Our Whelping Area

With our Heidi and Ember ready to whelp soon, we have set up our whelping area to have a safe & comfortable place for them to whelp with all the supplies we need close by. My husband graciously gave up his office for the few weeks that the puppies will be upstairs before we move them to the living area on our main level.

Check out this reel on our IG account for a tour of our whelping area!

Finding the Right Spot

First, you need to find a warm, secluded, tucked away area inside your home for your dog to whelp. An extra room or closet will work great. Many breeders will even use their bedrooms. The puppies will stay in this area for 3-4 weeks while they are neonates until they are walking and become more social. I have found that once the puppies can jump out of their whelping box, it’s time for them to move to a larger space where they can be around people more!

Whelping Box

There are many options you can use for a whelping box. Many people build their own or even use a plastic kiddie swimming pool. So explore your options and be sure your whelping box has a pig rail to prevent the mama dog from potentially squishing her puppies

  • Whelping Box
  • Whelping box liner (I use this type to protect my floor & place 2 smaller pads on top. I have found this type of liner to be sufficient to protect my carpet while the puppies are under 4 weeks old. After that, you will like need to put a piece of vinyl or something similar to protect your floors)
  • Large incontinence pads ( large one bigger than whelping box)
  • Small incontinence pads (about the size of the whelping box)

Keep in mind, you will go through a lot of whelping pads to ensure the puppies living space stays dry and clean. You will also use these when you move them to their larger space to ensure they aren’t walking on a slippery surface that makes it difficult for them to walk.

Whelping Supplies Checklist

I highly recommend Revival Animal for most of your whelping supplies.

  • Pet Thermometer and Vaseline- a week before your dog’s whelping date, you should begin taking her temperature at least every morning so you can know when her temperature drops. Once her temperature drops, you know your dog will whelp in the next 24 hours (Some dog’s temp won’t drop however). A thermometer will also be needed if you have to tube feed a puppy as it’s important for them to be at a specific temperature before feeding.
  • Whelping Record Chart Make sure to have this ready on a clipboard with a pen. You can also find these free online.
  • Identification Collars and you can upgrade to these and these as they grow.
  • Scale– It’s important to weigh your puppies after being born & to weigh them regularly to ensure they are gaining weight.
  • Disposable Gloves
  • Puppy pads While whelping, I lay puppy pads down on top of the washable incontinence pads to make clean up easier. I go through a lot of these!
  • Trash bag to get rid of the puppy pads
  • Laundry basket for soiled incontinence pads
  • Bulb Suction
  • Delee Mucous Trap – This is a fantastic tool to have if there’s any mucous that you’re not able to get out of the puppy’s mouth with the bulb suction.
  • Hanging Water Bowl – Meant to be used so you can hang your dog’s water bowl off the whelping box so the puppies won’t accidentally fall in, but I have found it more helpful to hold essentials in while whelping that I’m prone to misplace (like the bulb suction, surgical scissors. and dental floss).
  • Washcloths – Used to dry the puppies after being born.
  • Vet Wrap helps to keep your dog’s tail from getting messy while whelping
  • Surgical scissors in case mom doesn’t sever a puppy’s umbilical cord herself. Research has shown there are benefits to waiting a few minutes to cut the cord.
  • Hemostats in case an umbilical cord is bleeding significantly.
  • Unwaxed Dental Floss can also be used if the umbilical cord is bleeding
  • Styptic Powder or cornstarch can be used to stop an umbilical cord from bleeding
  • Iodine to dip the umbilical cord in to avoid infections
  • Oral Cal from Revival to give the mom AFTER she has delivered the first puppy. Learn more about calcium supplements for mama dogs here.
  • Doc Roy’s Health Bone Tablets to give mama dog while nursing puppies so her calcium levels don’t become depleted
  • OB Lube in case a puppy is stuck
  • Nutri-Drops in case you have a struggling puppy. Kao syrup works too.
  • Puppy Feeding Tube kit in case mama is unable to feed puppies or you have a puppy that is struggling. This is a video you should watch before whelping to get a general idea on how to tube feed in case you have a puppy who needs you to do this for them.
  • Warming Pad in case a puppy is struggling or you need to move the puppies away from the mom as she delivering. Be careful to not put a puppy directly on the pad- put it in a box or basket with blankets on top of it to avoid burning their delicate skin.
  • Stethoscope in case you need to determine a puppy’s heart rate.
  • Snacks for your mama dog- broth (for hydration), plain yogurt, cottage cheese, their favorite treats, or even vanilla ice cream!
  • Pen Light to be able to check the puppy over for deformities
  • Stainless steel bowls – to have for water, broth, and food.
  • Plenty of towels! I like to make a path or towels and or incontinence pads from our whelping area to the door that we take our dogs outside to potty. Whelping can get messy & potty accidents can happen as you attempt to get your dog outside to potty while whelping.
  • Cleaner in case your dog does have an accident or some of the whelping mess gets outside the whelping box. If you don’t use it during whelping, I’m sure you will once the puppies are older.
  • Room Thermometer to make sure the area your keeping your puppies is warm enough. If the room is too cold, there are a variety of options to keep things warmer. However, our mama dogs don’t like a room too hot. You will know if your puppies are cold if they are frequently piling up on top of each other.
  • Nurture Flora for your puppies. This is a probiotic formulated for newborn puppies that provides essential nutrients and beneficial bacteria for them as they grow.
  • Quiet Time Pet Bed for the puppies to cuddle on. Make sure it’s small, light weight, and has the bumpers on the side. This will help the puppies establish a spot for sleeping that they won’t potty on.
  • Elevated Dog Bed placed right outside the whelping box so mama dog can have a spot outside of the whelping box that allows her to still be able to see her puppies. You could also place your dog’s bed right outside of it as well.

Other Considerations:

  • Be sure to have a dog leash, flashlight, and a towel near where you need to bring your dog outside to potty when whelping. Dogs have been known to deliver while potting so you must go outside with her & be ready with a towel in case she delivers outside.
  • Have your vet and an emergency vet’s information ready in case of an emergency. Make sure to have that a box or basket for the puppies ready in case you need to transport mom to the vet.
  • Be sure to have a cozy place in the whelping area for you to rest! You may have some long nights ahead of you!
  • Also important, have your snacks and meal plan ready before puppies come, especially if you have kids!
  • Have resources near. Know ahead of time what to expect and make sure you have a collection of good books, websites, podcast, and YouTube videos to guide you during the whelping process. Better yet, find a mentor who can answer your questions and even assist you! Two resources I recommend: Revival Animal’s YouTube Channel (has a wealth of information on all things whelping and puppies) & Well Bred Vet has great printable (and free!) resources (I particular like their Whelping Flow Chart).

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