Hi Guys

Need help this may be another silly question but how do you set up the whelping box what order would you put the required things into the whelping box.

I think am being silly but i just want to make sure. i have as follows..........

newspapers
heatpad with cover
fleece bedding lining
cotton sheets
towels
absorbent pee pads

Not in this order

I thought in oder from the bottom to top would be

towel or sheets
newspapers
absorbent pads
fleece bedding
heat pad

If i have wrong things or need more things let me know how you set the box up.

Thanks Darren

I got some Dopram V from the online chemist, that helps to stimulate puppies breathing if they are struggling. Only just incase of emergency.

Also some latex gloves ;) And a weight/time chart for each pup as they are born, so you can keep a record of how they are putting weight on.  Oh and a large bag for your rubbish :)  There will be plenty of that!

For the actual whelping I would just put in newspapers. The bitch is almost certainly going to dig and dig and dig and rip everything up - they can get quite frenzied! When whelping is finished I'd take away the torn and soiled newspaper and replace it with clean newspaper topped with vetbed/fleece bedding. Make sure you've got plenty, because it'll need changing and washing every day!

Hi Justine

Thanks for your comment but i have all of those things i am just concerned about the whelping box itself and what order i should be putting the things in

Thanks darren

Do not put towels or anything pups might get tangled in or under, as that could cause you to have a pup get suffocated/sat on.  Towels are just for rubbing the pups dry.  Wet wipes, non perfumed are best for Mum.  A sponging down with water with non rinse baby bath liquid if she gets very messy.

The whelping box should have just paper (I use shredded as it is so easy to remove soiled easily and the wet passes though more).  During delivery I will have a heat pad in there as my bitches would not tolerate having their pups removed between births,a nd this helps keep them warm and dry. 

After whelping heat pad in the middle under a piece of Vet Bed, which as has been said should be washed daily and initially should be white or a light colour so that you can monitor colour of discharge.

If it is very warm and the bitch is digging her bedding up it may be safer to remove the vet bed, but I have usually found they stop digging in a couple of days,a nd pups get around better on it and it helps keep them warm while the bitch is away from them (though they will gravitate to the heat pad if it's cooler).  If I have to remove the vet bed in the first few days I put a cover on the heat pad (pillowcase).

I have quite a few white pieces, but this year I used the non slip backed in yellow and the pups looked nice on it for photos.

If it gets very warm beware of the pups getting overheated (then you may need to turn off heat pad, or even use some method to cool.  A thermometer taped to the inside of the box in the time before their eyes open may be a good idea.

I have had two July litters and at various times they needed cooling.  I froze water in the square 1 litre squash bottles, wrapped in a towel and had them at the sides of the whelping box.  A fan can be used close to but not directly onto the puppies.

Hi Darren have a look at Newdog they have anti ruck whelping mats that are great. Mum can dig as long as she likes but the mat wont ruffle up meaning pups can't be buried. They also sell an absorbent liner to go inside for during the whelping which catches and holds any fluid preventing it wetting mum or pups. I use the whelping mat with the liner inside and put the heat pad ontop of the liner inside the mat if that makes sense. When whelping begins I pop a disposable puppy pad on top if I can and just cahnge after each pup again to keep everything clean

> When whelping begins I pop a disposable puppy pad on top if I can and just cahnge after each pup again to keep everything clean

LOL, I think that can only work with a small breed, LOL

Yip :-)

I had mostly newspapers and I think one towel in mine, there was a fair amount of mess so the towel needed washing. Then after she was finished I put the vetbed down, it has velcro under so can't be torn up to smother puppies, and one other towel to soak any remaining blood up. I was with them so no danger of puppies getting tangled in towels. She didn't leak much after the first day so just had the vetbed after that, though I have 2 pieces so can be washing them as often as needed. Will do the same this time (if she ever gets started!)