whelping box cover material - Page 1

Don't use shavings! Neonatal puppies can easily suffocate in shavings. Never use shavings until the pups are up and running; about the age they're weaned.

Newsprint or old towels are great for the actual whelping. Newsprint's cheap, and the ink is soy-based, so it's non-toxic. I like newsprint, but it has to be changed as soon as it gets damp, otherwise it sucks the warmth right out of the little nippers.

first off,my box is 4' x 4',perfect for my smaller bitch,sides are 1' high,with 1'' x4'' pig rails placed 6'' off the deck,i don't put a bottom or floor on the box...much lighter,old towels can get bunched up and trap a puppy,senthetic lambswool mats may be available,and they're washable,i never use any shavings,multi layered newspaper is an option,or get a big roll of corregated cardboard,the pups can make traction to get around the box and not slip and slide around on the way to the "milk bar"..any other ideas?

Last time I cut larger towels into smaller pieces. I guess I regretted doing so.

It seems that without the stitching at the edges, the towel pieces had torn edges. I was afraid that the threads will break off and got injested by the pups and cause indigestion.

So must old towels be use whole, not cut up?

I use them whole. Big ol' bath towels. But as Ost See said, puppies can get trapped. I've never had a problem with puppies in towels, but it also depends on the mother. Some are very conscientious about where their puppies are. Others, not so much. Other options I've used are rugs with the rubber on one side, like bathmats, that don't slide or bunch and are machine washable.

You might check with your small local newspaper office. I buy "end rolls" from the one in my area. These are great as they have no print. I layer it pretty thick and put straw on top of it. Once the pups are born it is easy to remove the paper and replace. Shavings also stick to the mothers' teats and are not safe.
 It is always interesting to see what others are using and what they find works best. Good luck with your litter!

 We covered the wood of the whelping box with self adhesive contact or shelf paper so that we could clean it easily and used shredded up newspaper and old towels that we change out twice a day.

I use old sheets and towels. I make sure they are not fraying, don't want a pup tangled up in them. I use a kiddie pool for a whelping box. I line the bottom with a couple folded up sheets then lay bath towels over them. Its good insulation for the newborns, absorbent, and easily changed out. When the pups are between 3-4 weeks old, I move them to a pen. I still use a sheet for sleeping on, but I like to get them started on potty training. I will put news papers in one area opposite from the bedding area. When they are using the papers for a potty area, I put in a litter box in addition to the papers. I put soiled papers in the litter box to get them to go in there to potty. I slowly add shavings (the horse stall type) to the litter box and will completely switch them over gradually. It will take a couple weeks for them to get the idea of where to go potty, but it works great.