DogExpress
Disposable diapers are one of the most used products by pet owners, they are especially useful for people who are new to taking care of pets and find it hard to potty training their dogs. No matter how effective they are, doggy diapers are still very expensive, but you can solve that problem by making your own!
Making your own doggy diapers is a very easy task and you can do it by using old items lying around in your house which makes this project very cost-effective.
What Are Doggy Diapers?
Doggy diapers are just like human baby diapers, they serve the same purpose and are used for a variety of reasons. They are very often used on puppies who haven’t been potty trained, they are used on old dogs who are unable to control their bladder and on female dogs in their heat.
Why Would Your Dog Need a Diaper?
Your dog might need a diaper for several reasons, it could be to prevent your dog from littering in your house or for a female dog in her estrus period. Let’s take a look at some common situations where a diaper would be necessary.
In Case Of an Injury or Sickness
Dogs have a habit of licking their wounds and for this reason, people often feel the need to put a dog collar on them. Wearing an e-collar isn’t the most comfortable option for most dogs, let alone an already suffering one.
In these situations wearing a diaper will not just prevent the dog from licking their wounds but would also be comparatively more comfortable for them.
To Cope-Up With Your Dog’s Heat Cycles
The dog’s reproductive stage, commonly known as the heat cycle or estrus is the time when the female dog can get pregnant. Sexual maturity, also known as puberty, is reached at six months of age in most dog breeds but this can vary with different breeds.
Most dogs have two heat cycles per year. During this time period, dogs experience vaginal discharge that can easily be taken care of, by using dog diapers. This will allow the dog to stay with family and not feel isolated.
If They Have No Control Over Bladder Movements
Urinary incontinence is a common issue among dogs. It means losing control of the bladder which can result in leakage of urine. This can be caused due to old age or other health issues like hormonal imbalance and urinary tract infection etc.
Some dogs may struggle with “holding it”. In such a situation a dog diaper would make your life easy and keep your home clean. Do remember to consult your veterinarian if your dog is suffering from incontinence.
Two House Train Your Dogs
House training a dog usually takes 4 to 6 months. When you are potty training your dog, dog diapers will be your savior in these times.
Nobody likes cleaning pee off their floor every 5 minutes, it can even be embarrassing if you have guests coming at home. These are situations where having a dog diaper would be helpful.
Leg Lifting or Marking Behavior
Dogs sometimes start marking inside the house which can be quite a headache for the dog owners. There are many possible reasons behind this marking behavior. It may be their response to stress or anxiety, especially in male dogs.
Some male dogs are more likely to be marked at inappropriate places, this can result in unprecedented cleaning jobs or unpleasant situations when you are out. This is where a wrap or diaper will save the day.
Making Your Own Doggy Diapers
There are several ways of making your own doggy diapers, from converting baby diapers and boxer shorts to doggy diapers to making your own diapers from scratch. Here we have covered everything, let’s take a look.
How To Make Dog Diapers Using Baby Diapers
If you prefer disposable options then using baby diapers as dog diapers is a great option for your proud paw parent. They are very easy to make and require materials that are present in most households.
Difficulty Level: Easy
Things Required-
● A standard baby diaper
● Tailoring scissors
Follow the Given Steps:
● Step 1: Gently place the diaper around your dog’s back.
● Step 2: Feel for the dog’s tail with your fingers and mark the place
● Step 3: Cut a sufficiently large hole at the marked spot for the dog’s tail with your tailoring scissors.
Remember to check the diaper packet for the recommended weight chart and compare it to the dog’s weight, remember to choose a diaper that supports up to 15 pounds of weight. Make sure that the diaper fits your dog perfectly so that it doesn’t fall off, you can do so by tightly wrapping it around your dog’s back to measure the size accurately.
How To Make Dog Diapers Using Boxer Shorts
This is one of the easiest ways of making doggy diapers, you can use your old boxers for this.
They are really handy as they require very little modifications to be turned into a diaper.
Difficulty Level: Easy
Things Required-
● Old or unused boxer shorts
● Tape
● Tailoring Scissors
● Sanitary pad or pee pad.
Follow the Given Steps:
● Step 1: Put the boxer shorts on your dog and find its tail, mark the position.
● Step 2: Cut a sufficiently large hole for your dog’s tail at the marked spot.
● Step 3: Take the sanitary pad or the peed pad and place it below the hole in your boxer shorts.
● Step 4: Secure the pad to the base of your boxer shorts with the help of tape.
If you are using a pee pad then make sure that it is cut in the shape of an hourglass, you can take a sanitary pad or a diaper as a reference.
How To Make No Sew Dog Diaper Using Sanitary Pads
This option is one of the simplest as it requires already available supplies to make the diaper.
Recycling household items is not just budget-friendly but also environment-friendly. This homemade dog diaper is one of the easiest to make. Let’s take a look.
