If there is one thing that can brighten your day after a tough time at work, that’s the fluffy, adorable and cuddly face of your pup. Dogs are more than just animal companions. They are, for all intents and purposes, our best friends. A puppy can provide you with the companionship you need during tough periods in your life, it can boost your mood, it can represent a way to become more active, and it’s also perhaps one of the best ways out there to instil routine and discipline into your children.

Caring for a dog is a full-time job someday. But it’s one that’s more rewarding than any salary can cover. Can pet ownership be challenging? Sure. Did I almost have an aneurysm yesterday when my pup decided to chew my new pair of Jordans? Of course. But you know what? At the end of the day, I love him to bits, and even though owning a pup can be difficult at times, I will not trade him for the world. That said, it doesn’t hurt to at least try to make your life a bit easier.

Pups, at least in the first months of their life, will have occasional potty accidents. Is it the end of the world? No. You will throw away a carpet or two and that will be it. But, if you are not exactly the biggest fan of refurbishing your apartment, you can also consider purchasing puppy pads. In fact, if there is one accessory that is pretty much mandatory for any novice puppy owner, it will be puppy training pads.

How Can They Help?

Even though they probably pick up quite fast the specifics of your routine, and they might even realise they shouldn’t do their business inside the house, puppies, in the first months of life, simply lack the muscle strength and precise bladder control to decide when and how to potty. The same is true for number two as well. Puppy training pads are useful, as they can provide your dog with a consistent and acceptable place in which they can go potty while they learn a bathroom routine.

Now, you can’t rely on them indefinitely. But at least in the first few months of your pup’s life, disposable puppy pads are a way to protect your furniture, reduce unwanted smells, give your pup a safe space in which he can do his business, and also provide him with an emergency spot in which he can go potty during extensive travel days.

Yes, you will want to throw them out, and yes, they can also smell. But puppy training pads, as a temporary solution, are absolutely necessary in the first months of your dog’s life. What’s the alternative, after all? Let Bubu ruin your grandma’s favourite carpet? Actually, that might not be such a bad idea after all. That thing’s hideous.

How Long till Your Puppy Is House Trained?

It depends. Most pups are fully potty trained in a maximum of six months or so, but others can do it faster, depending on their muscle control, intelligence levels, and, honestly, their personality. I once owned a French bulldog that took almost a year to fully house train. I am 100% sure he was perfectly capable of understanding commands and he even preferred to do his business outdoors. But he took pleasure in me, cleaning up after him every morning.

On the other side of the spectrum, my parents once owned a Puddle that got fully house trained in something like two months. Granted, I am pretty sure that dog was more intelligent than I at times. I once watched Titanic with him and when there’s that scene with Jack and Rose freezing on the makeshift raft, he actually went ahead and brought his little blanket to try to warm them up. I miss that old fluffball every single day.

Tangent aside, dogs are different, and it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how long it will take for your young pup to become fully house-trained. For some, it is quicker, for some, it is slower. There are some physical limitations, however. Just like babies, in the first few months of life, pups have poor muscle control, and their high metabolism results in more frequent urination. The older they get, the easier it is to hold it in. But at least in the first two months of life, most pups pee once every two hours or so. Therefore, purchasing puppy training pads becomes something of a necessity.

What Types of Puppy Pads Can You Purchase?

There are two main types. Reusable ones and fully disposable puppy training pads. Most people go for single-use ones, which can get thrown away after soaking, and are characterised by an absorbent polymer that turns liquids into gels. Disposable puppy pads typically have a waterproof backing that can prevent leaks, are really cost-efficient, are available pretty much anywhere, and are highly portable, so they are ideal for travelling.

Reusable puppy pads, on the other hand, are machine washable, and they are supposed to last for hundreds of washing cycles. They are made of absorbent materials like cotton or microfiber, and just like reusable pads, they have a waterproof backing that prevents leaks. They are less convenient than disposable training pads, as you will need to wash them frequently and then dry them. But since they can be reused pretty much indefinitely, they are more economical in the long run. Or at least they are if you prefer hand washing.

What should you choose? It depends on your preferences. Personally, when my pup was young, I went for disposable pads that also made use of activated charcoal. The odours got trapped a bit more effectively, and the costs were still acceptable. However, once my pup got a bit older, I went for a reusable grass pad in order to speed up the potty-training process. I think it worked, but the results may vary depending on the personality and preferences of your pup.