Whelping Box and materials

GSD Fan · 12-23-2011, 07:38 PM

Do you buy already made whelping materials such as a whelping box? Or do you build it yourself? Which one did you find to be cheaper? Which one did you find to be more durable and effective?

**lhczth** · 12-24-2011, 11:40 AM

We made my box. Only thing I wish we had done was either paint or cover the base since it is wood. The sides are boards designed for cabinets so are painted and sealed. They are easy to clean. The front is hinged so I can make the wall higher as the pups get bigger and I have a pig rail around the inside. The box also sits about 4" off the floor and not directly on the floor. I lay down plastic, put some news paper over that and then use special fleece pads over that. The box itself was not all that expensive to make, but we build it in 2003 so I don't remember how much. The fleece pads are not cheap, but they last a very long time and are machine washable.

Ultimate Vet Fleece

dawnandjr · 12-24-2011, 12:05 PM

Wrong time of year to find one, but I just use a kiddie pool. I like the curve to them, no corners to get stuck in. I just use old sheets and towels in side. When they are about 3 wks, they get moved to a pen with a litter box to start their potty training.

selzer · 12-24-2011, 02:11 PM

I spent the money and bought a Jonart. I love it. It is easy to clean, has a nice pig rail, has different size door panels. It is durable. It went through two litters with Arwen, two with Jenna, two with Babsy, Only Odie tried eating it. She exercised her teeth on the door panels, but turning them upside down works fine to keep them from scratching Babs as she goes in and out. Will get new door panels when I can.

If I had tons of money, and nothing to do with it, and planned on having two litters at the same time, regularly, I would buy another one. It is not worth it for a one-time deal, unless you can find one on e-bay. Then I would say jump on it.

Anita · 12-24-2011, 03:55 PM

We have a homemade whelping box, very similar to Lisa's.
Both sides and bottoms are "sealed", so is easy to clean.
Vet Fleece is also well worth getting.

We also use a paddling pool.

Very easy to clean & comfortable for Mum & pups.

GSD Fan · 12-24-2011, 04:26 PM

I am kind of shocked most of you guys MAKE the whelping box! I bet some of you could build a dog house if you wanted to! Any way, I am just going to assume that it is more expensive to buy an already made whelping box.

robinhuerta · 12-24-2011, 04:37 PM

Dura Whelp makes a very nice whelping box....it is a little expensive, but it held up pretty well for us. We have also used large kiddie pools, but the hard plastic ones.
We can bleach the heck out of them...and throw them away when no longer functional, without investing an arm & a leg.

Achielles UD · 12-24-2011, 09:19 PM

We made ours! Coroplast & metal similar to guinea pig cages. Worked great!

Then threw some covering over to keep warmth in. Cheap (coroplast was under $20 for a sheet and metal was about $2 each) The coroplast is super easy to clean.

Smithie86 · 12-24-2011, 09:44 PM

GSD Fan,

Like Lisa. Gabor made the Whelping boxes. Tried the grey pre-fab one - not good for active pups/dogs.

We have the Whelping "condo" - 5x3 or so. Big, with a rail over head for heat lamp.

And yes, do build dog houses, etc :-)

**Samba** · 12-24-2011, 09:44 PM

The coroplast easy to clean and durable. I really like it. So light weight for storage. Pig rails very easy to make with PVC pipe. One just needs two three-way joins for each corner. Our Lowes didn't have those pieces, somI didn't get pig rails done. Fortunately mum is very careful. I will make the rails for next time.

We would need a larger piece of coroplast for GSD size box. But, we saved a lot money doing it ourselves with a box knife and tape.

12-23-2011, 07:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
GSD Fan Elite Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: MS Posts: 1,128	Whelping Box and materials Do you buy already made whelping materials such as a whelping box? Or do you build it yourself? Which one did you find to be cheaper? Which one did you find to be more durable and effective?

12-24-2011, 11:40 AM	#2 (permalink)
lhczth Administrator & LOTR Addict Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 11,695	We made my box. Only thing I wish we had done was either paint or cover the base since it is wood. The sides are boards designed for cabinets so are painted and sealed. They are easy to clean. The front is hinged so I can make the wall higher as the pups get bigger and I have a pig rail around the inside. The box also sits about 4" off the floor and not directly on the floor. I lay down plastic, put some news paper over that and then use special fleece pads over that. The box itself was not all that expensive to make, but we build it in 2003 so I don't remember how much. The fleece pads are not cheap, but they last a very long time and are machine washable. Ultimate Vet Fleece __________________ Lisa Clark Zu Treuen Händen Working German Shepherd Dogs *South Michigan SchH and Police Club*