Difficulty Level: Medium
Things Required-
● Old underwear (size depending on the size of dog ).
● Sanitary pads.
Follow the Given Steps:
● Step 1: Take underwear that would fit your dog.
● Step 2: Use your hands to get a rough estimation of where you need to make the hole for the tail.
● Step 3: Choose the sanitary pad according to your dog’s size as many different sizes are available in the market.
● Step 4: Stick the sanitary pad on the inside of the underwear be careful if not done properly the adhesive on the sanitary pad might get stuck to the fur and will cause the puppy discomfort.
This is a very good option for dogs in heat as it catches their vaginal discharge. But not a good option for every scenario as a sanitary pad won’t work for urine and feces.
How To Make Dog Diaper Using Pee Pads
Most dog owners at some point definitely may have needed a pee pad if not frequently. It is a small rectangular absorbent surface, it has great storage capacity which makes it an excellent choice as a diaper material. So, it is safe to assume all dog owners will agree that it can be extremely useful. It’s a very good DIY dog diaper option that involves no sewing.
Difficulty Level: Medium
Things Required-
● A Dog pad (pee pad).
● Tape.
Follow the Given Steps:
● Step 1: Lay your pee pad on a flat surface.
● Step 2: Use scissors to cut the pee pad in an hourglass shape.
● Step 3: This hourglass shape will vary according to the size of the dog.
● Step 4: It should be able to cover your dog’s rear and the areas needed to be covered.
● Step 5: Now make a hole using scissors big enough for the tail.
The diaper is secured on the dog using tape. Be careful while doing that so that you avoid taping the fur to the adhesive part as it will cause the dog discomfort. Check out the full tutorial on
How To Make Dog Diapers Using An Old T-shirt
This technique uses old T-shirts and hence utilizes household items makes it a great budget-friendly option. Choose a T-shirt with fabric that will be comfortable and liquid absorbent. You may or may not choose to add a sanitary pad as well. A great reusable option and also pocket-friendly.
Difficulty Level: Medium
Things Required-
● T-shirt
● Sanitary pad.
Follow the Given Steps:
● Step 1: Lay the shirt flat.
● Step 2: Next step is folding, folding aside, and aligning its sleeve seam with the collar’s center.
● Step 3: Repeat the same process with the other side.
● Step 4: The goal here is to make the “T“ shape.
● Step 5: Make necessary adjustments as per the size of your dog.
● Step 6: Now place it on the dog and secure it by tying or pinning.
● Step 7: You may choose to line it with a sanitary pad.
In case your dog is hyperactive, you might need to make sure that the diaper doesn’t fall off because there is a chance that it might loosen up and you may have to tie it again. Make sure not to tie it too tight as it might cause discomfort to the dog.
Be careful while using the pin to secure the diaper because if not secured properly the pin might become loose and poke your furbaby.
How To Make Sure The Dog Diapers Don’t Fall Off?
Be it dogs or humans, we are not very comfortable with diapers, for dogs, it is even more unnatural and they feel uneasy. They tend to flick it off their body, other than that many dogs are hyperactive and it becomes difficult for the diaper to stay on. This is where it becomes necessary for us to make sure that the diaper doesn’t fall off our pets.
● Using Elastic Straps: This is one of the easiest options as it is readily available in every market at cheap rates. These bands or straps can be used to fasten the diapers against the dog’s pubic area. Their only downside is that they are not very comfortable for the dogs and might create discomfort over long periods of usage
● Using a Onesie: Other than looking very cute, the onesie is probably the best thing that you can use to hold the absorbent pad in its place. The dogs usually have no problems with onesies since they apply even pressure from all sides. This makes the onesie very comfortable, unlike the elastic straps.
● Using Canine Suspenders: Canine suspenders are another great way of keeping the absorbent in its place while not compromising the dog’s comfort. Most of the suspenders make use of velcro straps, which makes them tightly stay in place.
Some versions are made to be easy with sanitary pads, they have a spot from where the pad can be accessed easily. This is useful when your dog is hyperactive.
● Using Velcro Straps: Simple velcro straps can be used to fasten the diaper to your puppy, they ensure that the diaper isn’t too tightly secured so your dog doesn’t get too uncomfortable.
They are easy to put onto the dogs but they can sometimes be too loose, this is a good choice if your dog is not very active.
Ready To Make Your Own?
Diapers are really important for dog owners and pet owners in general. With a dog diaper, you can put your worries aside and focus on completing your household chores or work deadlines.
Having known all the best methods and techniques for making diapers, you can go ahead and make your dog diapers easily.
Everyone has some loose clothes hanging around or clothes that just don’t fit you anymore, and this makes DIY doggy diapers a lot easier because all you need is a pair of scissors and some old piece of clothing to begin with.
in Chandigarh, India. 
