# Indoor Whelping Boxes



## Megan Bays (Oct 10, 2008)

We are in the process of building our kennel building, and plan to have a section of it as an indoor whelping box area. The area will be indoors and sectioned off like a kennel with direct access to an outside run.

Looking for ideas on how other people have designed theirs and what they liked and didn't like about it. Pics would be great. 

Thanks!


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## kenneth roth (Jul 29, 2010)

i like mike suttle setup its alsome  it got indoor run/outdoor with indoor welping box its a high tech kennel
http://www.loganhauskennels.com/our_facilities


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

kenneth roth said:


> i like mike suttle setup its alsome  it got indoor run/outdoor with indoor welping box its a high tech kennel
> http://www.loganhauskennels.com/our_facilities



Great idea on the PVC pipe for the pig rail!


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## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

I borrowed a bunch of ideas from Suttles too. I really like his puppy setup. Im sure he would be glad to show ya his setup.

Im building a new kennel pod that will include a whelping area. I am interested too in any and all ideas.


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## mike suttle (Feb 19, 2008)

Megan Bays said:


> We are in the process of building our kennel building, and plan to have a section of it as an indoor whelping box area. The area will be indoors and sectioned off like a kennel with direct access to an outside run.
> 
> Looking for ideas on how other people have designed theirs and what they liked and didn't like about it. Pics would be great.
> 
> Thanks!


Megan, you guys can come out here and take a look at our set up to get some ideas if you want. Bring some dogs and train with us while you're here. It would be nice to see you and Scott again anyway.


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## Megan Bays (Oct 10, 2008)

I was trying to remember how yours was set up Mike, forgot there were pics of it on your website. 

We will try to make the trip sometime soon, Scott's been wanting to go fishing at Second Creek.


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## julie allen (Dec 24, 2010)

Wow, mikes place is awesome!


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## kenneth roth (Jul 29, 2010)

Bob Scott said:


> Great idea on the PVC pipe for the pig rail!


pig rail is the PVC pipe in the welping box? whats a pig rail?


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

kenneth roth said:


> pig rail is the PVC pipe in the welping box? whats a pig rail?


pig rail is used to avoid having the puppies crushed or smothered against the sides and in the corners of the box by the dam.


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## kenneth roth (Jul 29, 2010)

interesting,i like mike as a breeder he shows pics of his kennel on his site he doesn't hide the dogs or the kennels. he shows the enviroment that the pups/dogs live in.


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## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

Hi. This is what we have for the puppies. Simple wood whelping box with lip to protect the pups..same reason as the pig rail system..keep pups from getting squished. 













Then the puppy yard. Got the idea for puppy yard from malinois breeder in France back in the 1990s. We just used stuff we find mostly to make a fun play area for the pups.


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## Megan Bays (Oct 10, 2008)

Debbie, do you have any more pics of your whelping box? I like the way it looks; functional yet pretty  . That's a great pic btw.

One of the things I was thinking about doing was having heated tile layed over the concrete in the part where the whelping box will be at (it'll be a permanent fixture). Any thoughts as to why that may be a bad idea? 

We are still a few months off from building this part of the kennel, but it's something I'd really like to plan out well so that I have exactly what I want and in a couple years I'm not wishing for something else.


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## Selena van Leeuwen (Mar 29, 2006)

We have a big night shed as whelping box, no pig rail, puppy pen is attached to the kennel. Whenold enough door is open all day so pups can choose where they want to play or sleep.

Will look if i have some pics.


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## kenneth roth (Jul 29, 2010)

Megan Bays said:


> One of the things I was thinking about doing was having heated tile layed over the concrete in the part where the whelping box will be at (it'll be a permanent fixture). Any thoughts as to why that may be a bad idea? .


 your talking about Radiant Floor Heating 
http://www.amazon.com/Warmly-Yours-Heating-Radiant-Control/dp/B004X622XU they want 220$ but you can get smaller or biger sizes


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

kenneth roth said:


> pig rail is the PVC pipe in the welping box? whats a pig rail?


Called that because hog farmers were the first to use a built in rail around the pen to keep the sows from rolling on and crushing piglets.
Debbie's picture is an example of the "traditional" pig rail in a whelping bed.


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## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

Megan Bays said:


> Debbie, do you have any more pics of your whelping box? I like the way it looks; functional yet pretty  . That's a great pic btw.
> 
> One of the things I was thinking about doing was having heated tile layed over the concrete in the part where the whelping box will be at (it'll be a permanent fixture). Any thoughts as to why that may be a bad idea?
> 
> We are still a few months off from building this part of the kennel, but it's something I'd really like to plan out well so that I have exactly what I want and in a couple years I'm not wishing for something else.


