Your pregnant mama will need a whelping box or equivalent, like a plastic kiddie pool, plastic sandbox or even an oversized crate if that is all that you have on hand. For small pregnant dogs, anything with sides tall enough to keep puppies in but short enough to let mama hop out, works just fine. For medium and larger pregnant dogs, the same concept applies, but there are less unconventional options!
How to Determine the Size of Your Whelping Box
Your mama dog needs to have enough room to lay on her side and spread out to allow the puppies to nurse. There should be room enough for the puppies and mama to be together for at least the first three weeks. You just don’t want the space to be too large that it makes it harder for puppies to find mama or risk that they get lost and get chilled.
Where to Find Kiddie Pools for Whelping
You can find plastic kiddie pools at your local hardware store for typically under $15! This tends to be the most cost-effective and convenient solution. A true whelping box has the added benefit of pig-rails, which are rails that line the interior of the box and make it harder for mama to squash puppies when she lays down. You can zip-tie, duct tape or glue pool noodles to the interior of a kiddie pool for a similar effect.
Setting Up the Whelping Box Before Birth
Until it is closer to “go time” for your pregnant mama, I like to give her a mix of flat sheets, towels and a blanket or two that I wouldn’t mind getting ripped up during nesting. Some mamas will nest for a whole week prior to giving birth, while others may never nest. I do not like to have most of those materials in the whelping area during actual birth due to how messy it gets!
If using flat sheets, you will want to tuck them underneath the edge of the pool or fold them over so that the puppies cannot get lost in them. For this reason, you also want breathable, lightweight and thin linens in the whelping box once puppies are born.
Managing the Whelping Box During Labor
As soon as my pregnant dog starts having visible contractions, I start removing heavier items like blankets and then just set down more absorbent towels. I will also have a stack of fresh towels ready to go to swap out throughout the whelping process. I like using hand towels to help dry off puppies after they have been born.
The goal is to ensure your mama dog and puppies have traction within the whelping box and something that absorbs liquids during the birthing process so that already-born puppies do not get or stay wet/damp.
Fixing the Whelping Box After Labor
Once your mama dog has finished whelping all of her puppies, you can give her some time to bond with and to nurse her puppies. Then, you can take her outside to relieve herself and can use this time to swap out dirty linens for a fresh set so that she and pups have a clean, warm setup. This is also when you can insert a heating pad (underneath a towel) to ensure pups have a source of warmth. Your mama should keep her puppies and the area quite clean overall once the pups are born.
For larger litters, I prefer using reusable puppy pee pads over towels or linens, as they are heavy enough to lie flat and be difficult for newborns to get wrapped up in. They are also absorbent and wash well.
Outside of the Whelping Box
Ideally, your mama dog should have access to plenty of fresh water (vital for replenishing her milk!) and free-fed food. I would place these near the whelping box – you don’t want the puppies getting into her water and drowning! You can also give her a bed, blanket or a couple of towels just outside the whelping box if she gets warm or wants a break.
