A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World
Updated on Sep. 04, 2024
If you have peeing puppies, dogs with health issues, "leaky" senior canines or dogs that get car sick, washable dog pee pads are an economical way to manage the mess.
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As a certified animal behavior consultant helping clients with both normal and health-related behaviors, I often recommend disposable or washable dog pee pads for puppy potty training and management issues. When my tiny five-pound old lady cat developed hit-or-miss bathroom habits at age 21, I used puppy pee pads for her, too.
Puppies won’t know where to go potty without proper house training, and some pups are harder to train than others. But it may have nothing to do with training issues. Dogs of any age may have trouble making it to the designated potty spot because of health challenges.
For instance, your vet may recommend confining your dog to his crate until a broken bone heals or he recovers from surgery. Senior citizen dogs don’t always have enough time to make it outside or can “forget” to tell you they need a potty break. Old girl dogs, especially, can have nighttime urinary incontinence and dribble when they sleep, needing doggy diapers.
Disposable dog pee pads offer convenience but have some drawbacks: Environmentally conscious people know such disposable products fill up landfills; you use them only for short periods before they get stinky; and they often leak. Traditional disposable pee pads are so lightweight and thin, dogs may turn them into nasty chew toys—yuck!
Washable dog pee pads answer these issues. Their construction offers several layers, making them less attractive to chewers and harder to drag around. They absorb much more liquid, and you can use them for longer periods of time before needing to change them. They wash easily, include built-in odor control, and dry quickly either in the dryer on when hung to dry. One washable dog pee pad replaces up to 300 disposable pads.
“Washable pee pads can be a great tool for dogs in several situations. For example, if you’re traveling in the car and need the convenience of a readily available spot for your dog to do their business when the next rest stop is far away or if you’ll be gone for an extended period during the day and you’d prefer your dog has a known potty spot that’s not the floor or furniture,” says Dr. Hannah Hart, a veterinarian at Chewy. “Puppies who are being housebroken and incontinent senior dogs may also benefit from using a washable pee pad. Washable pee pads are also great crate liners since they’re reusable and more durable than disposable pads.”
Here are some of the best options on the market.
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The Pawtect Dog Pee Pads offer an economical option, starting at $22 for a pair of reusable pads. They use a proprietary fabric blend that wicks away, absorbs and locks in liquids, making them waterproof and leakproof. That helps keep the mess confined while protecting the floor or fabric surface below. Unlike some other dog pee pads, the design helps prevent your pooch from stepping in the wet and tracking it throughout your home.
The washable dog pee pads include a StickyPaw backing that keeps them in place, preventing slip-sliding on tile, wood or similar floor surfaces. They are available in two neutral colors, making them less noticeable in your decor. They are also triple-stitched for security. Choose from four different sizes to accommodate your individual dogs’ needs, from Pomeranian to Saint Bernard. P.S. While you’re at it, also check out the Pupiboo reusable puppy pads.
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Most washable dog pee pads offer a plain-Jane look, all one bland color. This Paw Inspired pad instead provides a stylish print and cute dog-centric design that appeals to many pet lovers. It’s well-rated and -reviewed on Chewy, and recommended for multiple uses besides just potty training. Use as a kennel liner, beneath feeding stations, to protect floors from muddy paws or to protect furniture.
The absorbent leak-proof design helps lock in moisture and odor. The machine-washable fabric offers easy cleanup, and the durable construction means you can use this pad over and over. Choose from four sizes to fit your pets’ needs. Each two-pack costs $15 to $35. If your pup has an accident outside a pad, find out how to clean pee out of carpets (and remove dog poop, too).
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The SincoPet reusable pad wins our pick for the best washable dog pee pad. The four layers of material offer comfort for your dog as a bed liner, which is especially important for leaky senior girl dogs. The absorbent middle layer pulls liquid away from the surface and holds 20 to 30 times its weight. The waterproof inner layer helps protect floors.
It stands up to multiple machine washings and can be machine dried. This pee pad also has an anti-slip gel bottom so it won’t slide around, even when large dogs get up and down.
The washable pad comes in 19 sizes, so it’s ideal for a variety of purposes. Use for puppy potty training; or as crate, kennel or carrier liner protection. Use one to protect your floor or furniture, or on the dog’s bed—or your own if you share a pillow. They also work well to protect car seats or cargo areas where your dog rests. If you have a mommy dog, use this in the whelping box to catch messes.
With over 16,000 glowing five-star reviews, customers rave about this product’s superior odor control. Another tip: Do not use bleach or water softener, as that affects the absorbency.
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The Green Lifestyle Washable Underpads are hospital-grade products and boast more than 23,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. Reviewers rate them highly on absorbency, ease of cleaning, leakproof abilities and value for money. After use, they pull liquid away from the surface so the pet more willingly uses the pad again—with little to no odor. They come in three sizes, and in packs of two, four or six.
