How to Build a Whelping Box With Rails

Just like dogs, whelping boxes come in all sizes, from simple cardboard to fancy vinyl-coated wood. A whelping box provides a safe, secure place for a dog to have her puppies, but it is vital that you take your dog̵7;s needs into consideration as you prepare her sanctuary. To prevent accidental squashing and suffocation of puppies, provide any large-breed dog with rails around the inside of her whelping box, creating a safe zone for the pups around the box̵7;s sides.

Things You'll Need

  • Sheet of ¾-inch plywood
  • 3 pieces ½-inch plywood cut 16 inches wide
  • Piece of ½-inch plywood cut 12 inches wide
  • 4 sections of 2-by-4
  • 10 angle brackets, 90-degree bend in each
  • ½-inch wood screws
  • 1 ½-inch wood screws
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure your dog̵7;s body when she is lying on her side, stretched out. Determine the whelping box̵7;s length by measuring from the top of the dog̵7;s head to the base of her tail and adding 12 inches. Determine the width by measuring from the bottom of her front foot to top of her withers and adding 12 inches. Use these measurements to determine the size of the floor of the whelping box. Cut the single sheet of 5/8-inch plywood to this size.

    • 2

      Cut two of the 16-inch-high sides to the same length as the two longer sides of the base. Cut the third 16-inch-high side to the length of the shorter side of the base. Cut the 12-inch-high side to the length of the shorter side of the base.

    • 3

      Cut two pieces of 2-by-4 the same length as the longer sides, and two pieces of 2-by-4 the same length as the shorter sides of the base.

    • 4

      Attach one 2-by-4 to each plywood side, using three evenly-spaced angle brackets and short wood screws along the longer sides of the box, and two evenly-spaced angle brackets and short wood screws on each shorter side. Place the 2-by-4 boards 3 to 4 inches up from the base. The height is determined by your dog̵7;s size. She should not be able to fit her back under the 2-by-4 rails when the box is assembled. Attach the shorter railings just high enough so that they will fit on top of the longer side railings when the box is assembled.

    • 5

      Attach the sides to the base, using the longer wood screws. Screw the sides together at each corner. Make sure you have a snug fit along the base and at all corners. Any gaps must be eliminated to protect the puppies.