Directions To Build A Whelping Box

Supplies needed:

• One sheet of 4 x 8 untreated plywood [the better the grade the longer it will last]
• Ten hinges to fit
• One door bolt lock door closure
• A skill saw or have someone saw the wood for you

Saw the 4 x 8 sheet of plywood in half long ways to form two 2 x 8 pieces

Mark three foot on one end of each of the long pieces then saw them off

You should now have four pieces of plywood.  Two five foot long and two three foot long with a height of two foot.  You should have two long pieces the same size and two short pieces the same size.

Next we put it together.

• Take one long side and one short side and put together with two hinges.  One hinge almost to the top and one hinge almost to the bottom. 
• Do another exactly the same. 
• Fit one of the short sides that is attached to a long side and put on two more hinges.  One almost to the top and one almost to the bottom.
• Connect the two sides together ensuring the box will lie flat. 
• Finish up by attaching the other piece.
• Make sure when you put the hinges on, the final rectangle is able to fold down flat.  This enables you to store it flat when not in use.
• You have now used eight of the hinges.

You should have something that looks like a rectangular box.

On one of the short sides you will saw

down from the top about twelve inches

in two places and about fourteen inches

across.  This will make the door for the

mom to get in and out and the pups

cannot get out.  Use the last two hinges

to put the door on and use the door

closure to secure the door.   Make sure

the door opens on the outside.

There is no bottom to the whelping box.  When you set it up you will need to put down throw rugs or heavy towels.  This makes clean up easy.  I have always put heavy throw rugs down so the pups cannot get under them. 

I have two of these whelping boxes.  One I use for the puppies to be born in and the other I put into my van when it is time to take the pups to the vet.  It keeps them contained in one place and not running all over inside the vehicle.  Always remember to keep towels or throw rugs in the box because puppies are prone to making messes.