Whelping Box..

[Mhyles30]

Hello! Just want to know what kind of whelping box you guys use for your litters. I used a wading pool last time, and it worked great. I thought I want to upgrade this time to a regular whelping pen. Any suggestion on what works for you?

Thanks,
Mhyles

[Jac]

My husband built ours...it served us well, but was very heavy. If we build another I want it to have a smaller area that can expand...and doorways that can be shut down...many of the expensive whelping pens have a doorway that is raised up a bit so that the tiny dogs can't climb out (but the smart ones still can!) but so mama can go in and out...but I have found that our mothers go over the "wall" anyway, without trouble and don't need a door. The door would be good for potty traiing the pups...so I'd use the door with a sliding barrier so that the pups can be potty trained and the pen easily cleaned.
I like this type of whelping box http://kipmik.50webs.com/info/whelpbox.html
All of that being said, I love the rigid plastic pools for whelping! If I could find one now, I'd buy it....they wash up well, are the perfect size and store easily. You could cut a "doorway" out of it, but smoothe the edges, if you want to let the pups into a potty area...or you could transfer the litter after the first 2 weeks.

[KingstonTodd]

We built ours out of 3/4" plywood with a white plastic layer on top. Nothing sticks and poo wipes in in seconds. We have only had it a few days but so far so good.

[Jac]

That would be a good surface...the problem will come when the pups are moving around. They won't be able to get traction and will have trouble with sliding. I usually line the bottom, but it gets bunched up...especially with a slick surface. We used the plastic/rubber stuff that comes in rolls to put under rugs to keep them from slipping and then put the towels on top of that and a blanket or two on top of that.
I am now looking into sterilon pad, which looks very promising, but still you need something that grips the surface...the sterilon pad is supposed to have a rubberized base and it wicks liquids away from the wool surface.

[Mhyles30]

My husband built me a wooden whelping box for my first litter, we're just learning at that time and it was really hard to maintain (keeping it clean and all), plus putting it away, finding a room for it was hard too so we then changed to the wading pool-it's a lot easier to clean but when the puppies are a few weeks old they are able to climb out. I was checking online and saw the dura-whelp, has anyone of you used this whelping box? How was it?

Have a great weekend everyone.

-Mhyles

[Jac]

I have not used a Durawhelp but many, many breeders do and they love the system. The box comes with extensions that you can add when the pups are older...this becomes a potty area...the one thing that I hear that is negative is that the plastic is not rigid, more like cardboard, so although it is sturdy enough to keep the form of the box, you can't lean on it or it will fold and bend.

[Mhyles30]

I didn't realized it's not that sturdy. How about when the momma lean on it or when the puppies do? I thought the dura-whelp is sturdier with the price they sell them for. Sure looks nice though.

Mhyles

[Jac]

I don't know because I have never seen one...but I think it works well with the dogs and pupies...the comments I have heard are from breeders when they are leaning on the "walls" to get up or somehting and they give way.
I went to our hardware store the other day and bought 4 panels for shelving (the white laminate) and some corner brackets to hold them together and I plan to use that. What I like is that it has no bottom...so, I will put a piece of flooring underneath and then the towels and absorbant materials, then top it with a blanket or sheet, or both...then, I can put the entire frame on top of this all and it will hold everything in place...no more messed up blankets with puppies hiding underneath! Plus, when I need to clean it up, I can put it on its side, take the flooring and bedding out and replace it all with clean, fresh flooring and blankets.
When I get the time, I think that I'll take one side and cut it out for a doorway for the pups to go to another added section for potty time...but for now, it will work for us.

[Mhyles30]

Thanks Jac! Do you have a picture of the panels for shelving (the white laminate)? I was wondering if I can find it from from home depot or lowes and try it just like you.

-Mhyles

[KingstonTodd]

Originally Posted by Mhyles30

Thanks Jac! Do you have a picture of the panels for shelving (the white laminate)? I was wondering if I can find it from from home depot or lowes and try it just like you.

-Mhyles

Home Depot should have it. They have white laminated MDF (medium density fiber board) or white laminated plywood (we used this).It worked out great.

[Jac]

Exactly right...every store has them. I got mine at our tiny local hardware store. I know that the bigger home stores have them. It is the same as the "ready made" furniture that you can buy...ask someone at the store, I am sure they will know.

I will send you a picture when it is finished, but it is just going to be a simple, bottomless square! LOL

Maybe it was you, Todd, who gave me the idea...I couldn't remember where I heard about it but I thought...now THAT'S a great idea, no bottom!! They are so heavy and hard to handle when they have bottoms and this is just so sensible to have the frame hold the blankets in place. I think it will work great!

[Mhyles30]

I met with another breeder in my area and I really liked how she has her puppies set up. She used few 8 panel exercise pens, she got them all connected and has some kind of linoleum for the floor. She has lots of blankets on top of course so the puppies are warm. Her puppies (poodles) are now 5 weeks old and they are already using some shredded papers to go potty. The area is big so the puppies have lots of room to play. Has anyone tried this before?

Have a good night everyone

Mhyles

[Jac]

Yes, we use this when the pups get older...we call it a "puppy condo" and it works well for the active pups to have play space...but not so well for designating a potty area! They will go to one potty area generally, but not always.
Even with the linoleum your dogs (at that age, 5-8+ weeks) will eat the linoleum! And they will shred the potty pads and play with the blankets...nothing makes the little tykes happier than to have you TRY to place a nice, clean, fluffy blanket down for them...it is such a fun challenge to them...which pup gets to pull it around the most!
Believe me, there is nothing organized about puppies once they are older...
The whelping box is used only for about 2 weeks because they soon learn to climb out...so I always put an x-pen around the whelping box in case they do, they won't be hurt.
Then, at 2-3 weeks, after their eyes open, I move them to the dining room in their puppy condo and they stay clean and organized for about 2 more weeks...then when you start feeding real food and they find out about teeth...well, forget about an organized puppy area...it will be organized and nice for the first few minutes. hahaha
The only way to keep it nice is to keep them in a way too small area. I prefer the mess and giving them space to play.

[Jac]

Are you ready for picture overload???

Here are some pics of our various set ups...starting with our whelping box, you can see the pig rail. The new box will be like it, only without the bottom. Then we move the pups to a small x-pen area where mama can come and go to nurse and clean up, but not be with them all the time.

Then we move them to a large puppy condo, with slide and crates. And finally, we section off an outdoor play area for them.

Whelping Box- we have a warming pad under the blankets, the cord is showing but it is covered in mesh wire so the pups can't chew it:




With Mama watching


First puppy condo phase- Notice the blankets to keep out drafts and to give them a "den" feel:




Expanded puppy condo with play slide



And the outdoor play area (sliding glass door so we can connect the inside puppy condo to the outside play area and they can run from one to the other:

[Mhyles30]

Wow Jac, thanks for the detailed photos and for sharing your set up-we even got a bonus of seeing the puppies and their gorgeous mama! You definitely gave me an idea how I can do mine.

I even see that the 8 panels by precision is on sale thru petco, if i get two of them I also get free shipping! I think the 8 panels' 24x30 will work for me.

Thanks again,
Mhyles