hi all

i am planning a litter  but would like to start getting things organised , i have emailed a company about a whelping box so what other things do i need to buy ,

Many Thank's

Georgina

First thing :  get The Book of the Bitch ....make it your bedtime reading.....and I think she lists absolutely everything in there :)

Margot

Agree, the breeders bible, the book of the bitch. Try to get yourself a mentor too if this is your first litter, your bitches breeder would be ideal.

Whelping box, plenty of newspapers, good quality vet beds, thermometer etc...............but as Margot says the B-O-B gives a very comprehensive list.

Thank's all i have the Book of the bitch totally forgot about it and i have a mentor my breeder, she has been brilliant from day one , at what age do you start to use the freedom play pen ,

Thanks Again

Georgina

Hi Georgina,

I use mine from about 4 weeks onwards when they are up and about and have outgrown the whelping box. I have the extensions and extra base also. I have found the cosykennel whelping box excellent as it's upvc, chewproof,easily cleaned. Glad that your girls breeder is mentoring you. Good luck with the arrivals when they come

read the 'book of the bitch' BEFORE mating your bitch!!

With my breed I would be using a puppy pen from two weeks,a nd they would want to spend the majority of their waking playing time outside and just tolerate the puppy pen for an hour at a time while I played with them :D

So some form of dog run or sturdy puppy pen outside or some way of thoroughly dog proofing an area of the garden (preferably mostly paved, and shelter (a kennel or a couple of varikennels might just do it), as otherwise you will be constantly carrying pups in and bringing them back in as they fall asleep.  this works OK if it is dry and the litter small, but otherwise you have some pups wanting to nap while others play and it is hard going bringing them in and out constantly through the day from as soon as it is light until say 10pm.

The book of the bitch, as people have said.  Read it, re-read it and then read it again :-D.  Mine has been chewed by numerous dogs, but it's my bible.  I couldn't recommend it enough.

Good luck.

I've just found my edition (been 6 yrs since I needed it again).
I was going nuts as I couldn't find it - even considering buying another copy!
It's definately the 'bible' for canine breeders ;)

I re-read it every tme I have a litter before and during whelping.

so can you pick one of them books up from most book shops.

Yes, large book shops will have them in stock or if they haven't got one in stock, they will be able to order one quickly.

you can order it on amazon  for next day delivery..

I also have a copy of the bible...just make sure the car is firing on all cylinders...and the vet is warned.. oh and a good book for those nights while you are passing the time while on watch. My camp bed gets a good airing, a bright light for those pups that get born in the corners (why always in the corners where you can't see whats going on?) a flash light for the ones born out in the garden? and we always cut some towels into large squares one for each pup to dry them off with and then throw away, I always have some tooth floss (tape is best) for tying off any cords that may persist in bleeding....it's better than cotton and you can tie it really tight. A largish (dependind on breed) box with a hot water bottle for popping pups in while Mum is having the next one so the ones already born don't get trodden on. The book will give you a comprehensive list. Have fun and good luck.

I noticed they had The book of the bitch in pets at home the other day :)

vet bed.....i have just bought £120 worth....nd puppy food.....we had £400 arrive today its an expensive matter having a litter!!

oh yes, and just remembered that i bought a new camp bed last week for sleeping with the pups (bitch ate the last one at last litter)and also a jumbo pack of 3foot incontinence pads for her to whelp on & then i can throw them away......and.... 2 years supply of collected newspapers!!!!

I have quite a few years of collected newspapers too :D
Got a cheap air bed from tesco's for the same reason as yourself.

Thankfully found my bible and am re-reading it, to refresh my memory.

About to order in my vet bed, puppy milk replacer, liquid calcium (for after she's had the pups).
About to book another scan to make sure everything is ok, as scanner thought my bitch could lose one.

Oh and off to a carpet place to get some lino to line the puppy pen and protect my carpet (which has just been fitted -
I know it's daft having the carpet fitted now but we've been waiting 6 months for an insurance claim to get sorted)

Where can you get the incontinence pads from?

i bought them on ebay.....35 pads measuring 3feet square, for £10!!! Learnt the false economy of cheap camp bed years ago......take it from me after 3 or 4 weeks on an airbed you might regret it!!! I have just bought a fold up guest bed i can fold into corner of whelping room during the daytime....I had one for last litter it was super comfy until the bitch ate it!!

Ooooh last time I used the cushions off the sofa to sleep on for 5 weeks..
You mean air beds are worse than sofa cushions?
Starts to try and find the new argos catalogue...

mine came from argos too!!! they do home delivery which is great out in the stix......except that they moaned about bringing a lorry up a mile lane with no tarmac.....no sense of adventure these lorry drivers!!

I used the more expensive air bed but found it comfy enough for me,  I was so tired I could have slept standing up!! :)

I use a futon mattress, very comfy and rolls away during the day.

Also very important,as it gets near to whelping time, always make sure you have enough fuel in your car to get to the vet and back, (I always make the car ready for a trip to the vets about 7 days before whelping is due, there's nothing worse than suddenly realising your bitch needs to go to the vet in the middle of the night and having to run around getting blankets towels etc and re-arranging seats). Also, keep off the alcohol.