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This is our review of the best pee pads for puppies in 2021.

Pee pads for puppies can be an important training tool for puppies to learn where and when is the right time and place to eliminate.

Teaching your puppy this is essential for your own home's sanitation as well as for your puppy to know the boundaries in your home.


So, it's pretty important to provide the best  pee pads for your puppies right from the start to ensure that they'll develop well and right.

Top Pick


No time to read the list? Here's our top pick: Frisco Dog Training and Potty Pads

Frisco Dog Training and Potty Pads (22 x 23 in)

It's affordable, has 2700+ 5 star reviews and is 91% recommended. You can't go wrong with this pee pad with so many recommendations.

In short, it's affordable, and loved by many, many dogs.

It also has quantity options and scents available!


Consideration for buyers


Before we move on to the rest of our choices, we feel it's important to discuss HOW to choose the ideal pads, and WHY we chose our options.

Also, do note that while this article is about the best puppy pee pads, the same considerations can be used for your adult and senior dogs, who might have issues with incontinence as well.


Absorbency


Absorbency is about how much liquid the pee pad can hold, and that information can usually be found on the product description.

If you're unable to find that information, you can also test out the absorbency by pouring water on a pee pad, and measure the cups of water it managed to absorb.


Quick drying surface layer


You want a pee pad that has a quick-drying top layer for a few reasons: 

First, that will help to eliminate the foul odors that can affect the potty training process.

Second, you also won't have to worry about your puppy stepping on a puddle and trekking that pee all across your home!


Odor neutralization


As mentioned above, a foul odor from the pee pad can often discourage your puppy from eliminating there again, which will lengthen the potty training process.

This is why it's important for a pee pad to have a natural deodorizer to help prevent that smell from building up on the pee pad!


Leak Proofing


Even if the top layer dries quickly, it's pointless if the pee pad leaks out at the bottom.

The bottom panel should be made of a waterproof layer to prevent this. 


Resistance to tearing


Puppies are ridiculously known to bite and tear anything they can get their mouths on - this includes a pee pad, especially once it gets soaked.

This is an important factor to consider once you realize you don't want bits and pieces of wet pee pad all over the floor of your home...

 

Wetness indicator


A wetness indicator is optional, but it helps with letting you know visually when it's time to change the pee pad.


Dog Attractants


Lastly, we have dog attractants. Just because you bought some pee pads, doesn't mean that your puppy will automatically use it!

So, it helps to have training pee pads with built-in natural attractants to entice your dog to use the pee pads naturally.



6 Best Pee Pads for Puppies

Ranking

Name

Key Features

Rating

#1

Best all-rounder pee and potty pad

#2

A slightly more expensive version of the Top Pick (per 100 count)

#3

A uniquely washable dog pee pad that can be used for travel

#4

Extremely absorbent, and excellent for senior dogs and even cats!

#5

A simple, non-leak and absorbent pee pad that can be used even in the car

#6

Absorbent and great at neutralizing smells thanks to the Activated Carbon


1. Frisco Dog Training and Potty Pad

Frisco Rectangular Bolster Dog Bed 

It's affordable, has 2700+ 5 star reviews and is 91% recommended. You can't go wrong with this pee pad with so many recommendations.

In short, it's affordable, and loved by many, many dogs.

It also has quantity options and scents available!


Features

 

  • Super absorbent for extended indoor stays and a fast-drying quilted top layer prevents tracking
  • Built-in and effective dog attractant means puppies and seniors will know where to take care of business
  • Five layers of protection lock in wetness while a leak-proof plastic lining protects your floors from moisture
  • Great for protecting crates and carriers during transport

Pros

  • Great general all-purpose pee pad
  • Affordable
  • Extremely absorbent
  • 91% recommended by pet owners!
  • Contains natural attractants so dogs will gravitate towards it when needing to eliminate

Cons

  • Recently manufactured pee pads are reported to be thinner and less leak-proof 
  • Dogs that are known to bite can eventually shred and chew through the pads


2. Wee-Wee Absorbent Dog Pee Pads

Wee-Wee Absorbent Dog Pee Pads

Keep your pup’s mess off of your floor with Four Paws Wee-Wee Absorbent Pads for Dogs. Featuring a 6-layer Floor Armor leak-proof system.

Highly absorbent and quick to dry, this is a must-have if you have puppies or senior dogs with incontinence issues.

