Learning About Green Options with Krister Holm
Healthy Dogs | February 10, 2019
Whether you call them puppy training pads or pee pads, many people find that they need a pee pad at some point of their dog’s life. Some people use them as the first step towards housetraining, while other people find that their senior dog needs a pee pad as he ages. Pee pads for dogs are also a good option for a dog that refuses to urinate outside when it rains or for dogs that have to spend long hours inside while their owners are at work. Other dog owners have found them useful to line the inside of crates or use them on car seats. Even the occasional cat owner uses pee pads underneath a cat’s litterbox for various reasons.
To learn more about pee pads, we talked to Petix Company General Manager, Krister Holm. Petix makes WizSmart pee pads—a product that is made from disposable diaper fill that cannot be sold. We talked to Krister to find out his perspective on what makes a good pee pad, and why he’s not trying to grow the pee pad market.
KH: Absorbency is the biggest consideration when we talk about pee pads. The average, thin pee pad has an absorbency rate of between two to three cups. Other pee pads have absorbency that’s two to three times the absorbency rate, so they perform better.
When we discuss absorbency, we also want to consider how quickly something absorbs. You want to know that when your dog pees on the pad, that he doesn’t get wet paws as he walks away.
How much the liquid spreads throughout the pad is also a useful consideration. Are a few drops of liquid going to make enormous spots on the pad or are they quickly going to absorb without much spread?
Related to absorbency is the rewet test. That’s when you place another fabric over the pee pad and see how much liquid can be absorbed out of the pee pad.
An ideal pee pad is going to perform better than average in these four essential categories. You want one that’s going to absorb plenty of liquid, rather quickly without a lot of spread and stay fairly dry on top.
KH: A lot of times, you can tell by the thickness and the materials used. Thinner pee pads often absorb less. You can spot thicker pee pads when you compare the number of pee pads in a package versus the volume that each package takes up. I’ve seen thirty pee pads take up the same room as a hundred pee pads. The materials used to absorb the liquid will also determine the overall performance but that can be harder to identify without opening the package.
And the performance can be tied to cost—thicker pee pads with better materials won’t cost the same per pad as thinner pee pads. But we’ve found that many people who use pee pads use several thinner pee pads to provide the coverage that you’d get from one higher quality pee pad.
KH: WizSmart pee pads are made from baby diapers that are rejected for technical defects. Essentially, we repurpose these diapers by contracting with diaper manufacturers and repurpose 120 million unused baby diapers every year.
Every pee pad has three major components: the plastic polyethylene at the bottom, the middle fluff part that’s made from wood pulp that sometimes also contains a super absorbent polymer (SAP) to absorb more liquid, and then a woven top layer.
We take the baby diapers and separate out the SAP and pulp in the diapers. The SAP is a material that absorbs liquid and turns it into a gel. Then we use that as our own middle layer in our pee pads.
To do this properly, we have two factories, one that separates the components of the diapers in giant centrifuges and one that makes the pee pads. Because the diaper manufacturing plants are in Brazil, we have our own factory in San Paulo. We have 130 employees, and we only manufacture pee pads.
KH: Mostly, I agree with them! I’m not trying to grow the pee pad market because disposable items aren’t ideal from an environmental perspective. But for people training puppies or who have older dogs, pee pads are an important tool. I also know people who like put a pee pad inside the house for their dog because they work and can’t come home and let the dog out.
When buying pee pads, I encourage people to think about using as few pads as possible for environmental reasons. Higher performing pee pads can last up to twenty-four hours at a time. And by using a high-performance pee pad, you reduce the amount of plastic being used and can reduce the amount of trash you throw away.
Krister Holm is the general manager of Petix, which makes WizSmart Dog Pads. Over the past 11 years, WizSmart has made over 350 million pee pads, while preventing an estimated 120 million diapers annually from entering landfills.
