How many towels to put under fleece?

[Freela]

I'm trying to save money by making the move to fleece bedding. I would love to try Vetbed, but unfortunately it is very hard to come by in Canada, so I've decided to first try fleece bedding with towels layered underneath. How thick do the towels need to be? How many layers? Right now I have a double layer of folded towels under there, but not sure if I need more. Also, has anyone tried puppy pads (either disposable or reusable) under their fleece? I was looking at them in the store as they look to be more absorbent than towels, but the ones I've seen have some sort of plastic backing and I was worried about my girls ingesting it if they manage to get it out from under the fleece.

 

[Pepperdog]

I use a thick layer of newspaper and one towel underneath my fleece which works well. I also am fortunate that I have a charity shop that sells old towels that are sold as "dog towels" - 50p each. I brought loads of them so I can change them as and when. I also am very fortunate that I get my newspaper for free - I work in a betting shop so I use the papers once the racing is finished for the day - recycling at its best