# Whelping boxes ..



## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Just came back from Petstupid and the clerk had no clue what I was talking about. 

Was hoping that someone had some ideas on building one or where to buy one. 

What would be the best placement in the house. A hardwood floor I guess would be easily damaged right?


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## Kyle Sprag (Jan 10, 2008)

http://cgi.ebay.com/4x4-WHELPING-BO...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3358ed12a7


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

You can make one that breaks down pretty easily - if you google whelping box you'll come up with all kind of variations.

I made mine about 36 X 48 or so and it was plenty big - your female is comaprative to size as mine so that should do ok

For placement in the house - I have had good luck with setting them up under a kitchen table - you can drap a sheet or whatever over it and it makes it a little more den-ish but still is easy to see in and check how things are coming along.

On a funnier note - I made the loveliest of whelping dog houses with all kind of nice features and as soon as the little buggars opened their eyes and stood up they all frigged off and moved under the shed - which was only slightly better than the dirt under the back porch of my workshop where their Mum had decided was much better than the fancy whelping doghouse and had moved them a couple of times.


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## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

Place in a low traffic area so the bitch can have her space..not the entry way, living room or kitchen. Ideally if you have an office or such that is quiet or a room that isn't a high traffic area that the bitch already calls her place. If not start making it her place ahead of time.

Here are some ideas (pixs) of what we have built. In a pinch you can use a a plastic kiddie pool, but right now you probably can't find a place to buy a new one..can steal one from some neighborhood children possibly?  Plastic pool doesn't have the pig-rail on it though (anti-squish lip).


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## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

Geoff....Congrats! I guess the breeding took. I smell puppy breath!


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Put it somewhere near a door. That way the devils can be released immediately outside when they are older.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Get 4 pine boards, 12 in high, 1/2 in wide and 4 feet long and screw them together to make a box shape. Also buy 2 of the 1x2s that are 8 feet long, cut them in half, and screw them inside your "box" about 3 inches from the ground. If you want a wider "pig rail" you can use 2x4s instead of the 1x2s. You can also throw a coat of paint or other sealant on it for easy wipe down, otherwise you will probably have to throw it out after the litter since the wood will absorbe the fluids from the whelping.

Purchase a cheap piece of linoleum, cut it to size (leave a few extra inches around the rim) and put the box on top of that. That will protect whatever floor you are putting it on. If your female is moving the box around a lot you can staple the linoleum to the underside of the wood to keep it stable and more mess proof. 

If your female is the type that you can't trust loose in the house then you can cut down each of the boards an inch or so, and an x-pen will fit perfectly around it. I have a lid that is made for the x-pen if I need it, but you can make one yourself by just cutting a piece of wire fencing to size.


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Geoff if you like I can post a pic of mine, its bomb proof and did a good job of keeping in some over the top dutchie pups just recently. Don't have a problem posting it or digging through files to find it. Guarantee you wont find one better built either.


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## Timothy Stacy (Jan 29, 2009)

I saw someone who used rails from a closet /shower rod as their "pig rails" in a simple wood box. It was pretty much 4ft x 5ft and a sheet of SANDED Plywood.

So 1 8ft 2x10
1 10ft 2 x 10
1 sheet of ply wood and some shower rods or closet rods (the kind that screwe in) 
remnent carpet screwed to the plywood. short stuff like in a medical building seems to work.

That is pretty simple if you are looking for cheap and fast.


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Geoff I can build one to specs for you if thats what your looking for but maybe your looking to just go out and by one, let us know what your thinking fella.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Oh yeah Anne it took, they are bouncing around like devil spawn already her belly looks like something out of Alien VS predator! 

I have a friend with an old commercial whelping box I hope she can get it into her van. From what I remember it was quite big 5'x5' and I don't have a lot of room. 

I was going to put a old tarp under it, to protect the hardwood but my wife just doesn't want the pups upstairs and I don't want to have to do the stairs at night from the basement. We have a quandry!

Kyle nice eBay link that is what I was thinking. Harry, Lynn, Kadi, Timothy that's the size you'd recommend then? 4'x4' or does it need to be bigger? Like I said I don't have a lot of room. 

Kadi nice call on the cheap piece of linoleum that may get us upstairs yet! 

Debbie the plastic pool is a good idea. I'd love to borrow one from the kids but everything is under a few feet of snow now.  I'm pretty sure I could pick one up at the local Toys R Us even if they have them in storage or maybe a sandbox. A plastic pool or box would have the advantage of being rolled into the bathroom and hosed off as well. 

But what about the 'pig rails' are they really needed to keep the pups in if the sides are 8" or up? 

Harry if you have a pic handy I'd love to see it. I'm sure you'd make a beauty of whelping box but UPS shipping it from NC to ONT would probably cost me the pick of the litter! LOL! 

Would shredded newsprint be sufficient bedding? Or is there something else?


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Somewhere I saw a pic of a plastic kiddie pool whelping box with a rail in it. The rail was made of a plastic, corrugated, flexible tubing of some sort, tacked to the inside of the pool.


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

"But what about the 'pig rails' are they really needed to keep the pups in if the sides are 8" or up?" 

- not so much to keep them in but keeps the pups from getting layed on. Most dogs have enough sense not to lay on them but they are nice for a larger litter.


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## Jessica Gainer (Oct 9, 2009)

Geoff Empey said:


> Kadi nice call on the cheap piece of linoleum that may get us upstairs yet!


