Eco-friendly dog pee pads aren’t just good for the planet, they’re good for you and your dog too!
You’d hope that all puppy pads would be safe for your dog, and eco-friendly, but they’re not. Many contain materials that aren’t pet-friendly, like bleach and dyes. Others are made through a non-eco-friendly manufacturing process. That’s why it’s important to know what goes into the puppy pad you’re buying and just what exactly it means when you hear ‘eco friendly puppy pad.’
Materials Used in Puppy Pee Pads
Different manufacturers use different materials in their puppy pads. Most dog pads are made of gauze or other absorbent materials over a thin blue plastic. The fibers, including gauze, that are used in a pad determine the amount of absorption ability it will have.
Fibers:
All pads use some kind of absorbent material, whether it’s gauze, bamboo or cotton. Some fibers are more effective and eco-friendly than others. The more absorbent pads are made from a combination of various fibers and a mix of an absorbent polymer made of tiny beads that work with the fibers to absorb, hold and then lock in liquids. The fiber is usually highly absorbent and can absorb up to 50 times its weight when absorbing urine. The absorbent polymer changes the chemical makeup of whatever liquid is being absorbed so it also neutralizes the pH of the urine. This means the polymers help to inhibit the growth of bacteria and eliminate the smell of both bacteria and the urine.
WizSmart dog pads use the fibers from more than 500 million unused, recycled, reclaimed baby diapers using those fibers along with a natural, sustainable, Eucafluff fiber which is made from eucalyptus trees. Eucafluff is grown by companies like Suzano committed to Certified Responsible Forestry. Because the renewal cycle for eucalyptus trees is around 6-7 years, which is much faster than trees normally used in fluff pulp manufacturing in the Northern Hemisphere (pine trees), that means it’s a more sustainable fiber. This mix of virgin fibers and material is what helps WizSmart puppy pads achieve the superior absorption and fast drying they’re known for, plus it helps the environment.
Attractants in Dog Pee Pads:
Many dog pads claim to have a built in attractant to help your pet find its way to the pad when it is time to go. This attractant is usually ammonia, but some manufacturers add “fresh grass” scents and even pheromes that are designed to get the attention of puppies. Since puppies develop a preference for the substrate (or surface) they will search out to pee on for the rest of their lives, it’s important to consider what kind of scented puppy pad you select. Owners with yards and access to grass may prefer a different attractant than a city dweller whose dog will use a street gutter or gravel. You can also use a pad with no attractant or one with a natural attractant if you prefer a safe option for your dog. WizSmart uses a natural attractant created by a perfume designer that safely and more effectively attracts puppies to its pads.
Manufacturing Process for Dog Pads
If you’re concerned about eco-friendly products of any kind, you know that if the manufacturing process isn’t eco-friendly, then the product itself isn’t truly eco-friendly. If you check the labels of almost all the major puppy pad products you’ll see they’re made in China. WizSmart is the leading manufacturer of dog pads in Latin America, with over 120 employees, a 50,000 sq.ft. manufacturing facility, and a 40% market share in Brazil. They have a distribution center in New Jersey, NJ, and offices in Connecticut (USA) and Toronto (Canada).
How Many Puppy Pads Does Your Puppy Need?
Any pet owner knows or soon learns, that dogs, and puppies, in particular, do not like to pee and poop in the same spot. That means keeping at least two, and sometimes several puppy pads around your home to ensure your puppy feels comfortable going when and where they have to. Most puppy pads hold two-to-three cups of urine, while one WizSmart pad holds up to eight cups, with a super fast and superior drying time. That means the next time your puppy has to go, the pad is dry.
Because each pad can hold up to eight cups of urine, you’re not constantly having to replace the pad either. WizSmart pads absorb more than twice the average pad, and twice as fast. And the wicking area is less than half the average size. This drives overall pad efficiency, the number of hours you can leave the pad down and, ultimately, your peace of mind!
Benefits of Eco-Friendly Puppy Pads
When you use eco-friendly pads, such as WizSmart Puppy Pads, you’re helping the environment in several ways:
- You’re Using Recycled Materials
Because WizSmart uses unused, reclaimed baby diapers in its manufacturing process, they are re-using materials that otherwise would have gone into a landfill, damaged wildlife and the environment, and become part of the disposal problem in America. Every year WizSmart transforms more than 80 million unused, reclaimed diapers into superabsorbent dog pee pads. This not only benefits your dog and the earth it helps you support sustainable initiatives.
- No Dyes, Bleaches and Other Harmful Chemicals
By not using harmful chemicals like bleach and dyes, WizSmart pads decrease the environmental toxicity of those substances in our landfills. That means no additional bleach, dyes or chemical are leached into the soil or water, or impact wildlife.
- Using Organic Materials Organic materials are usually biodegradable. That means they break down much more quickly (within 6 months to a couple of years rather than the estimated 500 to 1000 years it takes plastic to break down). They also biodegrade more naturally, and with less toxicity than plastic.