For pets who share your bed, the pads fit on twin, queen and king-size mattresses. The heavy-duty design allows them to handle large amounts of urine, making them ideal for puppies and adult dogs of any size. The premium quality fabric—made with reinforced seams—lets the pads last longer than other products, even after multiple washes.
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The Peepeego washable dog pee pads come in a jumbo size perfect for large dogs. They also work well as a pad in the whelping box for mom dogs caring for pups, or as flooring for puppy exercise pens. The material quickly soaks up liquid and holds up to eight cups of urine. The light gray color helps camouflage stains, while the no-leak rubber backing protects floors and prevents slipping.
For longevity, wash the pad in warm water and tumble dry on low, or hang it to dry. This durable pad promises wash-and-use up to 300 times. Reviewers with litters of puppies love this product. The oversized pad also protects sofas, so you can snuggle with your old dogs without worrying about staining the upholstery.
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Dogs may not have bathroom mishaps at home. Going on the road, though, can upset schedules and tummies. The Paw Legend washable pee pad protects car seats and cargo areas for those unexpected accidents while on the go with Fido. They fold up for easy portability for your holiday trip to visit Grandma—and keep her house clean once there.
The Paw Legend pee pads come in brown and tan, which also help camouflage when accidents happen. Choose from three sizes to best fit your circumstances. Pads come in packs of two, so your dog can use one while you machine wash and tumble dry the spare. Just skip the fabric softeners, which reduce absorbency. To extend the life of the pad, line dry.
The pad has three layers to provide superior protection. A moisture-wicking top layer draws pee into the absorbent core to reduce tracking and odor. The pad’s inner layer absorbs liquid, while the bottom has a coated leak-proof barrier to keep pets and your furniture dry. The washable versions hold 10 times more liquid than their disposable counterpart, too.
Washable dog pee pads are a great option for several different situations. You’ll want to consider your specific dog’s situation when purchasing some. Are they a puppy that’s having trouble potty training? Are they going to be used in your dog’s crate as a “just in case” when you plan to be away from home for a while? Are they for your older dog that has accidents on the larger side? These factors will help you narrow down what you should look for in a dog pee pad.
It’s most important to pay attention to the size, absorbency, durability and odor control. We include a wide range of options above that meet various needs.
Dr. Hart also notes that “young puppies who are being potty trained may develop a preference for peeing on the soft cloth rather than on grass outside. Be mindful of starting them off with pee pads too young. In addition, dogs must be trained to use washable pee pads, so they do take some work to be most effective and to get dogs to use them consistently. Because of their cloth texture, washable pee pads may also be attractive as a toy for some dogs, so finding a sturdy option may be best for dogs who like to chew to preserve the longevity of the pee pad. Thin rugs around the home may also be easily confused with the washable pee pad, so pulling up any rugs from the floor may be helpful when beginning to use the washable pee pads.”
I am a certified animal behavior consultant and have written over 35 pet-care books. I started my career as a veterinary technician and know an extensive amount about pet care and behavior. I now write for the veterinary and pet products industry.
For this piece, we consulted Dr. Hannah Hart a veterinarian at Chewy. She has practiced veterinary medicine for over six years, focusing on cat behavior and preventative health measures. Her experience working with Chewy also gives her experience with different pet products, including pee pads, and what makes one a quality purchase.
As shopping experts, our only job is to help you find a winning product. To find the best washable dog pee pads we started with the research and reporting basics—what are the pads made of, what do they look like and how much do they cost—to ensure that we’re only recommending the buys that are worth your time and money. Then, we research the features that speak to the product’s quality, taking advice from industry insiders and subject matter experts on what makes a product a smart value (or worthy of a splurge). We looked at absorbency, odor control and how well they hold up after multiple washes. Finally, we do the work of combing through user reviews to see how real people interact with the product, and if it stands up to the test.
Yes, washable dog pee pads work well. They contain the mess, prevent tracking, neutralize odor and help keep your pet happy and home clean. Without them, containing the mess becomes a hygiene issue. You must avoid cleaning products harmful to pets while you constantly clean your carpet to remove pet stains.
Different dogs smell more pungent than others. Also, people have different sensitivities and what bothers you may not bother someone else. The longer the urine sits, the stronger an odor becomes, so washing quickly helps enormously. It sometimes takes more than one round in the washer to eliminate the odor.
You can also add white vinegar, borax or pet odor neutralizers like Nature’s Miracle laundry booster to help purge smells. Wash at least once weekly, but more often is better. Don’t use fabric softener, as that reduces absorbency. Pads also last longer if hung to dry.