Recommended by 92% of reviewers!


Features

  • Extremely absorbent with a 6-layer Floor Armor leak-proof system.
  • Oversized quilted pockets offer a great solution to outdoor relief.
  • Pee pads contain a wet-lock gel that quickly traps urine.
  • Pads measure 22 x 23 inches for canines of all sizes.
  • Targeted attractant included to draw your pup to the pad.

Pros

  • Great general all-purpose pee pad
  • Highly absorbent and absorbs liquids quickly
  • Eliminates any urine odor effectively

Cons

  • Somewhat more expensive than the Top Pick, which is the reason why it is in 2nd place instead.
  • Some customers reported that the size is a bit smaller than advertised
  • Some buys also reported that recently manufactured pads are thinner and leak.


3. Simple Solution Washable Dog Training & Travel Pad

Simple Solution Washable Dog Training & Travel Pad 

Its large, and more importantly, it's washable up to 300 times.

For some who prefer washable pee pads over disposable ones, this is a great investment for their dogs.

Rated 93% recommended among reviewers.


Features

  • Simple Solution Washable Dog Training Pad and Travel Pads are reusable, absorbent training pads (30 in x 32 in).
  • Can be used for furniture and bedding protection, kennel liner, post-surgery pad, water dish placemat, or litter box mat.
  • Tested up to 300 washes, has a moisture-wicking top sheet that eliminates tracking and controls odors.
  • Holds 10 times more liquid than standard economy pads* (vs. Simple Solution economy pads)

Pros

  • Each training pee pad can be washed up to 300 washes! (Instructions on washing is provided)
  • Easily holds up to 10x the standard pee pad liquid absorption, which is about 30 cups (the standard is 3)
  • Excellent for crate lining for big dogs, or placing over their food and water bowls
  • Rip and tear resistant even for dogs that like to chew

Cons

  • At  about $31 per box containing only 2 sheets, it's considered quite pricey
  • No wetness indicator - difficult to see if they've been peed on
  • Not entirely odor-proof


4. Simple Solution Original Training Pads

Simple Solution Original Training Pads

Performs excellently well as a dog or puppy training pad, and absorbs more than the industry average of 3 cups.

Recommended by 85% of reviewers.


Features


  • Twice as absorbent as our standard economy pads, and designed to make dog housebreaking easy.
  • 5-layer construction traps more urine for repeat use with small breeds; also great for larger breed dogs.
  • Uses advanced polymer technology for a absorbent core to draw in wetness, preventing runoff, messy tracking, and neutralizing urine odors.
  • Uses a powerful built-in attractant to accelerate dog and puppy house training.


Pros

  • Absorbs up to 6 cups of water, far above the average of 3 cups
  • Excellent absorbency 
  • Quick at odor neutralization
  • The attractant works well to naturally lead dogs to eliminate on it

Cons

  • Relatively thin pee padding
  • The pads are a little small, even for chihuahuas and they may still track their pee around the house
  • The back panel is leakproof, but customers have reported that some of the pee soaks through to the floor



5.  Hartz Home Protection Odor Eliminating Dog Pee Pads

Hartz Home Protection Odor Eliminating Dog Pee Pads

Help keep your home clean and free of urine smells with the Hartz Home Protection Fresh Scent Odor Eliminating Dog Pads.

Made with Flash-Dry technology, these pads instantly turn urine into a gel to prevent it from leaking or spreading on your floor or carpet and getting on your furniture!

81% of customers recommend this product


Features


  • Provides leak protection from doggy messes and deodorizes with fresh lavender scent.
  • Flash-Dry technology quickly turns urine into a gel so it stays safely confined in the pad.
  • Leak protection from all corners so messes never spread to your floors, carpets or furniture.
  • Perfect for pups while they’re home alone, house training puppies or elderly canines with incontinence.
  • Proudly made in the USA and can be used at home, while on the go, and even in the car.

Pros

  • Cheap and value-for-money, at $13.17 per 50 pieces
  • The pee turns to gel nearly immediately
  • Great at odor neutralization - the lavender scent also helps to make it smell better
  • They also work great for elderly dogs

Cons

  • Some customers report contradictory reports on absorbency - quality control might be lacking for some batches.
  • Not all puppies (or dogs) like the lavender smell
  • They are relatively thin - big dogs that pee more might flood the pad and cause leakages
  • A lot of customers report that the pee eventually wets the floor beneath the pad
  • Some customers also report that the pad helps spread the pee and makes a mess


6. Glad For Pets Activated Carbon Dog Training Pads

Glad For Pets Activated Carbon Dog Training Pads

These carbon-activated pads are made with five layers of Glad-level strength for leak-proof protection and odor neutralization.

