Hi all,

I am hoping to mate my girl in the next month and when i have had litters previously i have been lucky enough to be able to borrow a snowsilk box which was fantastic. I'm now looking to buy one myself but i am finding the snowsilks with extension rather pricey. I have found one very similar by a company called link-a-bord. Can anyone recommend them or has anyone experience of their whelping boxes?? Any advice appreciated.

Mel.

I have a link-a-bord one and it's great, a few more pieces to put together than the Snowsilk, but I was happy with it.

Is link-a-bord the company who does the raised beds for the garden?  I didn't know they did whelping boxes too, was thinking about sending for their catalogue and seeing if it could be used for dogs, but made one myself using upvc cladding left over from doing my dog room, using jointing strips from B & Q.  It's so much lighter than my previous model, using melamine sheets.

Whenever I see these things I do always think that is something someone reasonably handy ought to be able to fabricate themselves.  Now, where to find someone reasonably handy? :-D

we used a kitchen cuboard for our whelping box!!! no it wasnt still on the wall lol we had bought a second hand kitchen which my husband fitted in himself but we had too many units and one of the corner cuboards left over has made an excellent whelping box we tiped it on its side so it has a roof and i have lined the bottom with thick cardboard and my girl has got a lovely whelping box obviously this is a one off and will get rid of it after she has used it i had seen the cardboard wheling boxes on some website but i thought they were a bit ricey for a large cardboard box 

we used this

http://www.whelping-boxes.co.uk/index.htm

very cheap.. just very thick cardboard.. insulates itself very nicely and you just dispose of it afterwards

it was perfect for our lab.. she did alot of digging but it withstood everyhting!!!

http://www.fitandfertile.com/shop/whelping-boxes.html

Isabel..
I am lucky my OH is a joiner so makes me a whelp box to my own  size / design. Personally I dont like the idea of the cardboard boxes as I use it right through until the puppies leave for thier new homes.

we use www.caninekennels.com they are expensive but the whelping boxes will last a lifetime, can be power washed down time after time. good luck with your litter.

Hi Starry eyes, we personally know the owner of fit and fetile, just seen your post, he is a fantastic guy, scans all our females,  we already had our welping box before we met him.

We used a disposable for the first 2 weeks with our first litter. The idea in general is a great one, but the placenta broke when our first pup came out and it was just splattered with blood. And you couldn't get it off. It stained all the one side of the box and looked horrendous. We had to borrow my friends snowsilk before puppy people started coming as it looked so awful. I've tried to persuade hubby to build one but i would like one i could pack away neatly for next time and i'd doubt he'd be that good at it!LOL!
mel.

I use a big cardboard box, the largest size from the Big Yellow Storage Company. We build it and then cut it in such a way it has an opening lid. Then we cut a hole in the front for a doorway. It's strong enough to put in pig rails made from bamboo canes. It fits a small breed comfortably. When the pups are finished with it we throw it away.

Liz

> The idea in general is a great one, but the placenta broke when our first pup came out and it was just splattered with blood.

I have often thought that type look hopeless for any kind of real hygiene.  I think a daily disposable one might work :-)

I can highly recommend the Link a Bords. I do put a piece of lino inside onto the base to stop anything running through and getting caught betwen the bords.

Diane

I think if anyone is planning only one litter or hasn't the storage facilities for a whelping box to lie idle for a few years at a time then disposables serve the purpose well :)  The snowsilk pro boxes are wonderful, easy to clean and robust but are an expensive outlay which may not be necessarily used again.

I used the newborn disposable box for my girl's first litter and it was still in good shape when the pups reached 5 weeks. It has a waxed base which is easy to keep clean and remains dry however during the actual birth I'd suggest anyone going down that route uses a large sheet on the bottom covered with bedding and the sides then draped with the excess material :)  This prevents any staining or spatter on the interior sides of the box so that when everything is tidied up and mum nursing her newborns the box is fit to be seen by anyone.

HTH, Teri

annastasia

yes I have met him too, he also scans my girls and is very informative .

Yes he is,  he has been so helpful with past litters, and his advice is fantastic, 1st class

Thank you to all for your replies. I really like the look of the fit and fertile boxes so will be considering one of those as well as the link a bord. Thanks again. All i need now is for my girl to come into season and a successful mating!LOL!!
mel.

Good luck with the mating Mel X