How do you make a whelping box?

1. Do you really need a whelping box?
2. How do you make a dog whelping box?
3. What is the best thing to use in a whelping box?
4. What do you put in the bottom of a whelping box?
5. Should you put blankets in a whelping box?
6. What size should a whelping box be?
7. How long should puppies stay in whelping box?
8. Do I have to cut the puppies umbilical cord?
9. Do I need a heat lamp for puppies?
10. How long after a dog gives birth can you touch the puppies?
11. Can you use wood shavings for puppies?

Do you really need a whelping box?

As the last week of pregnancy approaches, your female dog will often begin looking for a secure and comfortable place to have her litter of puppies. Before this time comes, it is essential to create a whelping box so she becomes comfortable with it and knows this is the preferred place to have her puppies.

How do you make a dog whelping box?

Tips for setting up a safe place for your dam:

Put the whelping box in a room that is isolated from other dogs. Many breeders set it up in their own bedrooms for the first three weeks. A door and/or gate should be used to keep other dogs away. An ex-pen around the whelping box provides an extra layer of safety.

What is the best thing to use in a whelping box?

Choose sturdy materials such as wood or a laminated particleboard like melamine. Melamine doesn't absorb or trap odors too, so it is the best material to be used as a whelping box. Make the floors easy to clean by using linoleum, protecting the bottom of the nest and the floor of your home as well.

What do you put in the bottom of a whelping box?

You can add an exercise pen or use pet gates or suitable barricades to contain the curious babies. The floor of the whelping box should be solid and waterproof. If the box is not waterproof, find a bottom liner that is rubber, like a floor mat or carpet runner.

Should you put blankets in a whelping box?

You can use towels, sheets, and blankets for bedding your puppies when they start moving here and there. Make sure that the bedding material should possess body-heat retention level. The bedding should be such that it can absorb body fluids and urine properly. It is essential to keep the bedding dry.

What size should a whelping box be?

For medium-size dog breeds, considered a whelping box that is about 28 to 34 inches long by 28 to 34 inches deep. Large dog breeds need whelping boxes that measure about 42 to 45 inches long by 34 to 40 inches deep. Extra-large breeds need boxes at least 48 to 58 inches long by 40 to 48 inches deep.

How long should puppies stay in whelping box?

Once or twice a day the puppies should be handled by a human and they should be weighed daily. During the first 3 weeks most dams like to be in a warm secluded area, not in the family living area. Pups remain contently in their whelping box for the first 20 days of their life.

Do I have to cut the puppies umbilical cord?

A puppy's umbilical cord should not be cut unless absolutely necessary. In most cases of a dog naturally delivering its puppies, the momma dog will chew the umbilical cord. Once severed the mother dog will usually eat the placenta and the portion of the umbilical cord that is attached to it.

Do I need a heat lamp for puppies?

Newborn puppies need a heat lamp up until they are about 7 weeks old. They are unable to maintain their own body temperature in the first two weeks after birth.

How long after a dog gives birth can you touch the puppies?

As a general rule, you don't want to lift, hold or carry puppies younger than 3 weeks because they're very delicate and even a short fall could injure or kill them.

Can you use wood shavings for puppies?

Wood shavings are also environmentally safe, easy to dispose of and naturally repel fleas and other insects. Never use wood shavings of any kind with pregnant dogs or newborn puppies.