Whelping Boxes

WHELPING BOXES -- HELPFUL TIPS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

Whelping box provides a safe and sanitary haven for the female and pups. By confining the pups to a small space, they are kept closer to the female for nursing and care.

"This is much easier on the breeder and a lot more sanitary for the pup's."

When a female approaches whelping time, she normally becomes restless and searches for a secluded spot. A whelping box placed in the pen about a week before the pups are due provides an ideal place, an can be built with minimal effort and costs.

The following tips will help you build a whelping box that is ideal for breeders, females and pups.

o Recommended materials for bedding include finely shredded newspaper. Soft, clean carpet may be used and should be mounted on a wooden frame designed to fit snugly in the whelping box. Creating two bedding frames will, allow owners to clean one frame while the other is in use. This snug fit also prevents the puppies from crawling under loose materials.

o The carpeting used should be short napped and durable enough to clean with a garden hose. The carpeting should also be rinsed thoroughly and dried before use to remove any sizing or other material which could irritate the puppies’ skin.

O Include a metal barrier shield in the lower part of the doorway. This barrier will keep the pups in the box for the first two to three weeks after whelping, while still allowing the female to come and go freely. The corners of this metal shield should be clipped to ensure safety for the pups. Clipping the corners will also make the shield easy to install and remove.

o If the kennel is exposed to temperatures below 70°F, a heating unit of some type should be used in the whelping box. These are available commercially and will lay on the floor of the unit. Boards should be placed beside the heating unit to provide a level floor. The heating unit should cover only a portion of the box. This precaution will allow the pups to crawl off to the side of the box if the unit should overheat.

O To increase the safety and durability of the whelping box, cover the corners and edges of the box with metal to make them chew-proof. Also, finish the box with a coat of durable, non-toxic paint. Following these steps and properly maintaining the box should make it last for years.

WHELPING BOXES -- HELPFUL TIPS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

Whelping box provides a safe and sanitary haven for the female and pups. By confining the pups to a small space, they are kept closer to the female for nursing and care.

"This is much easier on the breeder and a lot more sanitary for the pup's."

When a female approaches whelping time, she normally becomes restless and searches for a secluded spot. A whelping box placed in the pen about a week before the pups are due provides an ideal place, an can be built with minimal effort and costs.

The following tips will help you build a whelping box that is ideal for breeders, females and pups.

o The carpeting used should be short napped and durable enough to clean with a garden hose. The carpeting should also be rinsed thoroughly and dried before use to remove any sizing or other material which could irritate the puppies’ skin.

O To increase the safety and durability of the whelping box, cover the corners and edges of the box with metal to make them chew-proof. Also, finish the box with a coat of durable, non-toxic paint. Following these steps and properly maintaining the box should make it last for years.

calendar to help breeders target the date their pups will be whelped based on the breeding date