Hi everyone,

I think my brain has turned to mush thinking about puppies etc 

I'm just building up my whelping box and fixing the puppy rails etc.  I've got a heat pad but now i can't remember if i need it to cover half of the whelping box, or does it need to go in a separate welcoming box in case i need to move one of the pups out while Meggy gives birth to another. 

Do i need to buy two heat pads?  If i have to make an emergency trip to the vets, the whelping box will go straight into the car no problem, Meggy is a very small breed so easy to transport.  The whelping box i have is 24" sq so maybe i can cover half the box with the heat pad and not bother with a second box.

Can you tell i'm starting to get nervous now LOL.

The box i have has a waterproof liner, i've put a disposable liner over the top (might put several on top of each other and whip em out when they get soiled) then i have a vet bed fleece on the top of that.  Where in that pile of layers, would you put the heat pad?

Meg isn't due till the last week of Oct, is it too early to get her sleeping in the whelping box to get her used to it?

Thanks in advance

Leanne

>The box i have has a waterproof liner, i've put a disposable liner over the top (might put several on top of each other and whip em out when they get soiled) then i have a vet bed fleece on the top of that.  Where in that pile of layers, would you put the heat pad?

I wouldn't have it in the bed at all during labour - bitches usually spend hours and hours scratching and digging and rearranging the bedding, ripping it all up. Only put in tidy bedding and a heat pad after whelping's finished.

>Meg isn't due till the last week of Oct, is it too early to get her sleeping in the whelping box to get her used to it?

Certainly not too early. Many breeders have their bitch sleeping in the whelping box the night after the mating, so that it's familiar and totally safe when whelping time comes. The last thing you want is for the bitch to decide the safest place is under the garden shed!

So should i just put a waterproof liners, loads of newspaper and some old towels or blankets in it, then when i've cleaned up, put the heat pad and vet bed in it.  So should i get another box prepped to put Megan and the pups in while i clean up. 

I'm just trying to plan it all in my head so I know who is going where and when.

what i do is once mums done my hubby takes her outside for quick wee i put pups in box with heat clean her whelping pen get pups back in and mum comes in and gets with her babbies, dont take me long as i have evrything at hand ....mine are large breed so with yours being small u could have a box to but them all in and clean her other in and then you can use it everytime u need to clean your whelping box ,just newpaper in her bed when the time comes will be fine for her to rip at x

I lined my box with the same type of material you might use in a shower or bathroom.Kind of like plywood only thinner with a smooth waterproof surface. Got the idea from a breeder friend. Makes for easy cleanup.

Megan spent her first night in her whelping box last night. She had her blanket, and her cuddly toy and she loved it. She stayed there all night and only got up when i did at 5am cause i had to change my son's bed and shower him (bed wetting accident). I was reading the post about live whelping on Ustream and think i may do this with Megan.  My thoughts were if any of you wanted to watch, or help out, you could.  What do you think, good or bad idea.

> I was reading the post about live whelping on Ustream and think i may do this with Megan.  My thoughts were if any of you wanted to watch, or help out, you could.  What do you think, good or bad idea.

Sorry but if you did do this, you would not be able to post the link on here or promote it in any way although of course you could share the link privately with your friends.

Thanks Jane.  I have a few people on here whose advice i'd like, so i'll pm them when the time comes.

I'd love to see it.  She's not far off is she?

Day 63 will be on the 31st Oct, so i'll be on 24 hr surveillance from the 24th, just in case.  This is hers and my first litter so it's all very new to us.  I'm so excited tho, i can't put it into words. ;-)

I know what you mean and i've not managed to get that far yet.  She's keeping me waiting.  i think it would be great to see and offer you support. You can then tell me how you set it up.

im going to do this too when my girl finely comes in :) so you can also tell me how to set it up :) ive got a large breed but would be happy to watch and help if i can in any way :) x

I use the heat pad to keep pups warm while the bitch is whelping just keeping them on it to help them dry while Mum is pre-occupied whelping.

I use shredded paper in my whelping pen that has a plastic base.  I have also used puppy panels on a thick piece of cushion vinyl.  Shredded paper is much easier to soak up the fluids and get rid of as needed and add more dry.

I've got the puppy rails in and i've lined the box with an absorbent liner. Then i've got layers and layers of newspaper ready for her to shred when the time comes. The box is really roomy even with Megan stretched out so i'll keep the heat pad plugged in next to the box, so i can pop it straight in when she has delivered. When the heat pad is in place, it only covers a third of the whelping box, so i'm hoping that i can have it in there while she delivers the next pup, so the first born can stay close by without getting in the way.  At the moment she also has a vet bed on top of the newspaper cause she's sleeping in the box at night to get used to it.  I've got spares of these for when the pups have been born and we're all cleaned up. 

My fiance bless him, has had to give up his study/movie room while i turn it into my maternity suite.  There are boxes, beds, playpens, and all manner of medical bits and bobs lined up in there.  I bought a whelping kit from PetNap and it seems to have covered everything, even plastic aprons and a stethoscope (which looks massive by the way)

Megan is laying next to me now on the sofa with her belly up in the air, waiting for me to stroke her.  Ahhh good times.

sounds like youve got it all sorted now :) not long to wait ,good luck xx

I've just had my first litter (2 days ago). It's true to say I was both very excited and anxious on the impending births.  I should not have worried, my little girl new instinctively what to do.  We had a 'fruit box' from the supermarket, lined it with vet bed and then put a couple of hot water bottles and some towels on top of those.  We used this to keep the puppies warm, whilst we cleaned the whelping box after the births.  I too didnt put the heat pad in the whelping box until she had finished whelping.  She did do a lot of scratching before whelping, so I'm glad I didnt put it in before.  Good Luck, it's a wonderful experience - enjoy.

That's OK if you have bitches that won't mind having their pups put in a box, mien would not tolerate that, and it made them extremely anxious when I tried that tactic.