It’s never a bad time to chill. 🧘♀️ 🐾
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Swell`s My Chill Time Premium Dog Gelato is made with functional ingredients like chamomile and passion flower tea, which help your pup stay cool, calm, and collected when summer activities makes thier day-to-day a little more stressful. Plus, it includes blackberries, 🥥 coconut milk, ginger, beets, and 🍯 🐝 honey, which are great for digestion and antioxidant support.
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Swell Premium Dog Gelato is not only a tasty treat on a hot summer day, but it also helps keep your pup living their best life and staying CHILL. Shop My Chill Time from Swell in-store or online at Mud Bay this summer. 🌞
#mudbay #swelldoggelato #swell #dogs #chill
Adventure-ready and made for the water, the Ruffwear Float Coat helps keep your dog comfortable during every swim.
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The Float Coat offers a secure, telescoping neck closure that adjusts to fit a variety of dog sizes, while the lightweight foam panels support natural movement and buoyancy in the water, keeping them comfortable and safe.
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Plus, it offers a super handy, low-profile handle that makes it easy to lift your pup out of the water, and reflective accents that add extra visibility for long days at the lake, beach, or river.
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Bring your pup in-store or shop with us online for the Ruffwear Float coat today!
#mudbay #summer #adventures #ruffwear #doglife
🌞 🎆 🎉 Summer brings celebrations, late nights, travel and events that can leave your pets feeling uneasy.
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Mud Bay is here to help, offering products that bring calm and comfort to your cat or dog when things get noisy.
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We carry calming collars, tinctures, treats, and pheromones to help your pets handle everything summer brings—Shop Mud Bay in-store or online to find the right calmatives for your pets.
#mudbay #summer #keepcalm #healthypets #calming
Fluff & Tuff`s #IGIVEAFLUFF is Coming Soon!
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Starting June 8th, National Best Friends Day, our friends at Fluff & Tuff are once again kicking off #IGiveAFluff to help put toys in the paws of shelter and rescue dogs who need them most.
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And we want you to be a part of it, and it couldn`t be easier to participate!
Here`s how it works:
📸 Snap a photo of your dog with their favorite Fluff & Tuff toy.
📱 Share it on social media using #IGiveAFluff.
🐾 Fluff & Tuff donates a toy to a shelter or rescue dog.
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Since 2015, with the support of pet parents like you and the generosity of Fluff & Tuff, over 22,000 toys have been donated to shelters and rescue dogs. Want to participate, but you need a Fluff & Tuff toy? Take a tip from Frank and stop by your local Mud Bay or visit us online. Click the link in our bio to learn more about #IGIVEAFLUFF
Canagan canned cat food is grain-free and made with your cat in mind, using high-quality protein from chicken, salmon, tuna, and more.
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It’s inspired by what cats are naturally built to eat, with a focus on animal protein and no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
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It’s also an easy way to add moisture to your cat’s routine—something many cats don’t get enough of—which can help support your feline friend with kidney and urinary-tract health.
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🛍️ Shop Canagan Complete Cat Food in-store or online at Mud Bay.
Summer is coming, so be like Goose 🐕 and stay cool 😎 ❄️ on every outing with the Swamp Cooler Harness from Ruffwear.
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Whether she’s out on a trail or enjoying a long walk or run, this harness is built for warm-weather adventures, offering cooling comfort and secure control in one breathable design.
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Shop in-store or online at Mud Bay.
#mudbay #adventures #pnw #dog #summeriscoming
Mud Bay Memorial Day Hours ⏰
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Today, Monday, May 25, all Mud Bay locations will be open from 10 am to 6 pm.
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Delivery orders placed after 2 pm on Sunday will arrive on Tuesday. Store pickup and Instacart will still be available. 🐈 🐕 🚚
#mudbay #holidayhours #healthypets #mudbaydelivery #pets
🐾🌷The Ruffwear Front Range Flex Collection
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Meet Harley, out in the tulip fields and ready for her next outing in the Front Range Flex Harness, Collar, and Leash.
