Dog Incontinence Products

Following on from my previous post “Incontinence in Older Dogs” I’d like to highlight some dog incontinence products that will help.

Whatever the reason for your dog’s incontinence, and whether it can be resolved in a short period of time, or something you’ll be living with for a while (or always!!), the result is still the same – uncontrollable/involuntary peeing.

[bctt tweet=”If your dog is peeing all over the place, you’re going to want to see these!” username=”petcrusader”]

If this condition is new, you may not have been aware of the existence of these products, and I bet you’re really happy you found them, I know I am!

Read on for what’s available.

NOTE:    If you’re in the UK and interested in any of these products, please scroll right down to the bottom of the page.

Pee pads

Pee pads are a lifesaver, there’s no other way to describe them. Since I brought my first senior dog home many years ago, they have been a staple in my life. I’ll be honest with you…I don’t love the look of a pee pad covered floor day in and day out, but when your dog has a health issue that’s causing her to pee constantly, is blind like my dog Red is, or rescued from a puppy mill after 8 years and is too terrified to go out, what can you do?

Nowadays my floor no longer looks like it does in the picture, but if I’m going to be out during what is normally one of Red’s pee breaks, I’ll leave some pads on the floor just in case. At night she sleeps in our bedroom, so I do put some down in case she wakes early one morning. Better she has a place to pee, than me dragging myself out of bed earlier than is good for me!

You’ll know the best place(s) to put them, but I recommend next to her bed(s), by the front door, the back door…

I don’t know what you think of this money saving idea, but I’ll put it out there anyway. If your dog pees on a small area of the pad and the rest of it is still like new, what about cutting off the soiled piece and re-using the rest of it?

Washable, re-usable pee pads are also something to consider.

As with all products quality varies, so you may need to experiment a bit before you find the one you’re happy with. 

Do some comparison shopping

Shop around. There are massive price differences so do the math when it comes to how many pads in a pack for how much. If you’ll be using a lot of them, even a slight price difference means more money left in your pocket. 

Check local retailers and of course online. I have found the most expensive ones were in pet supply stores but that was just my experience, it doesn’t mean it will be the same where you live.

This advice will be relevant for all the products listed below!

I buy Puppy Training Pads from poundstretcher in the UK.

Training your dog to use a pee pad

There are a couple of ways to get her used to them – if you have a cue when she goes out, “go pee” for example, take her to the pee pad when it’s her usual time to go out and say “go pee” then give her a treat. Another option is to put one outside on the grass if she has a favourite spot, walk her to it then use the cue there.

Consider these!

Doggie diapers

What, you thought diapers were only for babies!!

Doggie diapers are available in washable and disposable versions, styles for males and females, and even urinary or fecal incontinence. Who knew!!

A woman’s sanitary pad or incontinence pad designed for humans can be placed inside a washable diaper as a liner. It will help keep your dog drier, preventing irritation from scalding urine if your dog’s skin remains wet for a long period of time.  

It’s particularly helpful if your dog has fecal incontinence, the liner can simply be thrown away.

Make your own

If you find you’re spending lots of money for products that aren’t doing as good a job as you would like, why not make your own. Type “make your own doggie diapers” or some such variation into your search engine and you’ll come up with lots of easy ways to do just that. You won’t need much more than some cloth, Velcro, feminine pads and a pair of scissors.

How about adapting some kids’ underwear and adding a feminine pad lining?

Belly bands

Belly bands are for male dogs, and they wrap around the stomach to catch the urine. There are washable and disposable options, and can be used with a sanitary pad for even greater absorbency depending on your needs.

Suspenders

Suspenders are such a clever way to keep diapers and belly bands in place. After all, how effective can they be if they’re not where they need to be?

Consider these!


What if my dog won’t wear a diaper or belly band?

Some dogs will be fine with wearing one from the start, others will be less agreeable. If your dog is in the latter category bribery may be in order. Put one on for a second, then take it off and reward him, each time working up to a bit longer. If you do it over time (not in one go) you have a much greater chance of success.

Dog beds, crate pads, mats and covers

You want to provide your dog with a super comfortable bed, keep it and your dog dry, not have to do laundry every day or keep buying new beds. Sounds like a tall order to me!

If you have a bed with a removable cover that isn’t waterproof, it won’t do much good as the padding inside will get wet. A non-waterproof bed may still be used if you protect it with pee pads or a waterproof cover.

If they aren’t the types of material your dog will agree to lie on, an old blanket thrown over is an option. I know you’ll have to wash them, but a few to rotate around and you won’t end up doing laundry every day at least!

The Slee Pee Time Bed®

I’m highlighting this bed in particular because I’d never seen this design before, and I love what the creators of this product had to say about it. The bed is a vinyl coated polyester mesh so if your dog pees it flows through the mesh to a pan underneath, and your dog is not sleeping in a puddle of pee. Of course your dog loves his comfort, so fleece bolsters and a pillow are included, and they stay dry.  

For the car

You’re also going to want to protect your car seats, and you can do that with the doggie diapers or belly bands if that’s the way you’re going, and/or by covering the seat with pee pads or a waterproof car bench seat protector.

Consider these!

Cleaning products for the home

In spite of all our best efforts accidents are bound to happen, that’s why you need to stock up on cleaning supplies so they’re always on hand. It’s not only important to get rid of the stain but the odour as well, which is where a good enzymatic cleaner comes in.

Black light

A very handy item to locate pee stains not otherwise visible. If you can’t see them, you can’t clean them but your dog will know they’re there.

Cleaning products for the dog

If urine is on your dog’s skin for too long it can scald, leading to irritation and possibly infection. Whether it’s just an accident you can attend to right away, or your dog has been wet all night, you’ll need wipes.

I keep a container by the front door to use on Red after she pees. Being older and a girl, she is susceptible to bacteria entering her body and causing an infection (she had 3 UTIs a while back), so keeping her clean is the best preventative.

Consider these!


Dog incontinence products – conclusion

I know incontinence can challenge your patience, it’s challenged mine quite a bit, especially when I wasn’t prepared or became lax in my prep work. What can you do? Sharing your life with a pet is unlikely to be smooth sailing all the way, so we have to be prepared for the bumps in the road. Sounds a bit cliché but it doesn’t make the words any less true.

As pet guardians it is our responsibility, and of course our joy, to do what we can to ensure our pets are happy, healthy and well cared for valuable members of our family.

Now you can take a breath and relax, knowing there are plenty of dog incontinence products to help.

 

Have you tried any of these types of products? Which is/are your favourite(s) and why? Is there a particular type, brand or style you recommend over others? What makes it so special? Your opinions, comments and recommendations will help other pet parents in the same situation. Leave them in the comments section below or on my Facebook page.