It's inexpensive pine that is sanded, stained and sealed. You can choose the wood you like..I like the knotty pine and just choose boards with character at HomeDepot. 

I just hang a clamp lamp with a bulb for heating, but I'm in SoCal. My club house is our whelping room with a dog door out into a yard for the bitch. 

This is another one that I had on the computer. I'll take some of it empty today as I am getting it ready for Erika now. 









My friend's whelping box that she bought used off Craigslist (much bigger than mine). All the pixs I can find right now are cropped down to show the pups and not the entire whelping boxes.


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## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

I googled "pig rail box images" http://www.google.com/search?q=pig+...xOeWsiQKqyfjgBw&ved=0CCcQsAQ&biw=1791&bih=851 and found quite a few ideas.


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## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

Erika looking in dog door..she would prefer to have her pups in the dirt.









simple diamond plate door. When open hangs on wood screw from above.


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)




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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

If you want some more Megan let me know, I just got to dig them up.


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## Daniel Lybbert (Nov 23, 2010)

Debbie I like your puppy play area. It looks like fun.


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## Sue DiCero (Sep 2, 2006)

I will take fotos of the one we have in the extended area. Puppies listen to all house noises from day 1. I call it the Whelping Condo - it is big......

Tried the Dura Whelp 1 time. Not for working dogs. Too flimsy. Gabor built ours and the play area.


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## Gerald Dunn (Sep 24, 2011)

Harry, where did you get the play area??? is it stainless?


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Gerald Dunn said:


> Harry, where did you get the play area??? is it stainless?


I'm sorry Gerald you lost me, can you be more specific to what you are asking that is stainless? Are you referring to whelp box, the kennel?


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## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

These portable courtyard kennel panels have worked well for us for puppy containment. The step over gates are great when dealing with pups.


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## Gerald Dunn (Sep 24, 2011)

Harry Keely said:


> I'm sorry Gerald you lost me, can you be more specific to what you are asking that is stainless? Are you referring to whelp box, the kennel?



Sorry, the kennel


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Gerald Dunn said:


> Sorry, the kennel


http://www.tractorsupply.com/doc-bo...large-breed-5-ft-w-x-10-ft-l-x-6-ft-h-3606033


http://www.tractorsupply.com/doc-bo...nel-extra-large-breed-5-ft-w-x-6-ft-h-3606203


http://www.tractorsupply.com/doc-bo...nel-extra-large-breed-5-ft-w-x-6-ft-h-3606211


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## Gerald Dunn (Sep 24, 2011)

thank you so much, I have a Tractor Supply not far from the house and will make one out of the single panels on there side so it will be 5 ft high, thank again =D>


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Gerald Dunn said:


> thank you so much, I have a Tractor Supply not far from the house and will make one out of the single panels on there side so it will be 5 ft high, thank again =D>


No problemo, stay away from the magnums they suck and once the powder coat comes off and dogs piss on it and weather and all they rust out, I stop getting them and went to these, they are hot dipped and last alot longer, plus being five footers you can do a assortment of configurations with them. I use to make circle pens, 5 x 5, 5x5 with a hallway to a circle type shape, all kinds of goofy ass crap, but hey who cares right because you configure as needed then brake them down and configure later on what you need. Plus price great and cheaper and are the same gauge almost, I have never had a dog break a weld on one of these ( pups, PH dogs, police dogs, etc.....). Plus they resell quick:grin:


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## Gerald Dunn (Sep 24, 2011)

your not going to be leave this, got on CL and found a 5X10X6 for $175, the 10 ft side is made up of 2 5 ft sections so it is cheaper to get than the four 5 ft sections. now if it will still be there next weekend


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

What I liked about the one Debbi showed and also the ones from Tractor Supply shown by Harry are the squared off gate bottom corners. A lot of the cheaper ones have rounded gate bottom corners and make it easy for a pup or a small dog to squeeze out. At the very least they can get their head caught in them.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Gerald Dunn said:


> your not going to be leave this, got on CL and found a 5X10X6 for $175, the 10 ft side is made up of 2 5 ft sections so it is cheaper to get than the four 5 ft sections. now if it will still be there next weekend


I have (3) 5 X 10 X 6 welded wire..very similar to those.

They are Lucky Dogs, from Menards...been outside for 5 yrs, have held up pretty well to the weather, a little rusting on the one that a male was pissing all over..

