Our female's whelping pen is a blue baby pool that we use. Depending on the female in labor, I put towels, blankets, or I have made a fitted sheet to fit the pool. The puppies are born in this area. The Mother can easily get in and out of the pool to nurse. The puppies can usually stay in this pen for 3 weeks before they start to climb out. Then we set up the "gate community" that gives the puppies more room and also has a sleeping area and a paper area, where I start to potty train the puppies. The bad thing about this is that we have to physically put Mom in and out of the pen from the top. When the puppies get old enough to be able to venture outside, the cage's opening is toward the sliding glass door, and we just open the door and the cage and out they go!! It is a good system and it works for us!! |