Registered: Feb 2009
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 144

For the guys up north what do you do to keep pups warm in the winter. I have a female due the 17th of this month. Will be my first winter litter and I want to do everything to keep them warm. She will be inside of the storage area of the kennel. I made her a whelping pen in there but it allows her to go outside to do her business. So over the outside I have plastic flaps that she is used to to keep the draft out. Then in her actual pen I have just carpet laid down so I can take that out and change it if need be. I have a 100 pound propane tank and a mr. heater ready for when the pups come to keep the room warm. I also have a heat lamp that I can put by her and the pups. Just want to make sure I'm covering all my bases used frozen semen from a male that we used to have and this will be our first time using it. Any advance or pointers would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Michelle

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Registered: Mar 2004
Location: CT
Posts: 1010

Make sure you put the lamp where the dogs and pups can't get it and put a mechanlcal Thermometer in the box

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Registered: Jan 2005
Location: Michigan
Posts: 272

You can buy a heated pad that is for baby pigs. Heat lamp above them and that heated pig mat and you will have happy warm pups. Raised a litter a couple of winters ago this way and they all did very well. The pig mats lay flatter than the ones that are sold for dogs.

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Registered: Dec 2019
Location: Everywhere
Posts: 1058

Don't know if they are still sold. I bought a T E Scott whelping nest years ago. Lovett had one also . Still make them I think but with stuff like it is now heaven only knows

Whoa! Just looked and found Easy Loader sells one 320.00 . Guess depends on what you feel is money best spent.

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Last edited by benderb4 on 02-01-2021 at 10:32 PM

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Registered: Jan 2016
Location:
Posts: 589

I’d second the whelping nest. Never used one myself but have a friend who has. It actually will serve 2 purposes. Providing direct warmth as well as helping to reduce the possibility of the dam laying on top of them and smothering 1 or more.

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Dan

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1541

That you don't get it to warm and that the pups and her have room to get a way from the heat if they want to. Don't let any cords out where she can chew them.

Remember her temp is going to go up at the time they are born and the carpet isn't a bad idea just be sure you have another to replace it with after she's done.

I have had litters in -20/-30 temps with no problem. I am not a fan of flaps but to each his own. I have a 4 foot X 4 foot pen inside a shed with 2 foot high sides and a 1x1 on the inside about 2 inches from the sides about 4 inches off the floor, this is so pups can get under it with out the mother laying on them against the sides. Do not use blankets/ old coats and the like for bedding. Know guys who did and lost pups because they got under it and mother laid on them with out knowing.

If you are going to use the propane heater??? Be sure you have plenty of fresh air and good ventilation (I wouldn't because of the noise could make her nervous) and if you haven't used heat lamps before be real careful and be sure they are 2 to 3 feet from any thing!!! They can start a fire because they get very HOT. I grew up with them raising pigs and learnt a lot.

Good luck and be safe.
OT

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Registered: May 2005
Location: oklahoma
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LET MOMA BE MOMA SHE KNOWS WHAT TO DO

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Registered: Feb 2009
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 144

Thanks everyone! I have a feeling we are overthinking everything with this one. My Dad has a heated garage that is tiled so we are putting a kennel in there and a whelping box inside for her and the pups. Figure that will be easiest. My Mom is worried we're gonna burn the place down so in the garage they go for a few weeks then gradually move them to the other pen.

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Registered: Jun 2014
Location: missouri
Posts: 1141