Nothing heavy duty, but did fine for me...

I paid about 1200.00 I think, for all three with the tarp tops...

if that is in good shape, jump on it...


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Gerald Dunn said:


> your not going to be leave this, got on CL and found a 5X10X6 for $175, the 10 ft side is made up of 2 5 ft sections so it is cheaper to get than the four 5 ft sections. now if it will still be there next weekend


Thats normally how they come from TS when you buy a complete set one, it comes with 6 5x5, making it a 5 x 10, then u can buy a extra panel and extra door and have two 5 x 5 or what ever type of crazy configurations you like, thats how I started with them and by the time it was all done and said I had 4 5x5 and whacky configs especially when we had pups some years back. But buy the complete sets as much as possible because you save money that way, you just got to sit down and figure out what you need and go from there with a calculator. I gave you the only three options for them in that earlier thread from me.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Harry Keely said:


> Thats normally how they come from TS when you buy a complete set one, it comes with 6 5x5, making it a 5 x 10, then u can buy a extra panel and extra door and have two 5 x 5 or what ever type of crazy configurations you like, thats how I started with them and by the time it was all done and said I had 4 5x5 and whacky configs especially when we had pups some years back. But buy the complete sets as much as possible because you save money that way, you just got to sit down and figure out what you need and go from there with a calculator. I gave you the only three options for them in that earlier thread from me.


whacko config...


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Joby Becker said:


> whacko config...


HAHAHA I like it, is that your set up? those defently look like the TS kennels too.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Harry Keely said:


> HAHAHA I like it, is that your set up? those defently look like the TS kennels too.


something we did for a PP event.

used it for a few things.
15 foot dog walk on a plank over it, jump down into hay.

sit dog outside of it, walk the long way around in around the other side, handler gets "assaulted", see how long it takes dog to figure out how to get in there to aid his handler. that was a fun one, with all the crap around it and only one gate open...

propped up 2 panels end for all the bottles and cans and stuff, left a small area in there for decoy, dog goes into the fray...

I got lucky, when I bought mine, the guys that loaded it gave me 4 extra gate panels, instead of the blanks....no it did not drive back to return them...

I like them becuase of the 5 ft panels, and you can really do alot of things with them. and they are easy to move.

The only thing I do not like is for mine at least, they dont make top panels. I got the canopies, but one of my mals liked to jump up and hang from the tarping...tore it up, bent the frame for the top, they are cheap canopy frames, not sturdy,...and since they are 5 x 5 x 6, when I used the panels for tops, there was overhang...I did finally stretch some chainlink panels for lids.. overall good investment..I like them..

I have had them set up to make a 15 x 10 cube, with 1 10X5, and 4 5x5
also had them set up as a 35 x 5 before. and L shaped, like you said whacky configs...pretty versatile, easily moved...


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Joby Becker said:


> something we did for a PP event.
> 
> used it for a few things.
> 15 foot dog walk on a plank over it, jump down into hay.
> ...


Cool, hey you can get a wire mesh that comes in rolls to lay across the top and zip tie them to it to make a top. I am with you thats kinda why I didnt post a topper when I posted the other stuff, they are not really good the toppers. I like the bottles though, it be cool to put in a spare kennels and just tlet the pups chill in there and mess around, especially if you were wanting to raise a ring or psa pup, I see alot of decoys doing the bottle on a string thing. interesting.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Harry Keely said:


> Cool, hey you can get a wire mesh that comes in rolls to lay across the top and zip tie them to it to make a top. I am with you thats kinda why I didnt post a topper when I posted the other stuff, they are not really good the toppers. I like the bottles though, it be cool to put in a spare kennels and just tlet the pups chill in there and mess around, especially if you were wanting to raise a ring or psa pup, I see alot of decoys doing the bottle on a string thing. interesting.


I used the welded wire rolls too in the past for them...
everything was tricky if trying to use a wire/fence top AND the canopies, becuse the canopy supports slide into the uprights, instead of clamping on some how...


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Joby Becker said:


> I used the welded wire rolls too in the past for them...
> everything was tricky if trying to use a wire/fence top AND the canopies, becuse the canopy supports slide into the uprights, instead of clamping on some how...


Gotcha gotcha, yea i have only use the stuff on occasion if there was a dog that needed it otherwise I hate having it on top because it just adds weight when moving them with two people, pick up shuffle shuffle, etc..... hahaha. I tried tops but like you said between weather and dogs I lost money ](*,).


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