Welping Box - Page 2

I use a disposable Whelping box (NEWBORN BIRTHING BOX) they are made of double lined cardboard they are strong and you can bin it when your finnished with it, we have used them for three years now and are pleased with them. see them www.whelping-boxes.co.uk

Bob, I was tempted to paint the wood, but I did not want a slippery floor surface because it can damage young joints. I know that one can mix sand with the paint in order to provide more traction, but I know that can make a surface hard to clean. I have tried pine chips. They do cover the smells, but are messy in the whelping box. I just clean it three (3) times daily (or more) and place fresh newspaper in it. However, when the pups are weaned and outside in their runs I do use softwood chips that I allowed to age for a year in an open sack. I am sure that they all eat a piece or two now and then, but I have not had any problems. It makes it easier to keep the puppies clean. My whelping box has held a litter of eleven (11) puppies at one (1) time in its career. Bob-O

I use a 4'deep by 5'wide by 2' high whelping box made out of covered plywood (I forget the name of the stuff, but it's a plastic like coating - white in color, it's used to make shelving) I then covered all the edges with metal chaneling to prevent chewing, and added a door (also with metal edges)on hinges with locks for when the pupies get older. The floor is raised a couple inches so I can put pink foam insulation under it. I prevent slipping by putting a thick layer of newspapers down, then on top of that I lay a mat of those rubber kennel tiles that have holes in them for drainage (I got them at HomeDepot but you can see what I'm talking about in a Foster and Smith catalog), then a layer of faux sheepskin that I turn under the edges of the tiles to hold in place and prevent tangling around the puppies. Any spilled water, urine or mess from whelping goes through the tiles and gets caught in the newspapers leaving the top layer of fleece dry. It help immensly *during* the whelping - the female doesn't end up in a puddle and I don't have to continue to disturb her to change blankets or newspapers. The covered wood used is easy to clean and disinfect too. I love it, it was *expensive* to build though and *heavy*, but I'd make another in a heartbeat if I needed two whelping boxes at the same time. Ang

You want a GREAT whelping box. Check this out http://www.cosykennel.co.uk/whelping.htm We have owned 2 for 3 years and I can't say enough. Durable,easy to assemble, take apart and sanitize.Can be stored in a closet when not in use. And will last a life time. If you can afford one (or more) I HIGHLY recommend them. Company was very easy to work with.I am here in the US and got mine with little problem.(You do have to have a bondsman though)I didnt care for the pigrails though.

I just finished using the Durawhelp kit--loved it in general--serious mom & pup chewing on the front but nothing that would prevent reuse. Duct tape rides again! Very easy to clean, can pick up with one hand and stores in a convenient box. I also used the hospital pads from ebay--loved them, bleached the heck out of them, but liked keeping everything so clean. Eventually the pups started using the whelping box as a "litter box" so I switched to newspaper in there and most of them use it. Now I just change out newspaper and mop the tile floor. Swiffer does good work as well.

The dura whelp is great and I removed my pups from it at age 4.5 wks. before they could destroy the box. I also used the thermal heat system and LOVED it. I kept heavy newspaper on the bottom and a blanet folded to cover half the box...the pups paper trained themselves at 3 wks and would crawl right back to the blanket side. I then swapped out with a huge igloo house as the Dam decreased time and left several crates with blanets and toys...not closed in but just open to explore w/toys. By the time the pups left they were familiar w/crates and all but one pup housetrained in 3 days. I know of other breeders who use it for 3 years and that is not too bad $$ wise.