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.
Furvor bone 🦴 broth for dogs is made with 100% human-grade ingredients and is highly concentrated, so every squeeze adds real nutrition to your dog’s routine.
🐕 It’s packed with protein, amino acids, and nutrients that can support gut health, mobility, skin and coat, and overall wellness.
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It’s also an easy way to boost hydration and bring a little excitement back to the bowl—especially for picky eaters. Just mix it with water, pour it over kibble, or serve it on its own.
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Shop Furvor 🛒 🛍️ 🐕 Bone Broth in-store or online at Mud Bay!
#mudbay #furvor #bonebroth #dogs #healthypets
Weruva WX Phos Focused Freeze-Dried Chicken and Tilapia is a low-phosphorus, high-protein supplement made from 93% boneless, skinless chicken breast, tilapia, and egg white. It has no grains, fillers, bones, or organs.
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Due to its naturally low phosphorus content, this food is suitable for cats requiring phosphorus management, particularly those with kidney conditions. Additionally, it’s highly digestible protein helps maintain lean muscle mass.
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You can serve it dry or add water to soften the texture. Adding water can help your cat digest it more easily and boost their daily water intake. This recipe is meant as a supplement and works well as a topper or treat alongside a complete, balanced diet.
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If you want help figuring out if this is right for your cat, visit your local Mud Bay and speak with a Muddy, or shop with us online today.
#mudbay #healthypets #kidneyhealth #cats #catfood
If your pup brings the energy indoors, meet their new favorite toy. The ultra plush Fluff & Tuff Soccer Ball is designed for fetch, toss, and all-out play.
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With a strong inner mesh liner and concealed double stitching, it delivers the durability Fluff & Tuff is known for in a soft, soccer-inspired design.
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Kick off the fun and shop the Fluff & Tuff Soccer Ball in-store or online at Mud Bay.
#mudbay #fluffandtuff #dogs #timetoplay #healthypets
Need to keep your dog engaged while you work, host, or help them burn energy?
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The Woof LickMat and LickMix make enrichment easy.
The textured design encourages longer licking, helping promote calm behavior and engagement. Premeasured lines make portioning easy every time.
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Simply mix the grain-free Cheddar and Bacon LickMix. It’s easy to digest, simple to prepare, and each bag provides 10 or more lick sessions. Made from 100 percent silicone, BPA-free, and dishwasher safe. Strong suction cups keep the LickMat stable for easy, everyday use.
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Enhance your dog’s daily enrichment—visit us in-store or online and bring home the woof LickMat and LickMix today.
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👀 Looking for a way to slow down mealtime and keep your dog thinking? The GURU Pet Company Bobble Ball turns your dog’s food into an interactive activity.
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Simply fill it with kibble or small treats, screw the top back on, and let the wobble begin. The weighted base creates unpredictable movement that keeps dogs engaged and working for every bite.
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A great option for dogs new to enrichment or seasoned puzzle pros.
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Shop in-store or online at Mud Bay today.
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🎉 New Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers are now available in-store and online at Mud Bay!
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We’re excited to offer two new formulas that are complete and balanced for both cats and dogs.
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The Digestive Support Formula has beneficial fiber from lentils and sweet potato, along with probiotic inulin from chicory root. It also includes organic apple cider vinegar for extra immune and digestive support.
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Our Hip & Joint Support Formula features turmeric, oat flour, and omega-3 fatty acids from tuna 🐟 to help support joint mobility and immune health.
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All Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers are veterinarian-formulated and free of corn, wheat, soy, and artificial preservatives. And they are convenient and easy to use as a complete meal, a treat, or a topper.
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You can find the full line—including Skin & Coat, Cognitive, Digestive, and Hip & Joint Support formulas—exclusively at Mud Bay.
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💫 New at Mud Bay!
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CocoTherapy Cranberry Sweet Potato Pie and Peanut Butter Blondie Coco-Charms. Small in size and low in calories, they are an ideal training treat.
