Is a heat pad needed in the whelping box? I've got one but I've had mixed responses from other breeders saying not to use them because they can over heat the pups and the bitches heat will be enough. Any advice will be appreciated. I have a hound breed if that effects the decision to use or not.

Yes a heat pad is needed, provided there is room for the pups and Mum to move to a cooler area if they want there is no problem, you will see them migrate around the whelping box, sometimes in puppy piles other times spread out on their own

Pups have to be kept extra warm over the first couple of weeks to prevent the canine herpes virus[can be present and you don't know] taking over and killing them.

Good Luck with your litter.

Fantastic. Thanks for the response. Yeh I've got a 5ft whelping box because my dog loves to spread out haha

It depends on the temperature of the room and whether the whelping box is enclosed or not. I've never needed to use one because my whelping box is covered and surrounded by curtains to make it den-like.

I don't use them with my large breed, and do with my Toys. Found out by trial & error :-)

Exactly like Esme here. Never used any kind of heating for my large breed but do with my toys. In fact my 5 ½ week old toy litter still has the heated pad on 24/7 in half of the whelping box and they all cuddle up together on the half that has it on, so I reckon they still need it. Toys are so much more fragile than larger breeds, it's like a different species they are so different.

> it's like a different species they are so different.

I know and I needed to experience it for real before I really believed it!

I've never used a heat pad with puppies - but I keep the whole room warm :)

My whelping box was covered but I still used a heat pad under the middle of the vet bed which the medium size breed pups could move away from if they wanted. My litter were born in August 2011. My previous litter was born in August 1998 (the hottest August for 10 years, so extra heat needed lol).

Pups can't regulate their own body heat for the first 3 weeks of life.  With my toy breed, if they weren't on a heatpad, they would die.  Pups that are only a couple of ounces at birth definitely need the warmth.  I've actually had litters that still wanted it at 6 weeks.

I can't imagine having a litter ( previously a heat lamp ) now a heat pad but even now I have the heat lamp on for short periods. They chill so quickly. This is in a centrally heated room but for a few weeks they need it. Mum is not in with them all the time. Also I have just started attempting them lapping from a dish and was surprised how well they went and then they were all wet and they have all veered over to the heat pad and radiater corner with some soft toys to nestle  and I feel happy I have left them warm and cosy for a while. They are 3 weeks old now. In a week I will turn it off as I start to acclimatise them for the outside world. Obviously it would work a bit differently if the weather was warmer but I was always drummed into me that warmth was more important than food if you balanced it on a scale.

A cold pup won't digest it's food as all systems will slow down.

I have the whelping box next to the radiator with the heating on 24/7 and for this litter I bought an electric heat pad......I wouldn't be without it now its brilliant.

The puppies move on and off as they feel like it, and I'm happy they are warm enough.