How To Choose A Whelping Box

Hi, I am Jamie Crittall from Beech House Veterinary Centre in Surrey and I am here to talk to you about dog breeding. Hi. I am often asked how to choose the right whelping box and it is such an important piece of kit with a pregnant bitch to enable a really successful delivery of puppies.

And also, they are going to be spending most of their early weeks within it. So, you need to make sure that's the right one. It needs to be really easily cleaned.

Now, if you are really good in DIY, you could make your own. And I always recommend using melomin, it is easy to wash down. But the whole emphasis of it is to have a box that is three sided, three sides and lower one and one at the front which is where the bitch can get in and out.

But it still needs to have a side that is high enough to keep the puppies within it. Within the whelping box, there are pig rails, these pig rails sort of downs along the side anything which is one to six inches in height and about two to three inches away from the side which gives the puppies a space in which they crawl to and avoid the bitch from actually squashing them. So, that's important and if you could make it that amazing.

If you are not a good DIY, you might need to buy one and online, you can find a good selection but you just need to make sure it's the right size for your bitch. But what size of whelping box to choose for your bitch is dependent on her. It needs to be big enough for her to be able to stretch out completely without touching the sides.

But not too big, as actually the puppies can crawl away and end up getting too cold. So, it's getting the right match and by going online, commercial whelping boxes are available and they give you the right suggestion for the breeder dog that you have. Within the whelping box, you really need to have a good set of bedding.

I think layers of newspaper are fantastic, easily accessible, and clean. And once they were soiled, you can take them away and replace them. But having bed pad and blankets or towels, it just needs to stay warm and you need to put the whelping box in a right place within the house.

It needs to be a quiet place, free but still in an area where you can go, so you can reassure the bitch and also the puppies, since they develop, one of the most important things for their future socialisation is that they are handled and they see different people, all the members of the family and friends who come to visit, but just not too much. So, that's what I advice about whelping boxes. You can make it as I say if you are good or you can go onto the internet or go to a pet shop and you can get a good range appropriate for your bitch.

I think layers of newspaper are fantastic as they are based and easily cleaned. But beds and towels, just makes it more snugly. It is the most important place for your bitch and her pups for the beginning of their lives. .