Hi all,
We are planning a litter beginning of next year,and have done countless amounts of soul searching,reading,buying,watching - you name it! I am just collating all my information together into my 'Bible' and wondered what temp you keep your whelping box / whelping room ? what do you use to do this? heat lamps and heat pad ? also which thermometers are the best to get?

I use heating pads in the whelping box and keep central heating on if cooler weather. I don't measure the temperature as with mat and radiators on it's all snug. I have an unheated area of box so mum can move if she wants to be cool

Thanks ANNM172,I had read somewhere that the room should be at 26 degree's - I've got my heat lamp and am going to get a petnap heat pad with some cosy covers.The whelping box will be close to the rooms radiator nd I'll put draught excluders by all doors etc.
Im most worried as we are really not 'Chilly mortals' we never feel the cold which makes me panic!

I can't speak from experience but from what I understand you need to be careful with heat lamps and radiators as these can lead to dehydtration.  I believe heat pads are better.

I'd be interested in optimum temperatures too as we are planning a summer litter and wondered if a heat source is going to be necessary.

I was worried about that too - I was intending on turning the near byradiator off and relying mainly on the heat pad with the lamp there to keep an ambient temp - but was worried what the ambient temp should be - as keep hearing 26 degree c ?/ this seems very warm! not sure I'd cope let alone my double coated bitch!

I have been keeping the temp at around 75/80 with the heat lamp a good bit above the box. I will see how that goes and maybe use heat pad instead  I know you have to watch that it doesnt get too warm . With the lamp off the temp was just 65f so if i used the heat pad i wouldnt know whether it was warm enough

HI I have 2 day old puppies and have a heat lamp they are sitting just under 80 degrees and are quite happy.   Its is very hard at this time of year (especially in Scotland lol) but they seem to be happy enough.  My heat lamp is not directly above but coming in and over the helping box x

> I believe heat pads are better.
>
> I'd be interested in optimum temperatures too as we are planning a summer litter and wondered if a heat source is going to be necessary.

As pups are born ice cold anyway, I use underbed heat even in the summer.  As mum moves away from pups, they still gravitate towards the heat.  For the first 3 weeks, when pups don't have their own thermostat working, I have never had an overheating problem.

I just make sure that the heatpad only takes up a portion of the bed area.  Mum naturally moves away (and pups follow her), then when she moves out of the whelping box, pups move back to the heat source.

As pups are born ice cold anyway, I use underbed heat even in the summer.  As mum moves away from pups, they still gravitate towards the heat.  For the first 3 weeks, when pups don't have their own thermostat working, I have never had an overheating problem.
I've always done the same. 
When I've whelped pups for others who use overhead lamps, I've always found that they create a draught. :(

ive just got my heat pad im going to be useing this i will not be useing my heat lamp anymore! i found my pups became consipated when ive used it i even had it very high ,my breed have good coats but find it way to hot with the lamp plus mum hates it :( its hard to get the heat to stay in 1 half! has it still radiates heat though out the box ,my room will be nice and warm but not to hot for mum and like jean and westcoast says pups will go to were the heat is if mums not in the bed! :-) xx