“Use a pee pad,” the breeder said. “Puppies take to pee pads quickly,” your vet said. And while everyone you know swears by the pads, what most forget to tell you is that sometimes puppies will chew on, shred and proudly drag the used pad around the room. That leaves you with a trail of urine and shredded pad to clean up. That’s no fun. The good news is, you can stop the chewing and shredding and get your puppy back on track with just a few training tips.
The most important step in addressing this non-desirable behavior is to remember not to open the dog pad package and put the dog pad on the floor when your dog is watching. If he sees you doing this, he will think of the dog pads as a toy that he wants to play with.
Why Does Your Puppy Shred Their Pee Pad?
Puppies tend to shred their puppy pads and anything else they can easily tear because they naturally like to play, have high energy, are curious, and at times, they get bored. The solution is simple, buy your pup more, or different toys. For example, toys designed to hold a treat inside that only fall out when your puppy is actively playing with the toy is a great way to keep them occupied.
- Rather than just buy a toy and hope they love it, take your pup shopping with you and let them pick out their toys. This ensures they like it and are more likely to play with it when you’re not around.
- While you shouldn’t leave small rawhide, pig ears and other chews around when you’re not there, find a larger chew toy they can’t choke on, but are attracted to.
- Make sure your pup is getting plenty of exercise. Depending on the breed, your puppy may or may not be getting enough exercise. Lack of activity leads to higher energy levels, boredom, and shredded pee pads, fabric, shoes and furniture. Upping their walk time or spending an extra 15 minutes throughout the day (if you can) and making sure they’re getting plenty of “you” time will help.
- Reward them often. Puppies quickly learn what makes you happy when you reward them for the behavior you want to see. When you come home, and they haven’t shredded their pad, and they use it - celebrate! Give them a treat, pet them, hug them, whatever makes them feel appreciated. If they do shred the pad or other items, while it may be hard, you need to ignore them. Just replace it with a new pad, take them outside for a walk or to play, and then hope they’re exhausted enough not to shred again.
Don’t Yell When Your Puppy Shreds Their Pad
No matter how angry, frustrated or upset you are, never yell, scold or punish your dog for shredding their pad. Don’t say, “bad dog,” or use a tone of voice that suggests to your dog that you’re upset with them. It will just teach them to do whatever they’re doing wrong when you’re not around, and it’s safe. Dogs don’t reason like people do.
Secure the Pee Pad to the Floor
Many dog pads come with stay put adhesive tabs to help secure and keep the pad in place. By using a dog pad like WizSmart with adhesive strips, you can secure the pad either flat on the floor or secure it to both to the floor and the wall at a 90° angle to create a perfectly placed target for your male dog. Male or female, these adhesive strips help to minimize the risk of the pad becoming a toy.
It’s no surprise that when the dog parent is away, the dog will play! And no one wants to come home to a used dog pad that has been dragged around the house, shredded or used as a chew toy. With WizSmart's stay put adhesive tabs, you can secure the wee wee pad in place and have the peace of mind that it will stay where you put it. No moving target and no unpleasant surprises to clean-up means you can return to a cleaner home.
