5 Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Disposable Puppy Pads

Best Earth Friendly Alternatives to Puppy Pads

Puppy pee pads are extremely useful for potty training a puppy, senior or disabled dogs, and people who live in apartments without access to a fenced backyard. Owners who can’t let their dogs out frequently also benefit from using pee pads. Depending on your needs, you can use puppy pads part-time or full-time.

Pee pads are an excellent tool for potty training a puppy, but there are many reasons you might not want to use them. Single-use training pads usually have a plastic backing and artificial fragrances to lure the puppy to the spot and are made from non-recycled materials. 

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Depending on how old your puppy is and how long you have to train it, you can end up throwing a pile of puppy pads in a landfill. If you’re looking to reduce your dog’s environmental paw print, there are many great eco-friendly alternatives to disposable puppy pads you can try. 

Benefits of Using Reusable Puppy Training Pads

It’s estimated that a single pee pad takes up to 500 years to break down in a landfill. Because they are made of plastic, puppy pee pads don’t degrade quickly and can’t be recycled or composted. 

Young puppies are messy and have poor bladder control. This leads to frequent puppy pad changes, creating a massive amount of plastic waste that is bad for the environment.  

Reusable pet pads are an earth-friendly alternative to puppy pads and are also cheaper. Switching to reusable potty pads is helping the planet in several ways:

• Reusable pee pads for dogs don’t contain any harsh chemicals like bleach and dyes. Many disposable puppy pads are made using toxic dyes and bleach, which are harmful to your and your pet’s health. These toxic chemicals may also leak into the soil or water, impacting wildlife. 
• Using reusable pee pads over disposable ones automatically gets rid of extra waste. By reusing the same pad multiple times, instead of buying new ones after each use, there is a drastic change in how many plastic-filled pads end up in landfills.
• Eco-friendly pads are made using biodegradable organic materials. This means that these pads break down more quickly, usually within 3 to 12 months, which is a lot faster than the estimated 500 to 1,000 years it takes plastic to degrade in a landfill. 
• Some green puppy pads aren’t biodegradable but are made from recycled or reclaimed materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Besides biodegradable puppy pads and those made with recycled materials, you can also choose washable or reusable pee pads as eco-friendly alternatives to disposable puppy pee pads.

5 Earth-Friendly Alternatives to Puppy Pads Reviewed

Whether you are potty training a new puppy, have an older incontinent dog at home, or can’t let your pooch outside several times a day, eco-friendly pee pads are a great alternative to disposable puppy pads.

Let’s face it – puppy pads are essential – but you can find alternatives to the disposable ones that will save you money as well as save the planet a few tonnes of waste each month!

Listed below, you’ll find in-depth reviews of our favorite sustainable pee pads.

1. Alpha Pets Reusable Puppy Pee Pads – Reusable & Washable Pads

Alpha Pets Reusable Puppy Pee Pads are an earth-friendly alternative to single-use puppy pee pads. Coming in a pack of two, these eco-friendly puppy training pads are machine washable up to 200 times and reusable. 

Key Features:

• Measuring 80 x 90 cm
• Ultra-absorbent 4-layer design 
• Waterproof backing and leak-proof
• Machine washable & can be tumbled dried

Besides being suitable for potty training, these washable dog pee pads can be used for older dogs with bladder issues, dog bed covers, crate liners for added comfort, and food and water bowl mats. Featuring a very absorbent 4-layer design and a non-slip base, these washable pet pee pads are better for the planet and your wallet. 

2. DoggieLawn – Fresh Patch Disposable Dog Potty with Real Grass

Unlike fake grass potty training pads that quickly get permeated in urine, the DoggieLawn disposable potty pad with real grass neutralizes odors. Secondly, the carbon footprint for manufacturing artificial grass is extremely high – as is the one to manufacture disposable pee pads.

DoggieLawn offers a subscription plan for fresh patch real grass puppy pads. Potty training a puppy or adult dog with DoggieLawn is a breeze because dogs are instinctually attracted to the smell and feel of natural grass.

Key Features:

• Real grass that is chemical free and highly absorbent
• Neutralizes odors
• Biodegradable & eco-friendly
• Flexible deliveries
• Preferred by dogs around the world!

