Many of us just love having dogs around. Why shouldn’t we? They’re man’s best friend after all! But there are times when we must leave our furry friends at home to earn a living, to run an errand or to do whatever we humans need to do. During these times, our pups are left at home – missing us, thinking of what to do and to chew, etc. But most importantly, they eventually need to go for number 1 or number 2. So, every pet parent’s dream is to train their babies hot to potty. One of the weapons to consider – puppy pads.
What Are Puppy Pads
Puppy pads, simply put, are like baby diapers. The difference is, you don’t make your pets wear them. You put them in a spot in your house or apartment where you feel your pet would be comfortable to do his/her thing. It’s a substitute to newspapers or litterboxes that aids the pet parent to potty train.
Why Training a Puppy with Pads
Using puppy pads has several advantages.
- Potty training is easier. Getting your pet used to discharge his waste on a particular space or spot because easier. Many puppy also contain pheromone, a scent that imitates the natural odor of your pet’s poop, which attracts your pet to pee or poop on the pad.
- Cleaning is less of a problem. Once they relieve themselves on the puppy pad, all you must do is pick it up and throw it away or wash it if you’re using the washable pads.
- It reduces the risk of unwanted stains. We all know just how much hassle it is to clean soiled carpets or to scrub stained floors. As much as possible, we want to prevent that from happening.
- Your pup is protected. Some dogs can’t go outside because of health reasons. Either they’re vulnerable (ex. Unvaccinated puppies, dogs recovering from a recent illness, etc.) to bacteria and germs, or it’s just very inconvenient for them to go out, they can still do their business inside the house.
- The weather is not your problem. Whether it’s freezing cold outside, it’s too hot for the both of you that you might have a heat stroke, or it’s simply raining and you don’t want to get wet, you and your pet can just stay safe and comfortable in your home.
- There is no need to panic. Some of us live on top floors of apartments and it takes time for us to be able to reach safe ground, while others can’t move as quickly as they need to. With puppy pads, there’s no reason to rush out like our pants is on fire.
- You don’t have to come home to a public toilet. Some pads have odor neutralizers, making the excretions smell less offensive so that your house wouldn’t have to smell like a giant pet toilet.
Puppy Pads Aren’t Perfect
Like most things in life, there are a few disadvantages in using this product.
- The becomes his comfort zone. As you’ve perfectly taught your pet to do the dirty on the pad, he might not be comfortable with doing it elsewhere. So, you might encounter the trouble of him not wanting to go out to detoxify.
- Your pet might have the urge to chew the pad rather than pee or poop in it. We can’t blame them, though. It’s much more fun to do that anyway!
Best Pad for Your Pup
In choosing a pad for your pet, there are a couple of factors to consider.
- Convenience versus environment-friendly and cost-efficient. You can make a choice between getting a disposable pad which you will just throw away after use. Or, you can opt for the washable pad which you can keep on reusing. Initially, the disposable pads would be more affordable, but eventually, it could cost more depending on how often you’d have to keep buying.
- Size is king. Make sure you get the right size for your pet because your potty plan might backfire. If you have a toy breed or a small sized pet, buy the small pads or else your pet might think it’s new bed. Similarly, get an XL sized pad for larger pet or for pets who frequently need to urinate.
- Absorbency is key. If your pad is not absorbent enough, you’ll end up with a house full of pee tracks and leaks which defeat the purpose of having a puppy pad. Generally speaking, reusable pads are more absorbent than the disposable ones. So, if you feel comfortable with using the reusable pad, then you won’t have many problems with absorbency
At the end of the day, the success of potty training your dog is in your hands. The puppy pads are just there to aid you in training your pets and to make life easier for both you and your furry friends. The challenge is for you to choose the right pad for your pets’ needs. Once you’re able to figure that out, potty training would be easier and more convenient!
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