Puppy Pads

Between whelping day and go-home day a litter produces a remarkable amount of mess. Pads are what stand between all of that and your floor, and most breeders end up using more than one type.

This collection brings both together: single-use pads you strip and bin, and washable pads you launder and put back down. Knowing when to reach for which one saves money and a great deal of scrubbing.

Disposable or Washable

Disposable pads are the right call whenever the mess is heavy or biological, which means the whelping itself and the first days afterwards. You lift, bin and relay in seconds with no laundry. Washable pads make more sense once the litter is on solids and the routine is predictable, because the cost per use keeps dropping the longer you own them. Plenty of breeders run both, using disposables during delivery and reusable puppy pads from week three onward.

Size, Absorbency and Placement

Buy pads larger than you think you need. A pad that only just fits the corner will be missed by half the litter, while one that tucks up the side of the box catches far more. Check the backing is genuinely leakproof rather than merely water resistant, and look at how quickly the top sheet pulls moisture away, since a pad that stays wet on the surface leaves pups damp and chilled.

Hygiene in the Box

Change pads as soon as they are soiled rather than on a schedule, because a warm box speeds everything up. Wash your hands between the box and the rest of the house, and keep pads out from directly under a heated whelping mat so warmth is not trapped against damp bedding. When toilet training starts in earnest, choose one spot in the pen and keep the pads there rather than moving them about.

Stocking up before the litter arrives? Explore the RPBA collection of puppy pads and work out the mix that suits your set-up.