Dog Infrared Lamp

Why Heat Matters in the First Fortnight

A newborn puppy cannot maintain its own body temperature until around two weeks old. Chilling is the most common preventable cause of loss in the first days, and it happens quietly: the puppy separates from the pile, stops feeding and fades. Supplementary heat is not optional.

What We Stock

Whelping heat lamps

The whelping heat lamp at around $67, a complete unit with a guard and fitting.

Replacement bulbs

The 150w infrared bulb at around $30 and the standard infrared bulb at around $21. Keep a spare, because they fail without warning and usually overnight.

Positioning It Safely

Hang it over one end of the box, never the middle. The mother and puppies must be able to move away from the heat, and a box heated end to end gives them nowhere to go. Secure it with a chain rather than the cord, and check the distance rather than guessing: too close causes burns and dehydration.

Getting the Temperature Right

Around 29 to 32 degrees at floor level for the first week, dropping roughly two degrees a week. Use a thermometer at puppy height, not at your own. Watch the litter as well: puppies piled tightly are cold, puppies spread to the edges are too hot, puppies loosely scattered are right.

Lamps or Pads

A lamp warms air, a pad warms from below. Many breeders use both, with the pad giving the mother something she can lie beside without being roasted.

Trusted by RPBA Breeders

Members set the lamp up and run it for a day before the due date, to confirm the temperature before there are puppies underneath it.