A whelping box, also known as a nesting box or birthing box, is a space where your pregnant dog will feel secure enough to securely confine her babies in the days and weeks following delivery.
A suitable whelping box is intended to shield the pups from the cold and the hazards that they would encounter if allowed to roam free. On the mother's side, most dog whelping boxes often have a lower rail known as a piggy rail to prevent the babies from being squashed or suffocated by the mom.
What’s the Point of a Whelping Box?
A whelping box is an isolated place created for your mother and her puppies' privacy and comfort. It may be introduced to your dog while she is expecting it as a haven for seclusion and "nesting." She can and will most likely give birth in the whelping box since she will feel secure doing so. As a result, it is critical to provide and encourage her to enter the whelping box throughout pregnancy. The delivery will almost certainly reinforce the female's impression that this is a safe place for her to raise her pups. Furthermore, the puppies may be retained after birth since they are contained, protected, and warm.
Benefits of Whelping Boxes
There are several advantages to using a whelping box; here are a few highlights.
Safety
Newborns do not move much and have not yet opened their eyes. They will, however, begin to move around and cause problems fairly quickly. A whelping box allows them to move within the box, but the edges are too high for them to climb, preventing them from escaping and creating trouble.
Personal Space of the Dog
Pregnant dogs may experience greater aggressiveness and anxiety due to heightened hormones and emotional reactions. Giving them their own private and fenced-in space will provide them comfort and relaxation. Making things safer for them and you since they will feel comfortable and calm in the box and will not feel the need to act defensively against you because they have room.
Temperature Control
Having healthy temperatures may be challenging if the pups are moving across a big area with the mother, especially since puppies cannot control their temperatures at first. You can first add extra blankets to the whelping box, place them near a window or heater/heat lamp, and study the bitch's behaviour to determine when to change.
Early Puppy Training
When your pups start moving, you should start training them. It may be somewhat disruptive to have them in vast regions to accomplish this! Having them together in one place allows you to start teaching stay and sit with a group or, if they are old enough, quickly separate one puppy to train.
How to Choose the Right Whelping Box for Your Dog
There is no such thing as an "ideal whelping box," so you must pick the box that is best for your dog and you.
Size
Before deciding on the size of your whelping box, understand the size of your dog and the usual litter size for their breed. You would want to ensure your dog can stretch comfortably while still having enough area for its pups to roam about.
Four dogs of your dog's breed must be capable of lying down comfortably in the box. Their typical species size should also be considered, since the more puppies born, the larger the whelping box will need to be. Breeds with big litter sizes, such as the Labrador Retriever and Dalmatian, should be prepared with a large dog whelping box.
Durability
Whelping boxes for dogs may go through a lot in their life! Because pups urinate, defecate, and gnaw on them, they must be fairly tough. Furthermore, when your pups become larger and noisier, they will run and tumble into the sides of the whelping box.
Making sure the material is strong and the connectors are strengthened will assist you to avoid purchasing a second whelping box or repairing equipment. Longer screws used to join the sides of the box normally make them stronger and more durable than sides that are glued together or have short bolts used as connectors.
Materials
Different breeders may favour different materials for dog whelping boxes since each has advantages and disadvantages. Plastic is very easy to clean since you can wipe the surfaces in a matter of seconds, but it is not the strongest and can break under extreme pressure.
Furthermore, if damaged, this material may be rather sharp, so be cautious if your pet is hefty or clumsy. Wood is another popular whelping box material. It may be quite sturdy depending on the wood type, however, it can splinter if less expensive woods are used. Again, if the wood is of low quality, it may be more difficult to clean, whereas polished or higher-grade woods are easier to wash off.
Where is the Best Place to Put a Whelping Box?
Place the whelping box in a space apart from other dogs. For the first three weeks, many breeders set it up in their beds. To prevent other dogs away, use a door and/or a gate. An ex-pen surrounding the whelping box adds an extra degree of protection.
