Key Benefits of Using a Whelping Pen
Do you own a female dog that is pregnant and about to give birth? Read on to learn how you can put her and yourself at ease by providing her with a whelping pen.
What Is Whelping?
Whelping is a process during which a female dog gives birth to her puppies. This process takes between 12- 24 hours. Typically a dog gives birth to 5-6 puppies in a litter on average, and they are born 30 minutes apart. Between each delivery, the mother dog needs to ensure that her pups are in a safe place while she prepares for the next delivery. That’s when a whelping pen comes in handy.
Benefits of Using a Whelping Pen
A whelping pen, also known as a nesting box, a whelping den, or a whelping box, is an enclosed space designed to protect the young puppies in their early life. A whelping box is made of cardboard, corrugated board, plywood, or plastic. The walls are high enough to prevent the puppies from getting out but low enough for the mother to enter and exit comfortably.
The floor of the whelping box is lined with a whelping pad or layers of newspapers or fabric to keep the doggos warm from the cold floor as well as to absorb fluids.
Whelping boxes, pens, pads and complete kits as well as heating pads can all be easily purchased from Petnap stores online. They have all the supplies you need, no matter what pet you have. Their stores deliver worldwide and have a well-known reputation for manufacturing and supplying pet equipment and supplies for over 30 years.
Puts the Pregnant Female Dog at Ease
A week before the pregnant female goes into labour, she starts getting anxious and restless about looking for a secure place to have her babies. She is on the lookout for a safe and secure place that is clean, quiet, and away from the hustle and bustle of the home.
She also ensures that this spot is indiscoverable to other dogs and cats that might be dangerous for her young puppies. She needs a quiet place for a few weeks with her babies until they are older and stronger to protect themselves from danger.
Helps During the Birthing Process
Since the labour time is quite long and can last up to 12 hours, the female dog needs a safe and secure location as she is indisposed at that time. She does not give birth to her entire litter all at once; rather, she delivers each pup one at a time with a gap of 30 minutes minimum in between.
During this time, the delivered pups need a warm and safe environment to be in while the mum delivers the remaining pups. Some puppies are partially covered in the embryotic sac, and the mother has to lick and chew it off her babies. Each placenta is delivered after every pup, and the mother must chew the placenta off.
To ensure that the process goes smoothly and that everyone remains safe, a whelping box can help put the mother dog at ease while she undergoes the painful and exhausting labour process.
Keeps the New-born Puppies Safe and Warm
As soon as the puppies are born, they feel very cold and need to be kept warm against their mothers’ bodies. A heating pad under a blanket kept inside the whelping can be a big help. It can receive the babies and keep them warm and cosy, preventing their body temperatures from dropping too low.
Once the mother has delivered all her puppies and cleaned the m, she will nurse them. During this time, the mother has to feel protected and secure. She would worry for her young as they are too small to defend themselves from predators. Big cats, the father dog, and other adult dogs and cats are all predators of the new-born litter; therefore, the mother dog feels extremely anxious, defensive, and protective of her young.
The whelping box is also important to keep the puppies safe from the mother dog squashing them or suffocating them unintentionally. Keeping the puppies in a whelping pen can remain separated from their mum while they are asleep, and she can only climb in at the time of nursing.
Protects Them from the Father Dog
Unlike human fathers, dogs do not have paternal instincts and do not feel any emotions towards their young pups. Their role essentially ends after the mating process, and the nurturing role is entirely the mother’s responsibility. Due to this reason, the father dog should be kept away from the new mother and her pups for at least the first fifteen days post-birth. This is because of the following reasons:
· The father can infect the young with diseases like canine herpes, which can be life-threatening for small pups
· The male dog can hurt or injure the puppies out of curiosity
· The male dog can eat the puppies out of hunger
· The male dog may cause the mama dog anxiety just by being present around her. This is because new mother dogs are extremely possessive and protective of their young and may display signs of aggression. They become defensive and want privacy with their pups.
For all the above-mentioned scenarios, it helps to have a protective, safe, and enclosed space to keep new-born pups in from the whelping time till they are about 2-3 weeks old. Until the mother feels they are older and stronger, her babies can remain protected and safe in a safe space.
The Bottom Line
Whelping pens can be purchased easily from Petnap. There are many types that you can choose from depending on the material and whether you want reusable ones or disposable ones. Other accessories such as heating and whelping pads are also easily available and can be delivered wherever you need them. If you are unsure which type and size would best suit your dog, feel free to contact us on our website.