alternatives to pee pads?

[Otis89]

Does anyone else's pug like to eat puppy pads? The second anyone turns their back, Otis rips long strips off of the pee pad and tries to swallow them whole.. I've seen him pass strips of the plastic part, which is obviously very dangerous, so I can't have them out anymore. The problem is that although he goes primarily outside, if I take the pee pads away, he forgets all of his housebreaking instantly and begins peeing all over the place even when I am home to let him outside. He's let out many times throughout the day, and uses the pee pad maybe once or twice while I am at work and the boyfriend is sleeping after working night shift. At this time he is confined to the kitchen. When the pads are there, he has 0 accidents. I've tried using one of those plastic holders that clip the edges of the pad down, but he is able to still pull them out. Does anyone know of any alternatives that Otis will not be able to eat?

[Lola's Mum]

How old is he?

My puppy also started to shred (I don't think she ever ate them) puppy pads fairly early on. I was afraid she would eat them, so I stopped using them, and started crating her while I wasn't home. Sounds like your pup isn't home alone too often - so maybe crating would work?

Now my pup is 5 months old and I leave her baby gated in my kitchen during the day - and she's good to go for 4-5 hours at a stretch, no accidents (well, VERY rarely will she have an accident, she is a puppy, so they do happen).

As far as alternatives...I think some people use newspaper - but I would think he would shred that too...

[Otis89]

He is 8 months old... he isn't home alone very often, and when he is alone he's crated, he's just sneaky hehe

[GotPugs]

Doggie litter box until old enough to potty outside.

[shaynapug]

All puppies do that.

By 8 months old, he should be holding it! Do you take him outside just before you leave? I'd put him in a smaller crate while your BF is sleeping! Another idea would be to put a belly band on him when he's locked up or no one is watching him.

Callie would eat the litter I think!!!! Better to eat shredded paper than the plastic!

[GotPugs]

Cronus does eat the litter but it's compact paper so I don't worry about it.

All puppies do that.

By 8 months old, he should be holding it! Do you take him outside just before you leave? I'd put him in a smaller crate while your BF is sleeping! Another idea would be to put a belly band on him when he's locked up or no one is watching him.

Callie would eat the litter I think!!!! Better to eat shredded paper than the plastic!

[shaynapug]

Cronus does eat the litter but it's compact paper so I don't worry about it.

Ah!!! I thought of that for the next time I have puppies!

I think at 8 months it's late to start using a litter box...but you might be able to do it!

[Kat]

My pug did that as a pup too, and it caused her to get struvite crystals because the silica would absorb so much of the water in her bladder. I ended up buying a plastic pee pad tray that you can clip the pee pads into, and it stopped her from ripping them apart. I would strongly suggest getting a pee pad tray or finding another alternative, because eating/ripping the pee pads is dangerous.

[cellophane]

I use a plastic pee pad tray....and also spray each pee pad down with Bitter Apple spray on all parts that they can touch, including the back edges. I treat the pads and allow them to air dry. They don't like shredding bitter pee pads!

[Otis89]

hmm, that's a good idea. He gets them out of the tray usually but maybe if I use the bitter apple he won't like it anymore. thanks :)