i have a white gsd and my partner has built a kennel in the garage with the door on the outside facing fresh air, they have said that it will be her whelping box?area! i am not best pleased.I think it is totally inappropriate and indoors is sufficient.I dont think there will be enough room and it was done in a day.He said we cant have her whelping indoors because she HATES another bitch we have and they go for the death when they see each other.The garage is pretty full too, and we cant get proper access to her when shes in there.We can adjust the size etc but its the cold air im worried about.They said they will use halogen heaters but i am not happy.what are the do's and donts for a whelping box.We bred the black lab before and she had a corner of her own with a cage.But this is outdoors, i dont like it but is there anything i can do to try and get the best out of a bad situation?
thanks.k

If your bitch hates the other bitch so much and as you said "they go to the death" where do you keep them normally? Can your pregnant bitch not whelp indoors away from the other dog. You say your partner is building the whelping box for your bitch so who are the others that you keep mentioning and if its your bitch then put your foot down and say where you would like her to whelp.

hi.my name is kerstie.she is my partners dog and the "they" are his parents.The bitches are usually kept apart.either one upstairs or one outside.the gsd loves being outside.they have decided to build it in the garage.im  worried that this might affeect her when she whelps.they think havin her inside with the other bitch inside will stress her out unesscesarily.i only want whats best for her but its difficult with the other bitch puttin things they would normally do outa place.shes my darlin and i only want whats best fr her.

If she is used to living outside then she will be ok as long as the pups are kept warm with heat lamps and heating pads. They need to be kept out of draughts as well.

she loves being outside.when we bring her in she cries to be outside running up and down.what would you say is minimum requirement for a whelping box.so she has plenty of room i mean.

I would say big enough for the bitch to turn round ok and lay full length. I am no expert though there are others on here whom are very experianced and would probably have more of an idea on proper sizes.

i borrowed a lovely whelping box for my rottie and although it was small ish it was brilliant it was about 3ft by 5ft they should be rectangle shape with the heat lamp at one end and cooler area at the other so the bitch can get out of the heat if she wants also i suggest a pig rail to stop the pups getting squashed. I think it is best for a bitch to be kept in an area with her pups where she is not constantly disturbed so a garage is a godd place where she is away from your other dog and also won't be disturbed by the comings and goings in the house also if you buy a oil filled radiator this will keep the area at an even temperature for the pups and the whelping box should prevent draughts