Puppy pads make house-training easier for you and your pooch, but they need to be changed once they're wet to prevent leaks and stinky odors from invading your home and ruining your carpet. If you're not sure how often to replace them, let your nose be your guide.
Step 1
Check the puppy pads in your home frequently if your pooch is allowed to use them at will. Some dogs will only use a pad once, which means you'll need to replace them as soon as they become wet or risk an accident on your floor.
Step 2
Discard used pads in a plastic bag or outside trash can. The pads absorb urine and odor, so leaving them inside once they are saturated will make your house stink.
Step 3
Clean the floor under and around the pad sites to remove any urine. If your floor smells like puppy pee, your pooch will start using it as a bathroom instead of the pads. If regular soap and water does not remove the urine odor, try an enzymatic cleanser from your local pet store or wash the area with equal parts water and white vinegar.
Step 4
Place a new pad down in the same spot where you removed the used pad. Your puppy needs to know where to find the pads in order to successfully potty train. If you are moving the pads toward your front door, it's OK to place a new pad down a few inches from the original site.
Step 5
Replace a pad in a pad holder or floor protection tray by opening the side clamps (if applicable), carefully pulling the used pad out of the holder and then placing a clean pad onto the tray. Fasten the side clamps before use.
References
Tips
- If your puppy is reluctant to use new puppy pads, cover each pad with newspaper, let him do his business and then replace the newspaper while leaving the pad behind. Some urine will have soaked into the pad, which will leave a scent behind to encourage your pooch to go. Continue using the same pad with clean newspaper until the pad is saturated.
Writer Bio
Sandra Ketcham has nearly two decades of experience writing and editing for major websites and magazines. Her work appears in numerous web and print publications, including "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution," "The Tampa Bay Times," Visit Florida, "USA Today," AOL's Gadling and "Kraze Magazine."