When you raise one puppy or an entire litter, it's easy to lose your mind trying to keep up with the mess they make during the housebreaking phase! When I first started breeding, the only thing I knew to use to help control the mess of puppy accidents were standard disposable puppy pads. Its all I had ever used while housebreaking my own puppies over the years, despite never being satisfied with the product. My puppies would shred the pads (their favorite past time) or crumple them into a heap in the corner of the crate and playpen exposing the underlying surface to the mess. I tried additional products made to keep the puppy pads in place, but their small size made them useless in any area larger than a small crate. Unless, of course, you wanted to go into debt buying a bunch of them - they were not cheap! The add-ons also did not solve the shredding issue. Their poor strength and design still allowed puppies to pull and dig the pads out. It never occurred to me to search for an alternative online. I assumed if a better product existed, my beloved Tractor Supply or Walmart would have it. It was only when I was researching whelping supplies for the arrival of our first litter did I come across “whelping pads”. Whelping pads are designed to absorb and hold liquids so that the puppies (and the floor) stay dry during birth and the weeks that follow.
They’re also machine washable so they can be reused indefinitely. Once I used one of these magical pads, I became obsessed! I put them in whelping boxes, puppy play pens, crates, the floor during bath time - literally everywhere a mess might occur. I use them for entire litters of puppies and when I’m raising a new puppy of my own. Too many times, I experienced the frustration that occurs when trying to housebreak just one puppy using puppy pads. I cannot imagine trying to do it with an entire litter. I know I would have gone insane trying to keep up with the mess if I had to rely on traditional puppy pads for the job. Spare yourself the struggle - don't waste your time or money on disposable puppy pads when a better product exists! My favorite pads are made by EZwhelp and I'm constantly recommending them to breeders and puppy owners. I’ve tried different brands over the years, but EZwhelp’s pads are the most affordable. I’ve washed them more times than I can count and they are still like new. I’ve only ever ordered new ones when I needed a different size or shape. I prefer the rectangle pads for most areas but have used the circle pads in a plastic kiddie pool that we used as a whelping box. It fit perfectly! To order the EZwhelp pads that we use, click on the Amazon links below. Trust me, they will make life with your puppy so much easier!
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