Place the natural grass pee patch in an easy-to-access location for your dog and start potty training the same day.

This is especially useful for puppies, who sometimes get confused by the texture of the blue pee pads, and start weeing on carpets. But by investing in a Doggie Lawn, they will learn the only place they are allowed to go to the toilet is on real grass!

3. Green Lifestyle Washable Underpads – Reusable Incontinence Pads 

Green Lifestyle Washable Underpads are available in several sizes and are an eco-friendly alternative to single-use puppy training pads. These washable training pads for dogs are made from high-quality fabric and reinforced seams that can withstand frequent trips to the washer and dryer.

Key Features:

• Available in packs of two, four, and six pads
• Coming in four sizes
• Waterproof backing

These thick washable dog pee pads have multiple layers for maximum protection and increased absorbency. The quilted design locks in moisture, and waterproof backing protects floors or any other surfaces. Because of that, this reusable pee pad is an excellent choice for potty training puppies and accident-prone senior dogs.

4. PuppyGoHere – Dog Litter Box 

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not only cats that can use litter pans. There are a few made especially for dogs!

PuppyGoHere Litter Box is larger than a standard cat litter box and features a large front opening. Although the litter box isn’t biodegradable, you can opt to potty train your puppy using an eco-friendly litter.

Key Features:

• Available in a small, large, and extra-large size
• Comes with an easy-to-use training guide
• Sturdy construction so it lasts a long time

The PuppyGoHere Litter Box is made of plastic but can be used in combination with biodegradable litter. Made to be sturdy and last a long time, this dog litter box is large enough to fit puppies up to 20 pounds comfortably. 

Besides being useful for potty training, this litter box helps prevent house-soiling accidents by providing your dog a place to eliminate even when you can’t take them outside. While the PuppyGoHere litter box is made from plastic, it’s made to last and is a good alternative to single-use puppy pads.

5. Puppy Training Tray – Indoor Potty System

The Olumu Puppy Training Tray makes training and cleaning a potty box much easier. This indoor potty-training system features a special take-out drawer and a removable cone that simulates a fire hydrant and guides a puppy to pee in the tray.

Key Features:

• Available in four different colors
• Measuring 50.8 x 44.45 x 15.24 cm
• Made with BPA-free plastic
• Durable and reusable

This indoor potty-training system features a plastic mesh that allows the urine to flow down and keeps the box cleaner. Pulling the mesh out is very easy and allows you to clean your pup’s messes quickly. Place this potty-training litter tray inside your puppy’s kennel or in an easily accessible area of your home.

This indoor potty system can be used with washable pee pads or biodegradable litter to provide superior protection for floor surfaces. Thanks to the raised mesh, your puppy’s paws won’t come into contact with urine or leave wet paw prints all over your floors and carpets.

A Final Word on Solutions For Disposable Pet Pads

Disposable puppy pads do a good job at soaking and containing your puppy’s messes, but they are bad for the environment. There’s no denying that. Single-use training pads that aren’t biodegradable and will take up to 500 years to break down in a landfill. And with thousands being used each day, the risk to our planet is real.

Luckily, there are many earth-friendly alternatives to puppy pads that are better for the planet and your budget. Reusable puppy training pads are machine washable and soak up urine just as well, if not better than single-use puppy pads. 

RELATED POST: The Best Alternative To Single-Use Plastic Bags For Dog Poop

Disposable dog potties with natural grass are another eco-friendly and biodegradable alternative for single-use pee pads. Natural grass patches are also great for getting your dog used to peeing on the grass, and most dogs take to it instantly. Another great thing about natural grass potty patch is that it absorbs odors and lasts much longer than disposable pee pads. 

And these are just a few of the options we explored in this article that are better solutions to house training your dog that doesn’t leave behind a whole big mess for the earth.

What do you use – let us know in a comment below if you came up with other creative ideas.

More Sustainable Living Tips For Pet Owners:

• How To Reduce Waste as a Pet Owner
• Environmentally Friendly Dog Toys
• How to Dispose of Dog Waste In An Earth-Friendly Way
• 3 Tips For Eco-Friendly Pet Care

What To Use Instead Of Disposable Puppy Pads?