Everyone has a favorite whelping box design, but most breeders feel that some type of enclosed area is important. Some breeders simply use a child's plastic swimming pool and feel like it really serves the purpose. I have never used one, but it seems like the surface would be too slippery, even when covered with towels or newspapers.
My box is 8` x 4 ` plywood. It has a divider that can be moved anywhere along the 8 foot side to make it smaller or larger. The bottom is raised about two inches off the floor for insulating purposes. The sides are attached to each other with brackets, but don't attach to the bottom. This makes it easy to disassemble and store. There are 2"x4" pig rails around the inside of each side to give the puppies a place to stay out of the way of mom and for security. These are about 8 inches from the bottom. Three sides are 3 feet high and the forth side can be 3 feet but has hinges half way down the side so you can fold it outward to give easy access. I hope that makes sense.
I decided not to paint or stain the wood because I didn't want to worry about teething puppies ingesting anything toxic. Although to be honest, after 10 years and 8 litters I can only see a few teeth marks on the pig rails, so it probably isn't a big problem.
Because it isn't painted, I needed something to protect the wood from moisture. I use a couple of things. During whelping I use "chux", those obnoxious blue waterproof pads that you lay on in the hospital (it's a nurse thing) and towels. After whelping I use 4 x 4 ft. plastic table cloths, covered with towels or blankets. The table cloths are real cheap at k-mart and you can just throw them away when they start to show wear. I also look for playpen pads at rummage sales. They are usually padded and are the perfect size. Again they need to be covered with something washable like towels or sheepskins (again a perk in being a nurse!)
I wash the box with soap and water when I set it up and then disinfect with a commercial disinfectant. Then I cover it until I need it to keep it clean. When the puppies move out at around three weeks, I repeat the cleaning and disinfecting, break it down and store it till the next time.
If anyone is interested in building a box - let me know and I'll try to be more specific, although describing things like this is not my area of expertise!
Once you have a place for your bitch to whelp, you need to gather some supplies. This list may seem excessive and not everything will be needed, but it is better to over prepare than be stuck in the middle of the night without something you need!
1. Bulb syringes. I always suction the puppy's airway right after it is born. The less fluid that is in the passage when it takes it's first breath, the less chance for pneumonia. There are two kinds of bulb syringes and you can buy both in the baby section of any drug store. The first is a one piece rubber bulb. This one is good for getting into the back of the mouth. The second type is two pieces. The main part is a rubber bulb, but it has a round plastic piece on the end. This one fits very nicely against little nostrils to do the nose. IMPORTANT: ALWAYS SUCTION THE MOUTH FIRST. If you do the nose first, it stimulates the whelp into taking a deep breath through its mouth and may cause him to inhale any fluid that is there.
2. Lots of towels! I always help stimulate the puppies and dry them with some vigorous rubbing with a towel. Mom may seem like she is being too rough when she flips the babies all over, but all this stimulation is important to get the puppies going.
3. Clamps and scissors. Mom may cut all the cords herself without any help from you. But if she doesn't, or you want to keep her from gobbling all the placentas, you may need to do this yourself. It is important not to simply cut the umbilical cord - it will bleed! You need to clamp both sides and then cut or rip it to crush the blood vessels before severing. You can also "strip" the blood in the cord back to the baby before clamping. Don't cut (or allow mom to cut) the cord right next to the skin. Leave about 3/4 in. This will dry up and fall off in a day or so. Many people treat the end of the cord with Betadine or a similar antiseptic to help prevent infection. I have done it both ways and have never seen an infection.
4. A scale. I use an old triple beam gram scale, which is very precise. I secure a plastic shoe box to the platform to hold the puppies securely. You will want to weigh the puppies at least once a day until they double their birth weight. This is one of the best ways to get a jump on any problems that may be starting.
5. Some way to identify each puppy. You need to be able to tell who's who, so you can keep track of everybody's progress. There are lots of ways to do this. Some people mark each puppy differently. I have heard of breeders using everything from nail polish to clipping fur from different areas of the body. Others use some type of collar. I used different color ric-rac for awhile, but it can get expensive. Next I went to "loom loopers", stretchy cotton or nylon bands that are used to make pot holders. These are inexpensive and can be knotted to fit well. With my current litter, I am trying "litter identity bands" from Omaha. They are strips of heavy paper with adhesive on one end. They are very inexpensive and work well, they just don't have a good selection of colors.
6. A heat source. I use a heat bulb in a fixture caller a brooder lamp. They are for keeping peeps warm after they hatch. I really prefer an overhead heat source to a heating pad, since I think they are safer. I used to use a heating pad wrapped in a towel until a puppy got tangled in the towel and dehydrated. He survived, but it was close. I only use a heating pad in a laundry basket as a place to keep the puppies warm while another puppy is being born, dried, weighed etc..., or when I am changing bedding in the box.
Other things to have handy are a portable phone, pen and paper to record weights and collar color, esbilac or a similar substitute in case the puppies need supplementing or hand raising, a naso-gastric tube in case tube feeding is necessary (your vet can supply), a comfortable place to stretch out near the box, the vets number and on call schedule, the number of a breeder friend who can answer questions too, a sense of humor and a little luck!