Puppy Training Pads - Do They Work?
Puppy training pads are designed as a tool to aid in the house training process. They are not a magical solution, and they won't teach your puppy to never go in the house! Keep that in mind, and you will be able to get the most out of them. Remember, you don't need puppy training pads. They're only a tool.
It is possible to house train your puppy without the use of any indoor toilet, litter box, or pee pads. However, it is very challenging for people that are out of the home all day. For example, if you live along or if you and your significant other both work, you obviously can't spend time teaching your dog where they can potty and where they can't.
That is exactly where puppy training pads come in handy.
If you are out of the house for a large part of the day and have no choice but to leave your puppy at home, you need to find a good place for them. This can be in a pen you set up or a small room like the bathroom or the laundry room. You should also put food, water, your puppy's crate (or bed) and some toys in that room with the puppy.
Remember, puppies will avoid getting their sleeping area dirty, so you need to put their training pads away from their crate or bed. The main point of this is to save yourself the trouble of having to clean up a giant mess later on. The larger options are 24" by 24", so that gives you plenty of room to work with. They're also useful when the weather is extremely harsh and you can't take your little dog outside.
Some puppy training pads, like the Advance House Breaking Pads from Coastal Pet Products, are designed to actually attract your puppy so they will want to potty on them. They can work, but you will have to really keep your eye on your pup when they just wake up or after they eat. With my beagle was a puppy, I would take her out of her crate and set her straight down on a pee pad.
You should be careful to get the types that are extra thick and have a Poly-Dry coating so the pad will absorb everything. It's also important that there is plastic backing to keep your carpets free of unsanitary leaks and odors.
Four Paws Pet Products designs puppy training pads called WeeWee Pads. They are designed for both indoor and outdoor use, and are also coated with a special scent to attract your puppy when they need to potty. They're even recommended for older dogs that have trouble holding their bladders.
Four Paws Pet Products recommends that you use their WeeWee Pads for a while indoors before slowly moving them outside and trying to train your dog that way. This technique can work, though it's much easier to show them right from the start that going potty outside is the correct behavior.
Another type you can go with are from Nature's Miracle. Their Quick Results Training Pads are a pretty good value and have a thick layer on the top to resist tears and scratches. This is great news for those that have puppies who like to pick up and chew on everything. They also have a special odor control system for really blocking offensive smells.
You can also get training pad holders with your pads, and they are designed to catch anything from seeping through. That's not really necessary though, since most puppy training pads have enough coating to prevent leaks anyway. For the most part, you can expect to pay between $4 and $25, depending on how many pads come in the package. You'll see anywhere from as few as 20 to more than 100.
So use puppy training pads if as an aid for house training your puppy, but don't rely on them. They are not a substitute for you trainng your little dog, and they will not prevent all accidents. And always keep and eye on your puppy when they are very young, because if you let roam around they'll get into trouble.
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