A whelping box. An absorbent material for the whelping box, such as newspapers (but these may become sodden quickly and often stay wet and cold), puppy pads, incontinence pads or vetbeds. Clean towels or paper towels to help clean up during labour. Towels for drying and cleaning up the puppies.
A good option for lining the whelping box for newborns are lambskin crate pads. These are artificial lamb-like fur pads that come in various sizes and are easily found in most dog catalogs. These pads absorb liquids to keep puppies from laying in wetness, and are easily cleaned in a clothes washer.
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.
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.
Make sure you have plenty of clean newspapers and sheets or towels. Select where you would like her to have her puppies and put a suitable whelping box in that location. The whelping box should be large enough for her to move around freely, with low sides so that she can see out and easily move in and out.
When the puppies are born, begin by heating the whelping box to about 85°F to 90°F. You can slowly lower the temperature to approximately 80°F by the next week, and then to room temperature once the pups are a month old.
Whelping Area:
Place the box in a dark, quiet area of the house. This can be a basement, a closet, or a spare bedroom with the shades drawn. Allow the mother to freely come and go from her whelping area. Keep other dogs away from her whelping area so that she knows it is her place to deliver.
Pups remain contently in their whelping box for the first 20 days of their life.
The bottom of the box may or may not have a floor and may be lined with specially designed "whelping pads," or layers of newspaper (or fabric) to provide insulation from cold floors and to absorb fluids. Fabric covers or partial covers are often used on top to provide a "den-like" environment for the mother.
At 2.5 weeks, open the whelping box and add an area two times the size and cover with newspaper…. Change the bedding in the box several times per day, but do not change the paper often (keep it smelling like a toilet and keep the bed smelling like a fresh bed…)
An ideal nest for dogs giving birth is a large cardboard box lined with puppy pads (in case of accidents), and filled with clean blankets, sheets or towels. Make sure the box is big enough for both mum and the litter to fit comfortably inside, and allow mum room for their own space if your dog wants it.
An absorbent material for the whelping box, such as newspapers (but these may become sodden quickly and often stay wet and cold), puppy pads, incontinence pads or vetbeds. Clean towels or paper towels to help clean up during labour.
Ideally all whelping boxes should have a puppy protective ledge around the inside to prevent crushing of the puppies by the mother. An ideal whelping box should be the length of your female dog plus an extra foot (at least) in one direction.
You should move your bed into the same room as the whelping box and sleep beside it during this time. Do newborn puppies need supervision? Newborn puppies need constant supervision. Not only can they not hear, see, or walk, but they also can't defend themselves if anything happens to them.
The uniform heating, reduced risk of dehydration, and the temperature-adjustment ability are just a few of the reasons that a heating pad is a better option for your puppies and the winner of the 'pad vs. lamp' debate.
Heating the area over the whelping box with the aid of a heat lamp is usually all that is necessary. The larger the litter the lower the environmental temperature needs to be, since the puppies will huddle together and keep each other warm.
By the time the puppies are 2-3 weeks old, the mother should have an area near the whelping box, but separate from the puppies to allow her time to rest. At about this time, the puppies will start trying to leave the box to explore. They should be well supervised and have safe toys available.
Many owners ask if they can use a dog crate as a whelping box - the answer is yes, if your dog is already crate trained. This way, they may find security in using this as their whelping box too. Make sure your box or crate is in a quiet space, that's warm and large enough for movement and lots of little puppies!
The Whelping Box …
Ron has fixed a 40mm Waste pipe all around the Inside of the Whelping Box at a Hight of 80mm this allows the new-born puppies don't get squashed against the sides by their mum.
A whelping heating pad is crucial to have on hand next to and in the whelping box. While you clean the whelping box after the birthing process, you are going to need to place the new puppies onto a safe heating pad so they stay warm. The whelping box must also be warm to prevent illness.
Out of Sight: Try to avoid using the lamp overnight or when you can't monitor it, and make sure there is a working smoke detector nearby.
"If used properly," says Brayshaw, heating pads are absolutely safe—but you have to be extremely careful. When giving your dog a heating pad, cover it with a towel or other material to prevent "direct heating pad to skin or fur contact" that could burn your pup, advises Brayshaw.