It’s fine to use diapers as an occasional training aid with your new puppy, but not as a training replacement. Otherwise, your puppy may get confused and think it’s OK to relieve itself indoors. (BestReviews)

Potty training your new puppy takes time and patience. While you’re training it, a situation may come up where you can’t risk it having an accident such as it staying at a friend or family member’s house or while on a long car trip. In these situations, you need a good puppy diaper.

The best puppy diapers are the Pet Magasin Male Dog Belly Band Wraps. They're soft, and it's easy to finely tune the fit thanks to the large hook-and-loop closure.

Technically, there's no such thing as a puppy diaper. There are only small-sized animal diapers. You should be able to use any dog or cat diaper with your puppy as long as it's appropriately sized. For small breeds and very young puppies, look for extra-small sizes. Otherwise, small sizes should work.

Puppy diapers come in two forms.

Puppy diapers come in disposable or reusable forms.

Disposable and reusable diapers have different quantities to consider.

The best puppy diapers have adjustable fits so you can make sure your puppy is comfortable and adjust as it grows. Look for diapers with hook-and-loop closures. They’re the easiest to adjust.

Having a snug seal around the diaper’s edges is imperative to preventing leaks. As such, the best puppy diapers use elastic in the edges to get that seal without being too tight.

They can cost as little as $10 to as much as $30 depending on size, type and quantity. Smaller sizes and packages cost less with multi-packs of reusable diapers costing more.

A. The best way to ensure a proper fit is to carefully measure your puppy's dimensions and compare them to prospective diapers' sizing charts until you find a good match. Then, once the diaper is on, make sure the edges are snug against the skin but not tight enough to pinch.

If using a female diaper, also check that the tail is comfortably through the tail hole without leaving much space between the tail and the hole. If the dog is male and you’re using a female diaper, make sure its bits aren’t being squished.

A. The first step is finding the cause of the leak. The most common cause is simply that the diaper doesn't fit well. Try readjusting the fit if your diaper is adjustable, otherwise, buy a smaller or different brand of diaper.

If the fit is snug, it could be that the diaper has poor absorbency. For this, you can try using a diaper liner, but you’ll likely have more success trying a different diaper altogether.

A. It should be changed as soon as it's soiled. Check frequently if the diaper doesn't have a clear visual system for showing that it's been soiled. After it's removed, make sure to wash the area on your puppy as well as your hands.

Pet Magasin Male Dog Belly Band Wraps: available at Amazon and Chewy

Our take: These are tough to beat when it comes to training a male puppy.

What we like: Each pack includes three reusable wraps in different colors and the smallest size fits waist circumferences of 13-15 inches. They're made of four layers: a soft top mesh layer for comfort, two inner layers of absorbent fleece and a waterproof outer shell. They're machine-washable.

What we dislike: The smallest size might be too big for the smallest breeds and the especially young, plus a few consumers reported them to run a little large.

Paw Inspired Female Disposable Dog Diapers: available at Amazon and Chewy

Our take: These are the best disposable diapers and they come at a low cost to boot.

What we like: They have an extra-small-sized pack of 32 for waist circumferences of 12-17 inches and a small-sized pack of 32 for waist circumference of 14-19 inches. They use fur-resistant fasteners to maintain a secure fit. A special "DrySpeed" technology instantly converts liquids into a gel.

What we dislike: A few customers had issues with more active puppies being able to wiggle out. Solids can leak from the tail hole if the fit isn't good.

Simple Solution Washable Diapers: available at Amazon and Chewy

Our take: This is a good diaper for the last leg of puppyhood.

What we like: It comes in extra-small for a waist circumference of 9-14 inches and small for a waist circumference of 12-19 inches. The fur-friendly hook-and-loop straps on either side help with securing the proper fit. They have a plastic liner for leakproof protection.

What we dislike: Only one is included so your puppy is unprotected when it's time to wash it unless you buy a second diaper.

Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.

Jordan C. Woika is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.