Preparations for Birth of Puppies

It is important that the female has a quiet room, far from the noise of the house, well ventilated and lighted, free from any air currents and preferably from any plugs and water supplies. Besides, make sure the shelves and any other furniture that might be able to fall down are secured. Once the puppies start to move around freely, you should remove as much furniture as you can in order to give them space to run and play; additionally, many a place where they can defecate and urinate, more or less apart from everything.

Now let's concentrate on the building of the dog crate (where the mother and puppies will initially lie down on), size of which will, logically, depend on the size of the dog. In any case, it is indispensable that it is spacious and comfortable (and fairly square) for the mother and puppies.

A good formula for calculating the adequate measures for each breed consists in measuring the length of the mother (lying on her side) from the tip of the breastbone to the point of insertion of the tail. In the case of a toy, small or middle sized breed, add two thirds; if it's a big or giant breed, then multiply the size of the body times 2. For example:

Body length measure  |              dog crate

Breastbone to tail: 30 cm (30 + 2/3 = 50) 50 x 50 cm

Breastbone to tail: 60 cm (60 x 2 = 120) 120 x 120 cm

It is also convenient for the dog crate to have on the sides a height of approximately 30 to 40 cm, to avoid that -- especially in the first days, when the little ones still do not regulate their body temperature by themselves -- the puppies do not stray far from their mother. It is also very important that the base of the dog crate be made of a foamy material covered in plastic, in order to avoid it getting wet and smelly. On top of that, cover it with a soft cotton-like cloth so that it can absorb the humidity of the puppies. This can be washed at any time at a high temperature.

Until just recently, most people used straw or newspaper to construct the base of the dog crate; however, experience has shown us that both materials are not really hygienic and can actually harm the little puppies. Strolled can produce tiny cuts and allergies and can even harbor different parasites; whereas newspaper can produce allergy to ink and, when humid, even problems to the skin. The use of cotton duffels ensures a better cleanliness and hygiene of the crate and it's more comfortable for the mother and little ones.