I've realised the downside of leaving work - I'm coming to the end of my newspaper supply...any ideas for an alternative?  I also use shredded paper type stuff but it gets everywhere and isn't really an answer for 4week + puppies...puppies are indoors in big pens

I ask all my neighbours to save them for me, instead of putting them out for the bin man.

Mmm only have 3 neighbours, 2 don't have papers and the other I don't speak to! lol..

Have you tried going to your local newspaper printers and ask them if they have any leftovers? I am 6 weeks into my litter and can't come up with anything other than copious amounts of newspapers, which I have had numerous kind people save for many months. I even went into the chemist this morning to see if the 'supersoaker' bedmats would suit the overnight avalanche of urine, but they're too expensive and I think the pups would skid them around anyway. I have heard 'puppy pads' used here on CD but I am in Australia and don't know anything about them. I am assuming they are like the mats I priced this morning. I did find a site where a woman was paper training her litters with rolls of plain newsprint that she just rolled out and ripped bits off to patch on top as they peed, etc.

I put a wanted request for old newspaper on my local Freecycle and usually get lots of offers.

Last time, when I had a litter of mainly light coloured pups, we went into our local chippie and they sold us packs of their white chip paper, only about £4 and the best thing was the pups stayed clean ;-)

I would be a little wary of accepting papers from people I don't know, you just don't know 'what' may have been sat on the newspaper before, maybe it's just me being a bit over protective of my babies.

we went around on recycling day a few years a go when we were desperate, picking up peoples papers from the ends of the farm drives!

Yes - that sounds very familiar, get out before the recycling men come along and take the paper!!

Not sure if you have a poundland nearby but they sell packs of puppy paks for em £1. I think its for packs of 10.

I hav ben using shredded tea bag paper which is great but a bit pricey, we have just progressed to puppy training pads but they don't have the desired effect once they have been shredded to bits by little puppy teeth. They spend more time playing with them than anything! I bought a huge bales of cut up newspaper for about £8 from a site online which is what i put ontop of the puppy pads just to stop them pulling them up and chewing them. I will find the website if you want me to.

MEl.x

With our last litter, I purchased some incontinence pads (the sort which go over a mattress). Much bigger than normal puppy pads and just as absorbent.

I also approached our local newspaper, who obliged with piles of papers from their offices. They didn't seem to have any untouched returned newspapers, but I was grateful none the less. Can't have enough!! I have a video of the time I put some shredded newspaper into their box when they were about 5 weeks. It was hilarious as they just had zoomie attacks in it.

I also had a "potty box" which did get used (amazing I know!). I made it out of an old wooden drawer with the front taken out. It was lined with lino, but was a bit like "how many puppies can you cram into a potty box" time when it was cleaned out!! - again, hilarious to watch! I would line with puppy pad and add wood shavings.

Aww, am just remembering the awesome fun we had with those pups!!!

Same as some others, go to local paper printers and get the rollends.  Clean white paper unused.  Sometimes what is left on the end can do a full litter for as long as you need.

Also great for packing.

In the past we have bought lining paper rolls from the DIY shop, it works a treat :) :)
When I am planning a litter I normally start stocking up on the rolls of lining paper in readness!

I work for a media group and we have a print factory on site. I wouldn't recommend the end rolls myself because I found that it is too slippery when unprinted.  I found puppy paws couldn't get enough traction, which doesn't help when they are trying to toddle around on their new little legs.

Printed paper is better even though the puppies get filthy wih newsprint all over their white bits :)

Having said that, as Abbeypap mentioned, the end rolls are fabulous for packing and also loved by pre-schools for various uses.

I know it tends to scatter and travel, but I have found shredded paper out of my shredder saved up into bales works brilliantly.  Of course you can buy it white in bales too.

It is so easily to take out soiled bits wet doesn't stay on top and pups don't end up sitting or  lying in unmentionable or when they come to the puppy pen sides to great you through a trail of soggy dirty paper in the mornings.

I have found a  lot less smell, and pups don't slide around on sheets of paper, and it is so much easier to keep them clean all the time.

I just have a bucket and trowel and any areas that feel damp or any poos spotted can be removed at cone and the lot changed as needed.

I buy big 10kg packs of unprinted news paper. £8 per pack. You can get it at most cash and carries.

Edited to add the stuff I get is matt so super absorbent and it is not slippy at all.

Sounds great Blue! Wish we could buy that here in Australia.

Just wanted to say that our local newsagent very kindly gave us unused free local newspapers every week for our last litter of 6. My husband just asked if they had any to spare and they kept us supplied for as long as we needed them. Sometimes they gave us unsold daily national newspapers - on the day they were printed LOL so we got a free read too. :-)

great idea, will try this--one of my boys has just managed to gash his foot and is going to be housebound for the next couple of weeks. Poor biy, with the weather we're having I don't think the plastic bag will be all that effective in keeping his bandage dry. Asking him to pee on a newspaper won't do much for his dignity either :)

JAY15   we use a thick plastic bag like what our dog biscuits come in, we cut the corner of it and tape the corner up on the foot.  this might help you

thanks, powderpuffgirl, I have a thick plastic bag from the vet, but it is a bit of a struggle for him being a very snug fit so it hurts him to have it put on. I'll try your method.