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Made with 100% organic ingredients, you can feel good giving them to your dog during longer training sessions. CocoTherapy Coco-Charms are also free from grains, dairy, gluten, eggs, and preservatives, and are low glycemic.
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Shop the Cranberry Sweet Potato Pie and Peanut Butter Blondie CocoTherapy Coco-Charms in-store or online today!
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🎉 🎉 GIVEAWAY! New Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers for Cats & Dogs
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We’re excited to give you a chance to win a bag of one of our newest Mud Bay Air-Dried Topper formulas.
Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers are veterinarian-formulated, complete and balanced for cats and dogs, and easy to use as a topper, treat, or complete meal.
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New Mud Bay Air-Dried Topper Formulas:
Digestive Support
Made with turkey, chicken, and lentils, plus organic apple cider vinegar and chicory root to help support healthy digestion and immune function.
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Hip and Joint Support:
Made with turkey, chicken, fish, and oats, plus turmeric and omega-3s from tuna to help support mobility and joint health.
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To enter:
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😃 Tag us and tag a friend
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We’ll pick winners at random and notify them on April 16th. Each winner will receive a bag of our newest Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers. 🍀 🤞 Good luck!
#mudbay #foodtoppers #dogs #cats #petfood
Check out these new aquatic-themed toys for your pup from Fluff & Tuff.
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Available in-store now: Claude the squid, with tentacles that are great for tugging.
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We also have Dottie the Puffer Fish, who will keep your pup active with a nice fetch session, and, last but not least, we have Millie the Axolotl, who is an engaging option for all of the above and ready to shake up your pup’s toy selection.
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Shop these fun new Aquatic options for your pup in-store or online today!
#mudbay #fluffandtuff #dogtoys #playtime #pnwpets
We visited the local dog park today to share a fun spring surprise 👀🎉
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The park pups got to try our newest Mud Bay Air-Dried Toppers!
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We can’t share all the details on these new toppers yet, but here’s what we can tell you:
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Two new formulas are coming soon, and you’ll find them both in stores and online. They’ll be available in 8-ounce and 24-ounce bags.
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Just like our current toppers, these new formulas give both cats and dogs complete and balanced nutrition. You can serve them as a full meal, sprinkle them on top of their food, or offer them as a treat.
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Thank you to all the pups who came by to try them today.🐾🎉
Check back next week because we have a giveaway coming up. Stay tuned and have a great spring!🌈 💐 🌷 ☀️ ☔
#mudbay #dogpark #sneaktreat #mudbayairdriedtoppers #new
Keep your pet happy and blissfully engaged with the woof LickMat and LickMix.
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The LickMat is BPA-free, 100% silicone, and dishwasher safe on the top rack, with suction cups for stability and a design that encourages longer licking. It also features suction cups for stability and a design that encourages longer licking, while its built-in mixing bowl and measuring lines make mixing easy.
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The Bacon and Cheese LickMix is grain-free and designed for use with the LickMat, woof Pupsicle, or as a meal topper. Each bag yields about 10 LickMat sessions when used as directed.
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Treat your dog with the Woof LickMat and LickMix. Shop all woof products in-store and online today!
#mudbay #woof #dogs #enrichment #petproducts
Stock up on your dog’s favorite Bulk Biscuits and make every refill count.
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Mud Bay’s Bulk Biscuits are all-natural, with many locally sourced options, including organic and grain-free varieties. When you refill your Mud Bay Mud Bucket, you pay $4.24 per pound instead of $4.99 on every refill. That’s 75 cents saved per pound, or 15% off each refill.
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Our Mud Buckets are BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and come in two handy sizes: 2.75 liters and 8.5 liters. Designed for easy refills and fresher storage, they help make treating your dog simple and eco-friendly.
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Refill. Reuse. Re-Biscuit. Visit your local Mud Bay today to pick up a Mud Bay Mud Bucket and some tasty biscuits for your dog!!
#mudbay #mudbuckets #dogs #treats #healthypets
