Sorry you may well all get sick to death of me, I wondered when you all think about a whelping box, my husband and I are going to have a go at building one but when should we be thinking of doing it ? How long before shes due should I be introducing her to it and getting her accustomed to it  ?

I was told many years ago that ideally the bitch should start sleeping in the whelping box when she comes home after visiting the stud dog! So start making it any time now. :-)

You can make it any time, but be prepared for the bitch to give a once over then refuse to go into it until she is ready to whelp, or even once the first pup has been born. ;-)

My girls start sleeping in it about 10days before the pups are due,during the day they join in with the normal  routine.

If they don't  settle then I bring them into bed with me after covering the mattress with a shower curtain and Vet bed, I am aware then if they move or anything starts happening,I have CCTV set up but that won't wake me up if she goes into labour.

Don't forget the pigrails to stop Mum squashing a pup against the side of the whelping box.

I put ours out about two weeks before. By the time the time came she was very comfortable, though the long nights leading up to the birth weren't spent in it, I slept in the chair beside it with my bitch on my lap! Surprising how light you can sleep when waiting for litter!!

I'd like to make a box myself but not until later if we decide to breed again in Aus.

think we will head over to B&Q today and get what we need