The quilted technology works to lock in up to three cups of liquid, preventing spreading and stains, while the polymer layer turns the liquid into gel.

It is 73% recommended by customers.


Features

  • Carbon-activated pads are made with five layers of strength for leak-proof protection.
  • Instantly absorbs urine and turns it into gel for a mess-free cleanup.
  • Contains and control odors and yellow spots for a clean and easy result.
  • Developed with pheromonal attractant so your dog knows where to go.
  • Perfect for training puppies or new dogs, helping out senior dogs, or even lining your crate or carrier.

Pros

  • Relatively cheap and affordable, even for a 100-count stack of training pads ($18.53 / 100 pieces)
  • Excellent at odor neutralization
  • Works well for small dogs - it absorbs small quantities of pee very quickly
  • Attractant works well for most dogs

Cons

  • Relatively thin
  • Not as absorbent as they should be
  • They tend to stick to each other, so opening them may be difficult
  • Outer edges of pee pad has no absorption capability
  • They can tear easily, and a dog that loves to chew and bite can destroy them easily
  • The black backing may make it harder to see if the pee pad has any pee absorbed



Training Tips


  • Place the pad in an area where your puppy tends to eliminate.

    Typically in my experience with Kafka, we place it nearer to the toilets where we humans also pee so that they associate the area with elimination.

  • Once your puppy doesn't miss the pad and starts using it, you can move it little by little closer to wherever the final destination is until you get there (this can day a few days, to a few weeks)

  • When placing in a crate, make sure that the pad is away from the crate door, so they don't have to walk over the pad to exit it!

  • A training puppy will typically pee off the pad at times. When it happens, wipe the pee with the pad, so that the scent of your puppy is on the pad.


FAQ

How do you use puppy training pads?


  1.  Find a small area for your puppy where you want him to eliminate.

  2. Place a pad there. It can be anywhere, but ideally it should be near the toilet, if you plan for your puppy to be toilet trained (in an apartment)

  3. Clean up some of your puppy's pee with the pad. This is so that your puppy's scent will be on the pad.

  4. Anytime your puppy needs to go, brim him to the pee pad and let him do his business.

  5. A successful elimination at the pee pad should be rewarded with treats to help your puppy remember that peeing on the pee pad is a positive experience!

  6. After several tries, let your puppy go to the pee pad by himself (this can take a week or so)

  7. For those living in apartments, you can shift the pee pad slowly into the toilet.

    After they consistently eliminate on the pee pad inside the toilet, you can remove it and they'll simply just go into the toilet and eliminate.

  8. For those with yards, you can use steps 1 - 7a to give them an area to eliminate as well, giving you two spots for your puppy to eliminate, depending on whichever spot they're closer to.


Do these training pads for puppies really work?


The goal of the pee pad is to teach your puppy to eliminate at a specific spot, as well as to clean up any puppy accidents that may occur while they're young and in training.

Puppy pee pads are NOT meant to be used as a permanent setting for your dog, but rather as a training tool to eliminate at a certain place.

So yes, they work if you use it for its intended purpose!


How do I get my puppy to pee on  this pad?


Some pee pads (see the list above) have natural dog attractants that help draw puppies into using it. Other times, you can also use its own pee as a scent marker for them to return to the pee pad!


Should I put a puppy pee pad in his crate?


Yes, but it depends on your purpose - if you're intending to crate train your dog, it might defeat that purpose.

The idea of crate training is to teach your puppy to NOT eliminate in a small place, so that he'll wait for you to let him out.

For more information, see our article on crate training.


Summary: Top Pick

The choices above all serve the same purpose - though at different sizes and price points.

We found that the most balanced is the Frisco Dog Training and Potty Pads

Frisco Dog Training and Potty Pads (22 x 23 in)

It's affordable, has 2700+ 5 star reviews and is 91% recommended. You can't go wrong with this pee pad with so many recommendations.

In short, it's affordable, and loved by many, many dogs.