Do you need pig rails or not, if you're ordering a whelping box?? 

Can someone explain exactly how they are supposed to work to stop the mum crushing the pups?  I understand if the pups are lying under the pig rails they are protected but if mum is lying up against the rails and pups are in the middle of the box, they are just as likely to get squished as with no rails??

Plus rails take up space.... 

Do you really need pig rails in whelping boxes? 

Thanks!

Good question.  Our whelping box had these round 3 sides.  Basset mums can be clumsy so if it saved just one puppy, I felt it was worth building them into our box.   We had a box that we made in two sections, each 4 X 4 with a floor and probably 3 foot sides (can't remember).  It was made by my husband when he was able to do such things, from a pattern we found in a Basset mag. out in Canada.  The one section had pig rails round 3 sides, and a low level 'front' for mum to clamber over, but which kept baby puppies in   This section we had in our living room, away from the noise and bustle of the rest of the house, and the others.  Once the puppies were around 3 weeks, and moving around, this section was moved into the kitchen and the second 4 X 4 section, which had no pig rails round the sides, but a hinged door to one end added.   The low barrier was removed.   This made a natural sleeping area (the original section) and a play/emptying area.

In fact, one of us was either right there during the 'danger' period, or within hearing distance so if a puppy was to be stuck or in trouble, we'd hear.

> if mum is lying up against the rails and pups are in the middle of the box, they are just as likely to get squished as with no rails??

Quite, and only time I lost a pup to being lain on, after a long labour and a tired Mum and breeder who fell asleep was in the middle of the box.

I have never bothered with Pig rails in 22 litters.  I have seen pups get their heads trapped between Mum and the rail.

Hmm, ok thanks!!  Maybe I will order one with pig rails, just so I have the option and I can always take them out if they don't seem to work for us or seem to cause problems... probably better than not ordering them and wishing I'd had them!?

> I have never bothered with Pig rails in 22 litters

Agreed.  I've whelped a lot of litters and thought that they weren't needed.  Never used, and never had a crushed puppy.  Like Barbara, I've been alerted to squeals, dived round the back of mum, found pup and put them to the milk bar.  My bitches have just looked at me as if to say, oh that's were he went. 

I have always used a whelping box with a "shelf" around 6 inches of the floor and 6 inches deep and find it works very well. Pups can sleep under it safely and being a shelf rather than a rail no chance of pups getting heads stuck. My breed is a hot breed and pups never lie in a  heap but usually string themselves out round the edges of the box !!

I have them for first week, my girls like to lie with their back against side of box. I have known pups get between wall, undear rail and dam and alerted by squawking :)
After first week find pups getting stuck between rail and side of box so remove them but by this stage my girls are usually getting more attentive before laying down and pups stronger and more mobile. Still stay with them in case help is needed. Never lost a pup to being swashed or anything else for that matter thank goodness :)

Every time I have a litter of my medium/large breed, there comes a moment (or many!!) when we say "Phew, thank goodness for the pig rails!" as we rescue a pup stuck behind mum, but underneath the rails. Last time it was particularly common, as we had 12 pups. Rather safe than sorry.

> I have always used a whelping box with a "shelf"

The 'rails' we had in our box, described earlier, were really a shelf, not as deep as 6 inches however.  And our puppies often used to crawl off to sleep under the shelf - good point about getting their heads stuck.   Ditto with not lying in a heap which could be an indication the base of the box was getting too hot (we used a brood lamp).   Warm puppies spread out.   Chilly puppies lie in a heap.

We don't have rails but our bitch is small breed of 10kg. She has laid on them, and we have rescued them but these particular incidences would not have been prevented with a rail. They were in the middle of the crate, and she just plopped down on them.