Hello friends! Today I want to bring you the basics with a how-to on belly bands for your dog. The website itself has a ton of information about our belly bands! However, for those of you who would like information on belly bands in general such as what are they for and how to use them, this is the post for you! Enjoy the Ultimate Guide for Dog Belly Bands!
Belly bands come in all kinds of designs and fabrics. Some belly bands are just a fabric, usually cotton, that wraps around your dog’s waist. This type of belly band requires you to purchase feminine pads and place them on the inside of the band in order to catch any urine. On the other hand, our belly bands have pads that are sewn directly into the band so that you don’t have to reach in and pull off a soaked pad. Coddled Canine belly bands also have a barrier layer that stops any accident from leaking out of the band and onto your furniture or floor. We prefer this style of belly bands because they are more environmentally friendly as well as user friendly. The whole band goes right in the washer and dryer and comes out ready to use again. Did I mention they last for 100’s of washes?
Kinds of Coddled Canine Belly Bands
No dog is alike! We offer 3 different types of belly bands bands to serve you and your dog’s needs best.
Still not sure which kind of Coddled Canine belly band your dog needs? Take our 1 minute quiz to find out!
How-To Measure Your Dog
The most important thing you must do when purchasing your dog a belly band is to measure him. Unfortunately, some customers need to exchange their belly bands because they never measured their dog’s waist! We recommend measuring your dog at least twice (at different times in the day) before deciding on a size. Once you have your pup’s waist measurement, follow the sizing chart to determine his belly band size.
Ideally, a fabric tape measure is the most accurate way to measure your dog. Don’t have a tape measure? A flexible, non-stretchy, long object like a phone charger (unplugged) will do the job. Yarn or a shoelace is too stretchy to get an accurate measurement. Wrap it around your dog’s waist and mark where the points meet. Then simply measure the phone charger with a rigid tape measure or ruler. I have plugged our video on measuring our dog, Riley, below.
When to Use a Dog Belly Band
Okay, now that we’ve gone through the basics of belly bands and how to pick the best size, the question is, “When do I use them?” and that depends on what you need them for. Perhaps your doggy only loses control of his bladder at night time. Make sure he has his band on before bed. If they only pee when you aren’t home, put one on before you leave the house. Lastly, for dogs who go whenever and where ever, welcome to full-time belly bands! Depending on your situation, having multiple belly bands may come in handy!
Dog Health
Belly Bands are not intended to be left on after your dog for an extended period of time when it is soiled. Make sure to take off the soiled belly band as soon as you realize it is wet and give him a change to go potty outside. Dogs with long belly hair may get a little bit wet. If your dog’s fur gets wet often, make sure to let his fur air dry before putting on a new belly band and bathe his hind-end once a week or so!
Leaving a wet band on your dog or even putting a clean one on when his fur is wet can lead to irritated skin and more complications. If your dog’s belly gets wet or irritated from his belly band, we recommend using StayDry belly bands and giving his belly a quick bath once a week.
How-To Wash Your Belly Bands
As far as washing your Coddled Canine belly bands go, I always throw the used belly bands in with my normal laundry. Use regular laundry detergent without fabric softener and run them on cold or warm. Then dry them in the dryer on a normal cycle. To lengthen the life of your belly bands, close the velcro parts together before washing. This way the hook velcro will not stick to the absorbent material and pull on the fibers.
If you don’t have a load of laundry to do every time you need to wash a belly band but don’t want a soiled band just laying around, use a wet bag! Our wet bag is designed for storing used and stinky belly bands until you are ready to do the laundry. The wet bag will contain any smells and dripping from the belly bands.
Notes
That is mostly everything on belly bands, however, I want to urge you to remember one thing. Take off the belly band before you take your dog outside!! I know that sounds silly, but every single person in my family has forgotten to do so at least once while taking Riley outside. Poor baby will pee outside, with his belly band on! Don’t do what I do and take it off before going outside!
Also, it may go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyways, belly bands are not a substitute for taking your dog outside. For one, they still have to go poo, and two, that’s just not fair for your dog. Belly bands are an accident solution, not a lazy solution.
Please let me know if there is any aspect about belly bands that you would like me to talk about. As always, thank you for reading and have a wonderful week! Thanks, Abbey
