# Welping box and diet?



## KCandMace (Apr 8, 2008)

I am going to build my own whelping box.
I did a search but didn't turn up anything.
Do any of you have plans for building one?

Also, Hexe is going into the 2nd have of her pregnancy. I read you are supposed to increase the food intake and switch to a puppy food.
She has been getting 470K/cal Diamond Naturals extreme energy food. What would be good to switch to from this that is a puppy food as what she is eating says not for puppies? We were feeding TOTW but the calories were less and she has a high metabolism and not doing as well as she is now.
I have petsmart, TSC and the feed store which has a bunch of names I never heard of plus wellness (no CORE), chicken soup for the pet lovers soul, TOTW.


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## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

While I know some people hate daimond products, most of the canidae products are high in Calories, I have fed the grain free Salmon before with good relults, but they are ALS. Not sure about any Puppy food.....


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## spiritsmom (Mar 1, 2003)

How to  Build a Dog Kennel Complex, Dog House, a Whelping Box, Agility Equipment, Rabbit Hutch, Aviary, Cat Cage ... and WHERE TO GET SHOW TROLLEYS from Chinaroad Lowchens of Australia


The above is a good site w/ whelping box plans. Also has good whelping info. Hope it helps.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

I find it strange that you're breeding and don't know this already. Accidental litter, perhaps?


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

DJEtzel said:


> I find it strange that you're breeding and don't know this already. Accidental litter, perhaps?


It was an accident 

Here is the thread
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/breeding-general/132946-over-done.html


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## KCandMace (Apr 8, 2008)

DJEtzel said:


> I find it strange that you're breeding and don't know this already. Accidental litter, perhaps?


Yes it is and we have been over this already on this board. So please don't stir it up.

Thanks for the link. I will check it out.

There is no Canidae sold around here that I know of. Canidae does have roughly the same amount of calories. I'll check again though.
ALS (All Life Stages)468
Chicken & Rice475
Lamb & Rice 457


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## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

hmm.... strange... I usually see Canidae at the same stores as Chicken soup. Another option that has high Calories would be Blue Buffalo LBP... Seems like everyone has a petsmart near them! lol


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

A lot of GSD breeders do not switch to puppy food and do not raise the puppies on puppy food. I do not feel comfortable enough with the idea of grain free to feed that in an adult formula to weanlings, but check out the food you are using to see why it shouldn't be used for large breed puppies

for the whelping box, I like to use a pig rail, it can save the puppies life. I have a Jonart that cost me a bloody fortune, and a wood box I got off of e-bay with a pig rail, no bottom -- shower curtain. 

The joanart is nice because it has insulated floor panels and is easy to clean. The ebay box really needs to be painted. but it cost me 100 $ delivered.


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## KCandMace (Apr 8, 2008)

I rechecked the food but could have sworn it said not for puppies. But it says it is ok. So we will be sticking with it.

I went to Lowes and priced the materials. If I can't get one free then I will build her one. It is under 50 for everything. 

The link to the plans was great! Gave me lots of ideas.


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## spiritsmom (Mar 1, 2003)

If you can buy some of those peel and stick vinyl floor tiles use them to cover the floor and sides of your box - makes clean up so much easier. I had used contact paper on the one I had built years ago for a rescued litter and it just did not hold up very well. I gave it to a friend who breeds Sloughis and she put that vinyl floor tile in and it has held up well and you can just wipe it up. 

I did use just a regular plastic kiddie pool you could buy anywhere for the actual whelping because it was very messy and that was easy to just take it outside and hose off all the yucky stuff - otherwise you will be scrubbing your new whelping box alot during delivery and afterwards.









This was mine when it just had contact paper lining it - the dog is my friend's Sloughi just a few days before delivery.


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