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Whether it’s a walk through the neighborhood or your next PNW adventure, this collection is designed for everyday use and changing conditions:
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Lightweight and built to handle wet conditions
Easy to clean, just hand-wash and air-dry
Made with durable materials for every outing
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Harley picked her look… now it’s your turn.
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The Ruffwear Front Range Flex Collection is now available at Mud Bay. Shop in-store or online today!
#mudbay #ruffwear #adventure #dogwalk #pnwdogs
This cheese-flavored 🧀 💊 pill wrap helps make giving medicine easier for both dogs and cats. 🐕 🐈 Simply tear, wrap, and serve. It’s quick and mess-free.
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The soft texture can be torn to fit any pill, and the cheese flavor makes each dose easier to give. Now with pumpkin, and always free from grain, gluten, and soy.
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Stashio’s is a woman-owned company from Minnesota that creates simple solutions for daily pet care.
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You can find Stashio’s wrap-ups at Mud Bay, both in-store and online.
#mudbay #stashios #wrapup #healthypets #pnwpets
Let your dog relax 💆 and unwind with a Puptail.
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After a walk, run, hike, or just because, this brunch-inspired Puptail is a fun way to help your pup slow down and take it easy. It’s easy to make and flexible, so you can mix and match to make it your own.
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Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Green Juju Golden Blend
- 1 tbsp blueberries
- 1 tbsp banana slices
- 1/2 cup Primal Raw Goat’s Milk Cranberry Blast
- Swell Dog Gelato Banana and Peanut Butter (for topping)
- Wagster Banana and Toasted Coconut Biscuits
- Green Juju Freeze Dried Vitality Blend
- Furvor Concentrated Beef Bone Broth (for ice cubes)
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Optional Extras 🐕 🐶
Blueberry and bone broth ice cubes
Wag and Bright Supply Co. Spirulina and Beef Collagen dog chew
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Directions
1. Add Green Juju Golden Blend as your base
2. Layer in blueberries and banana slices
3. Pour in goat’s milk between layers
4. Repeat layers as desired, then freeze or serve as is
5. Top with gelato, biscuits, and freeze-dried blend
6. Add ice cubes and extras for a cool finish
#mudbay #treatyoself #pup #summeriscoming #puptail
Furvor bone broth is made with 100% human-grade ingredients and is up to 30 times more concentrated than regular broths. It provides protein, collagen, amino acids, and important nutrients to help your dog’s gut, joints, skin, coat, and overall health.
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The 20 oz bottle provides more than 20 servings, making it an easy way to add beneficial nutrition to your dog’s daily routine at home.
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If you’re out and about, Furvor’s single-serve pouches will help keep your dog hydrated, with a pep in their step wherever you go. They’re great for summer, hikes, walks, or days by the water.
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Just tear open, squeeze, and serve. You can mix it with water, pour it over kibble, or give it on its own. You can buy them one at a time or in a pack of six.
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Shop Furvor Bone Broth in-store or online today! 🛍️ 🐾
#mudbay #furvor #healthypets #pnwpets #bonebroth
Capstar Oral Flea & Tick Treatment
🐾When fleas show up, it helps to act quickly. Capstar is an easy-to-use oral treatment that starts working in about 30 minutes and can kill most fleas within the first few hours. It’s a simple way to bring fast relief and can be used alongside your dog’s regular flea and tick routine.
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Vetality Flea & Tick Monthly Topical Treatment
🐾 For ongoing protection, Vetality Avantect offers vet-quality coverage at a great value.
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These broad-spectrum topicals kill and repel fleas, flea eggs, ticks, and mosquitoes, while also targeting all stages of the flea life cycle. It also helps repel biting flies and kill lice. Available in four weight ranges and a four-month supply for continued protection.
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🛍️ Shop in-store or online today.
#mudbay #fleaandtickseason #healthypets #dogs #fleafree
