Sounds like they could do with bringing out a white tartan range lol.

Just to update on the newspaper end rolls (fish and chip paper). Lovely in terms of being able to see what you need to pick up at a glance BUT I'm nearly at the end of the 1,000 sheets so it has only lasted one week (and that's with having bits of newspaper to add to it). I've been as economical as I can with it, but at £15 a go (half of that was for postage, the firm is in London) could work out quite expensive. Saved up newspaper is definitely the way to go imo.

Have had experience of sawdust ..even if they say it is pup friendly there are the odd shards that get through , and pups might inhale it  , even playing get it in their mouths . Inhalation pnuemonia is difficult to shift.

just a thought but is lining paper any good??? its quite cheap, dont know if it will be absorbable or not??

have tried lining paper and it isn't that great  

ok ha you can tell i dont breed cant you!! lol

Just replying at the end.  I buy extra large size incontinence pads (I hate newspaper), but I also litterbox train my pups with wood pellet litter.  A lot in my breed in the US have done this and I did it with my last litter and it was GREAT.  Nowhere near the mess I've seen in other people's pens, and by the time they were 4-5 weeks they were about 90% in the litter trays.  When playing outside the pen they would jump back in to go in the litter tray or go to the door to ask out. 

Started by putting the litter trays right outside their bed so that when they stepped out of the bed they were on the litter and that's when they tend to go.  Or if I saw them wake up I'd just put them in the litter.  Started about 3 weeks I think.  Over time I moved the trays further away till they were in their own corner of the pen.  They learned very quickly.  The inco pads (I buy them on ebay now under dog training pads, but these are actually NOT the scented ones, they are the human ones) were absorbent, usually if there was an accident it was a wee - the poo's almost always were in the litter trays.  By 5-6 weeks I stopped using the inco pads and either used vetbed (though they regressed with the vet bed) or just had the plastic tarp down that I was using to protect my carpet.  I then had NO poo's on the tarp, and only the odd wee here and there.

Sorry it's late and I'm tired and my brain's all over the place so I apologise if the reply's a bit choppy, but I have to say it worked for me and was FAR less work and mess than papers.  And the litter was CHEAP from Pets at Home.

Hope this helps someone.

> wood pellet litter

Is this actually the compressed paper pellets, as that is what the stud dog owner in the USA uses with her pups.

I am busily shredding any mail etc that comes through the door, and have about 40kg compressed down now and a year to go for the next litter.  it's free, and I am recycling, with just the cost of the shredder and lubricant.

I still use up any newspaper but shred it by hand and mix with the smaller shreddies.

No - it's compressed wood.  Once it gets wet it just crumbles into wood dust and falls to the bottom of the tray.  I bought gardening trays with low fronts and high backs, but I know others who use the bottoms of plastic dog crates for theirs - makes it easy for pups to get in and out, but keeps the litter inside.

Here's a link to the one I used last time (and intend to again in a week or so) http://www.petsathome.com/shop/lightweight-non-clumping-wood-pellet-cat-litter-by-pets-at-home-58732

I suspect that it's much the same effect.  I just liked that while it was a little extra work at the beginning it was sooo much cleaner and so much less work later on.

Not sure about the 'lightly pine scented' bit, does that make it at all chemically? Would be good if they'd include a pic of the actual litter so you can see what it's like.

No - no chemicals.  I think the 'pine scent' just comes from the fact that it's mostly compressed pine.  I never really noticed a 'pine' scent - just that it smelled a bit like wood

This isn't the same stuff, but looks identical:  http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=pine+cat+litter&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=14844573231924933140&sa=X&ei=_xd6TsqgMuev0QXZ36DWAQ&ved=0CIcBEPMCMAI

The reason I went for the wood pellet was that it was odour free, no chemicals, no clumping.  If it gets spread during a play fight I just hoover it up in my dyson handvac and drop it back in the litter tray, emptying/cleaning the tray is easy. 

Just do a google search for wood pellet cat litter and you'll get all kinds of results - all pretty much exactly the same thing.  The Pets at Home was the cheapest and closest.  A lot of it you had to order by the pallet because it's also used as horse bedding.  In fact my friends in the States order it from Horse supply shops as it's cheaper for them to buy as 'horse bedding' than as 'cat litter'.

Thank you for explaining so clearly, the pic was very useful. Think my pups might be tempted to try this (or get in their mouths accidentally)?

I did wonder if they would eat it, but so many people on my breed board had such great success with it, I didn't overthink it.  I never saw any of the pups eating it or mouthing it.  I did have a friend who had a total failure with it as her pups decided it was great to sleep in, so they'd pee in the bedding and sleep in the litter tray (oops!!)

I suppose if they have been used to going on it to be clean from day one, they don't view it as anything else than flooring?

On Fri hubby bought home some shredded paper from work - lovely! It clumps like cat litter and you just pick out the affected areas. Only drawback with our particular paper is that it is in weeny pieces . Hubby works at an airport so security is tight hence the minute pieces. Being this small it gets everywhere (food/water bowls, toys, on your shoes/clothing and the pups themselves) and I'm finding it all over the house lol. I have been taking off my shoes when I leave that area but as the pups march straight through to come and play in the lounge at least 4 times a day, it will come in anyway. You can't be a dog owner and be houseproud lol. I would like to do what Brainless does and shred my own as well as stockpile paper at least a year ahead, if I am ever lucky enough to breed again.  

Yes I used a piece of skirting board to limit the spread of the shreds, but thought it small price to pay for cleaner puppies and less smell, as well as not getting poey feet in my hair while trying to roll sheets of paper in the mornings.

Thank you for that tip Barbara. You definitely need some sort of exclusion zone/barrier as it's like confetti here lol. Agree that it's lovely not to have puppies dancing in poo, bless them, or soggy newspapers to lift though I am putting newspaper down as the underlayer, do you do that as well? I try to distract them by putting their food down and, whilst they're getting stuck in, I'm going round like a dervish. However with the shredded bedding it doesn't feel like such a mad rush as the area seems to stay cleaner?

When thery are in lviign room on a tarp yes, but in the kichen we have ceramic tile so I just have it straight on there, just seemed easier to clean up.

Hi Marisa
We go to the local broadsheet newspaper publishers and buy old copies for 1p each.

They will be happy to keep them for you we have found.

Good luck
Vivie

I have been saving my papers for 2 months now,not planning to mate my bitch til December,so all being well,by February we will have a mountain of papers!

If you live near the end of a railway line, There are always cleaners at terminus stations who bag up bin bags full of newspapers that are left on trains, Im sure they would let you have them.

I work in a manufacturing environment, stick a notice by the clocking in/out machine and you'll get burried in the stuff, I am 

Just thought I would tag on the end...I have a big black sack full of newspaper if anyone wants it. Free for collection from derbyshire.