Training Pads

Most pads carry a scent attractant designed to draw a puppy back to the same spot each time, which helps build the habit of going in one place rather than wherever they happen to be standing. A leak-proof backing protects the floor underneath from anything that soaks through.

A pad holder keeps the pad flat and in place, which matters more than it sounds — a pad that slides around under a puppy's paws is less likely to be used consistently than one that stays put in the same corner every time.

Pads work best placed in a consistent spot, away from food and sleeping areas, and reduced gradually rather than left down indefinitely once a puppy is reliably using them. Moving the pad an inch or two closer to a door each week is a common way to eventually transition to going outside.

For an older dog who genuinely can't always get outside — because of a health condition or a long working day for their owner — pads can be a permanent, sensible solution rather than a stage to move past, and there's no reason to feel that's a failure.

Disposable pads are the simpler option day to day, thrown away and replaced as needed, which suits the early, frequent-accident stage of house-training when you're getting through a lot of them in a short space of time.

Washable pads cost more upfront but work out cheaper over time for a dog who will use them long-term, and they hold up better under repeated use than a disposable pad stretched further than it's designed for. A holder that keeps either type flat on the floor makes a genuine difference to how consistently a puppy actually uses it.