Whelping Box

Why a Whelping Box Matters

A whelping box gives the mother a defined space to give birth and keeps newborn puppies contained and warm for the first weeks. Low sides let her step in and out without climbing. Contained walls stop puppies wandering into a corner of the room and chilling, which is one of the more common preventable causes of loss in the first days.

Types of Whelping Set Up to Choose From

Wooden whelping boxes

Solid, heavy and warm underfoot. The traditional choice for breeders whelping regularly, and the option that holds heat best in a cold room. Ours start at around $1,273.

Acrylic and tempered glass pens

Clear sides so you can check on the litter without opening anything or disturbing the mother. Easy to wipe down between litters, which matters for hygiene. From around $454.

Foldable and portable pens

Metal or plastic panels that pack away between litters. The right answer for anyone whelping once or twice a year and short on space. Our six panel metal playpen is around $87.

Cage style boxes with fertility pads

A whelping box with a fitted pad designed to hold warmth and wick moisture away from the puppies.

Pig Rails and Why They Matter

A pig rail is a ledge fitted a few centimetres above the floor around the inside of the box. It gives a puppy somewhere to be if the mother lies down against the wall. For larger breeds it is not optional. For toy breeds the risk is different but still real, so check what your box includes.

Trusted by RPBA Breeders

Members set the box up two weeks before the due date so the mother has time to accept it as her space, rather than meeting it for the first time in labour.