2020 - Volume #44, Issue #4, Page #06
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Round Whelping Den Safer For Pups
“The reason we invented this is that we needed them round,” says the Golden Doodle breeder. “Square boxes are bad for puppies because they get in a corner and the mother lays on them.” Mortality rate of the pups can be has high as 20 percent.
He also wanted the puppies to have a warm place to lay, without overheating the mother. After a few changes he came up with a 20-in. flat center that can be heated and the rest of the unheated floor tapers uphill slightly. The pups naturally roll to the middle and the mother can lay comfortably on the unheated portion.
A popular version is an open bed that is 5-ft. in diameter with a 3-ft. ramp. It weighs 70 lbs. and is made of durable plastic that can be easily cleaned with just a wet cloth. It comes with five mats made of outdoor carpet that can be replaced or cleaned and reused. It works well for breeders who want to raise their dogs in a house or building.
For those who prefer an enclosed shelter, the Whelping Den comes in a 5-ft. tall version with a roof and door that can open into a fenced area or other enclosed area.
“At night you can lock the mother dog in if she is close to whelping. She feels very much at home in there, and the pups will be born in there and not outside somewhere,” Sensenig says.
He adds that pups potty train sooner if the door is left open when they are about 5 weeks old. Within 48 hrs. they often figure out to go outside the whelping den.
Prices range from $485 (smaller open model) to $1,475 (enclosed model). Various types of heaters can be used under the floor, which GDM also sells.
Sensenig is located in Dundee, N.Y., and has dealers in the Northeast. Call him for more details.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, GDM Dens, 1714 Porters Corners Rd., Dundee, N.Y. 14837 (ph 607 243-3796).
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