 
We use Linoleum under the whelping box, but we also get a piece of insulation to go under the linoleum, its an "extra" thing to cover the floor, and keeps the pups warmer from the cold floor

Jessica Porter


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Nice, Gotcya Lynn. Thanks Jessica.


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

Hey Geoff, I'm sorry I can't offer any practical advice, but I wanted to wish you luck with the upcoming litter. Here's hoping they all turn out to be little biting monsters. LOL

I may have missed it, who's the proud daddy?


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Anna Kasho said:


> Hey Geoff, I'm sorry I can't offer any practical advice, but I wanted to wish you luck with the upcoming litter. Here's hoping they all turn out to be little biting monsters. LOL
> 
> I may have missed it, who's the proud daddy?


Thanks Anna. The studmuffin is Konnie Hien's 'Juice'. http://www.ernnymiji.com/ 

note to mods: Sorry for the thread drift from Whelping boxes I am going to take out an upcoming litter ad.


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## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

Lynn Cheffins said:


> "But what about the 'pig rails' are they really needed to keep the pups in if the sides are 8" or up?"
> 
> - not so much to keep them in but keeps the pups from getting layed on. Most dogs have enough sense not to lay on them but they are nice for a larger litter.


I don't think they are really necessary as for probably the first 5 years of breeding Beaucerons, I only used kiddy pools and never had a female squish a pup. I've never had a malinois squish a pup either. I don't have experience with other breeds though, but know Rottie & GSD breeders that always use standard whelping boxes with the "pig rail" design. I was told that this style is best after I'd been using a plastic pool for years w/o problems. I think whichever box and an good mom won't squish the pups.


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Geoff,
Check my photos for the whelping box ( get through my avatar ). The box is made out of a poly plastic type cutting board material. Dam thing is about 10 plus years old. When we went to break it out the bottom gave out ( what a bitch )](*,). Came close to building one custom out of metal but said screw it. I used 3/4 " plywood and laid some clue and put down a good thick vinyl. then reinforced the floor with 4x4" for added rigidity. It was light a tank though in weight. I also used 2" angle to attach the floor. The vinyl cleans up easy but that plastic material was a dream to clean ( ten times better than vinyl ). So if you can get ideas to build one your self it will be cheaper and more worth it for you. Took some good pics to give you a good idea of how to build it. Its 4' x 6.5' with a just shy wall of 2.5'. I had to build a sub wall as well because these pups were out before you knew it lol. I made that out of 4' plywood and 2x4". Good luck fella.
Harry


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Geoff don't make the mistake I did and put a rug in there. If you do, screw it or a cloth to the box floor. I lost one Bouvier puppy that way...the kiddie swimming pools are also well used by many. Are you also thinking heat lamp???


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## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

Interesting thread. This is all in fun. How to protect the hardwood floors? Don't want the box down stairs so don't have to go down the stairs to check on them at night. Why are you going to check on them? Get a baby monitor so you can hear if one cries and you will be up all night. Heat lamps? Shouldn't this be in the newbie forum? LOL

OK, my suggestion is is a simple one. If the box is downstairs, the wife takes care of them. If you get your way Geoff, you take care of them. Downstairs will be better with shavings. They are messy but they keep the pups warm and when small, keep the pups in the center if you pile them high around the edges to make a bowl in the middle. Use a good thick layer (Not cedar) to cushion the hips. Just push them back up on the edges periodically as mom will know them down. Oh, forgot to mention...I have been divorced twice over my dogs so be careful how you present the suggested solution. Below is a picture of mom stretching her legs after having a litter of 12. Had to shovel the snow off the roof to lift it and count heads.


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Good suggestions Don I'll run it by my wife! Does anyone have a spare crash helmet I can wear when I ask?  btw I am a newbie at this so maybe it should be in the newbie section. LOL! Bitework or OB training no problem giving advice about that all day. Re: whelping puppies all I know is her nipples are getting big and her girl parts look like a hyenas wazoo. The rest of it .. well I'll have to ask questions!  

Heat lamp, check.

whelping box, check. 

That commercial whelping box is available but I forgot it in the back of my friends van after training when we went for coffee, I'll snag it tomorrow now. Supposedly 4'x4' It has pig bars that are apparently held on by velcro. I'll jury rig it tomorrow in the garage and take a pic.


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## Dana McMahan (Apr 5, 2006)

One consideration for Whelping Box size is that I put an exercise pen around the thing, so certain dimensions work better for an exercise pen. I originally got my whelping box off craigslist for $20. It was really well made, except that it was probably 5 x 6! We cut it down recently and it now fits an exercise pen perfectly. The dimensions are roughly 4 x 3. Add the linoleum to the floor and we screwed plastic around the entire top which is where puppies like to eventually chew on. 

Since I have hardwood floors, I put the interlocking foam mats underneath to protect the floor. 

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/prod...00000003260370&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=2603666 

I have used the durawhelp box before and wasn't happy with it for long term. The light weight and ease of storage is nice, but I had a litter of puppies in one that quickly learned to escape it and chewed on the top.

Tried to attach an image of the whelping box but not sure it came through. Picture is also available here:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a273/schHrott/IMG_0531.jpg


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## Mike Ritland (Apr 11, 2009)

http://www.scottsdog.com/kennelkits.html
If you can whelp them outside, I would suggest using one of these pens. I have used this numerous times in the past and really like it. I slightly modified the whelping box portion of it, by ordering a sheet of cutting board material from U.S. Plastic corp, and covering the bottom of the pen with it. I also installed a Kane heat mat that you can mount flush with the sidewall so there aren't any wires to mess with. This system makes whelping pups much easier than messing with setups and pens inside the house.


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