catch. It is up to you to decide whether the benefits of having a dog pee pad outweigh the drawbacks and then see for yourself.
Pros:
- Much cleaner than most alternatives like puppy boxes and litter boxes.
- Odor removal features tackle scent
- Easy to dispose of, making life much easier
Cons:
- Dependence. Your dog may get too comfortable ever to be house-trained
- Your dog can mistake any rug that resembles the pee pad’s shape as a pee place.
The final call is yours to make by keeping in mind your specific needs and interests.
At the end of the day, your dog’s comfort is important, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of unnecessary cleaning and ruining of furniture or carpets. While potty training can be a time-consuming and messy process, you can use the much more convenient and clean path by using dog pee pads.
Here’s another Yorkie article you’ll enjoy: Tricks When Training Obedience to your Yorkie