The heat pad the gentleman above speaks of is a KANE brand. they are Red. They are hands down the best investment you will make if you plan to have anymore litters in the future . Ive had mine for years ! They are expensive compared to other heating pads but there is a reason they are. Just make sure you have enough room for mom and babies to be completely OFF of the mat if it gets to hot in there for them or her.
I dont like carpet for flooring myself ... most females like to dig/nest and they pull those carpet fibers out and get tangled up around pups etc etc , ive just had bad experience with house type carpet and so have a couple buddies the same. However i do LOVE and use the carpet style mats that you see in schools or businesses . These are rubber backed and you wont have a female pull stringy fibers from them like housing carpet . You can buy them in about any length you want and then custom cut to fit your whelping box . Prior to her whelping ( couple days before) I use 3 mats .. i screw down the first one with huge fender washers and deck screws . then i screw another on top of that one the same way . and then the 3rd one on top of the 2nd one same way . When she has approx half of the pups and it gets all wet and nasty in there i unscrew and remove that mat so a fresh dry one is ready . when she finishes having them i then remove second mat when it gets wet and nasty i remove it also . after all this you will have a fresh clean dry floor with one remaining mat . Then i screw down my kane heat pad and you're set! You can powerwash or use garden hose to clean and disinfect these mats and let em hang dry and re-use them several more times with future litters .
Also - I wont ever whelp a litter without a puppy saver rail along the inside of her whelping box.
Good Luck and I hope you have a healthy successful litter !!

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Last edited by Toad Hill on 02-02-2021 at 04:58 PM

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Registered: Dec 2019
Location: Everywhere
Posts: 1058

I knew a guy set up a kennel in his heated basement near the water drain. Made it easy to wash down as needed and kept his pups out of the cold for sure

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NOW THE LUNATICS ARE RUNNING THE ASYLUM IN WASHINGTON,DC.
MY SILENCE DOES NOT MEAN I AGREE WITH YOU...IT MEANS YOUR LEVEL OF STUPIDITY RENDERS ME SPEECHLESS
I AM NOT ARGUING WITH YOU..I AM JUST TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHY I AM RIGHT
TRUTH IS TREASON IN AN EMPIRE OF LIES...G. Orwell
DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING THE GOVERNMENT TELLS YOU...G. Carlin
ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE WORK RELENTLESSLY TO CENSOR THOSE WHO SPEAK THE TRUTH...Ron DeSantis

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Registered: Aug 2020
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 21

My last winter litter, made frame of 2 by 8s for under whelping box, put in two light fixtures like are in people's basement, put in 25 w bulbs. Ran the wire back so wasn't exposed. Kept bottom just a little warmer.

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Phillip George

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Registered: Feb 2009
Location: wi
Posts: 165

Puppies when born cannot regulate their body temperature. All their nourishment goes into growing.
I had a litter last fall when the temp was 35-40. I lost 4 out of 6 do to them being cold they were in an insulated dog house. The mother was doing fine with them. I guess what I am trying to say is that it doesn't have to be "cold" for them to loose heat.

good luck

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Registered: Sep 2018
Location: west ky
Posts: 195

Anyone use the kane heat mat with the thermostat? Litter due this weekend and was wondering what temperature to set the thermostat to.

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Registered: Jan 2006
Location:
Posts: 509

Heated pad and heat lamp.Pups are fine in a non insulated wood dog house.20 below the last week.Door is covered with a heavy flap.Only hole is for heat lamp.This is working great pups don’t even whimper.

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Registered: Sep 2018
Location: west ky
Posts: 195

So no one has a kane heat mat with the thermostat that the temperature can be set like to 90 degrees?? Just trying to find out what is too hot from some one that has used the kane mat

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Registered: Jan 2006
Location:
Posts: 509

Can’t help with your question on setting but my pad is warm to the touch with palm of hand and it’s **** cold up here

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Registered: Sep 2009
Location: Monticello, Wi
Posts: 744

I use a wood pellet stove as you can control the temperature and very safe. Its been -15 F several times this week.

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Registered: Nov 2016
Location:
Posts: 142

I guess I'm lazy. I just bring her in the house a couple days before she is due to have puppies. I have one room downstairs that i restrict her to.I put some carpet down for her and let her do the rest no matter if winter spring fall or summer. Though in the winter time I put a small space heater just inside the door to help warm up that room. My females have anywhere from 10 to 14 puppies each litter. They may lose 1 or 2 the ones that will die anyhow no matter what you do for them

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