12-24-2011, 12:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
dawnandjr Elite Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Macedon, NY Posts: 1,054	Wrong time of year to find one, but I just use a kiddie pool. I like the curve to them, no corners to get stuck in. I just use old sheets and towels in side. When they are about 3 wks, they get moved to a pen with a litter box to start their potty training. __________________ Dawn Brogan German Shepherd Yoko von der Burg Austerlitz pedigree information http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/germ...html?id=713938

12-24-2011, 02:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
selzer Crowned Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Denmark, Ohio Posts: 17,499	I spent the money and bought a Jonart. I love it. It is easy to clean, has a nice pig rail, has different size door panels. It is durable. It went through two litters with Arwen, two with Jenna, two with Babsy, Only Odie tried eating it. She exercised her teeth on the door panels, but turning them upside down works fine to keep them from scratching Babs as she goes in and out. Will get new door panels when I can. If I had tons of money, and nothing to do with it, and planned on having two litters at the same time, regularly, I would buy another one. It is not worth it for a one-time deal, unless you can find one on e-bay. Then I would say jump on it. __________________ RIP Arwen, CD RN CGC RIP Whitney, RN CGC Jenna, RN CGC Babs, CD RA CGC Herding Instinct Certificate Heidi, RA CGC Tori, RN CGC SG3 Odessa, SchH1, Kkl1, AD Ninja, RN CGC Milla, RN CGC Joy, Star Puppy, RN CGC Dolly & Bear

12-24-2011, 03:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
Anita Master Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Southland, New Zealand Posts: 721	We have a homemade whelping box, very similar to Lisa's. Both sides and bottoms are "sealed", so is easy to clean. Vet Fleece is also well worth getting. We also use a paddling pool. Very easy to clean & comfortable for Mum & pups. __________________ Home of Ch. Aimsway Quick Tricks BSCL1 'A' 'Z' WQ (Imp Aust), 2010 National Gold Medal and 2008 National Silver Medal winner. Multi in show & Gold Medal winner.

12-24-2011, 04:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
GSD Fan Elite Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: MS Posts: 1,128	I am kind of shocked most of you guys MAKE the whelping box! I bet some of you could build a dog house if you wanted to! Any way, I am just going to assume that it is more expensive to buy an already made whelping box.

12-24-2011, 04:37 PM	#7 (permalink)
robinhuerta Knighted Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 3,224	Dura Whelp makes a very nice whelping box....it is a little expensive, but it held up pretty well for us. We have also used large kiddie pools, but the hard plastic ones. We can bleach the heck out of them...and throw them away when no longer functional, without investing an arm & a leg. __________________ Huerta Hof German Shepherds www.teamhuertahof.com ....where breeding is still considered an art....

12-24-2011, 09:19 PM	#8 (permalink)
Achielles UD Elite Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: MO Posts: 1,449	We made ours! Coroplast & metal similar to guinea pig cages. Worked great! Then threw some covering over to keep warmth in. Cheap (coroplast was under $20 for a sheet and metal was about $2 each) The coroplast is super easy to clean. __________________ Moxie vom Triton RA CD (GSD) Breaca von Dog Pound (BC) APRI Ch Royalty's Jinx'D Ya RN CDX (Sheltie) RIP Achielles UD, Axel CD, Hella & Malfoy (GSDs) Last edited by Achielles UD; 12-24-2011 at 09:22 PM.

12-24-2011, 09:44 PM	#9 (permalink)
Smithie86 Crowned Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Nashville, TN and Budapest HU Posts: 3,807	GSD Fan, Like Lisa. Gabor made the Whelping boxes. Tried the grey pre-fab one - not good for active pups/dogs. We have the Whelping "condo" - 5x3 or so. Big, with a rail over head for heat lamp. And yes, do build dog houses, etc :-) __________________ Sue www.k9imports.com V KK1 Molinari Enzo SCH3,IPO3,VK3,FH(WUSVx3, FCIx4) HOT KK1 Frodo v Biezenhoeve SCH3,IPO3,HPO3 (WUSVx2, FCIx2)HOT KK1 Tarnoki-Felvigyazo Quamatz SCH3 (HOT), KK1 Griff v Tajgetosz SCH3(BHOT)

12-24-2011, 09:44 PM	#10 (permalink)
Samba Administrator Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: USA Posts: 6,447	The coroplast easy to clean and durable. I really like it. So light weight for storage. Pig rails very easy to make with PVC pipe. One just needs two three-way joins for each corner. Our Lowes didn't have those pieces, somI didn't get pig rails done. Fortunately mum is very careful. I will make the rails for next time. We would need a larger piece of coroplast for GSD size box. But, we saved a lot money doing it ourselves with a box knife and tape.

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