How do you get a dog to nest in a whelping box?

To get your dog accustomed to the whelping box, start a few weeks before she is due, encourage her to sleep and lay in the box, and place familiar objects inside to make it feel like home.

How long do dogs stay in whelping box?

Pups remain contently in their whelping box for the first 20 days of their life. Newborn puppies sleep most of the day away.

How do you set up a dog whelping area?

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.

Where is the best place for dogs giving birth?

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.

Where should my dog have her puppies?

By this time, you want to prepare yourself and your dog for whelping, or puppy birthing. The best way to do this is to set up a whelping box. Whelping boxes offer a safe, warm, draft-free, easily cleaned location for your dog to have her puppies.

What do I put in the bottom of my whelping box?

If you have built your own whelping box, you may have used wood or cardboard for the bottom. These materials are not easy to keep clean. As such, it is a good idea to line the bottom of your box with vinyl flooring. This can be purchased at any home improvement store, and is self-adhesive.

Is it OK to have 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.

Should I let my dog eat her puppies poop?

Eating their own poop is harmless, but consuming poop from other animals may cause health problems if the stool is contaminated with parasites, viruses, or toxins. In most cases, this behavior will fade before the puppy is about nine months old.

What is the purpose of a whelping nest?

The dish shaped nest simulates a natural nest and serves the important function of keeping the pups all together in one area, making the female’s job much less stressful. You don’t use newspapers or blankets with the whelping nest.

Do dogs nest in whelping boxes?

Although bitches producing purposefully bred litters today have whelping boxes provided for them, that nesting instinct remains intact. Nurturing a pregnant dog’s nesting instinct entails introducing her to the whelping box at least five days before her delivery date.

Do you use a heating pad to heat your whelping nest?

That year I dove in and purchased the whelping nest. I used to use a heating pad and a painters light. With all the horror stories of lights starting a fire and heating pads burning the pups I decided it was time to upgrade my heating source.

Is a whelping box good for small dogs?

NO TOOLS needed for assembly of the whelping box and the floor requires just a screwdriver to attach. Goes together in minutes, and easily packs down for storage between uses. Good for Small Breeds: Pugg,Pom,Terrier ect.. Good for Medium Breeds: Bulldog,Corgi,Beagle ect..