For those of you who use kiddie pools for whelping - what size?

TIA!

The one I picked up to use is about 4' in diameter.

May I ask why anyone would whelp their puppies in a kiddie pool?
This seems very cheap and unprofessional to me.
You mean you can't spring for a proper whelping box with safety rails?
Hmmm.

What a nasty and judgmental statement. I have used the pool before (about 4' diameter) when I had two litters at once. I had the expensive Durawhelp box and the pool in the same room. The bitches got along well together. The experienced bitch who had 10 puppies, had them in the pool. The maiden bitch in the box. The experienced bitch got mastitis and though I was hand feeding the babies, the other mom would also get in pool with the puppies to help out. I actually preferred the pool. It came in handy later as a wading pool for the pups to play in as they grew.

I personally like to whelp the litter in a kiddie pool (I use a 5-ft one), then as soon as she's done, move her and the puppies into my $$$ Jonart box. It's much easier to clean all the green/red/black gunk out of the kiddie pool than the Jonart during whelping as it sometimes gets under the floor pieces, then the whole box has to be taken apart and cleaned. I whelp in the same room but with the Jonart box closed up so the bitch can't get in, move the litter, and everything is neat, clean and dry!

One time when I had 2 litters at once, I had to get a pool. That did it! I hauled the beautiful whelping box down to the curb and never looked back. The bitches like them and they are a breeze to clean. I get the 5' pools.

you should try it. much more room easy to get around great for the bitch. you use the word unprofessional who is with us when we whelp that this becomes important? What is important is to be able to whelp in the best circumstances that works for each person. Cheap yep they sure are and that is exactly what I love about them. I dont worry about anything easy to clean and when its over if I want I can use them after cleaning for dogs to go into with water. after the whelp is over, into the box they go. get them at wal mart, larger size and love them. the op didnt say the puppies were kept in the pool the op is talking about whelping in the pool no pig rails needed. be nice and not so judgmental you may just learn something and find an easier way then what you are doing.

I have to agree with Oh Boy on this. The pools are much better and easier to clean than the Dura Whelp.
In my experience the puppies have also walked much sooner.
If your'e worried about a safty rail a section of sewer hose or large shop vacuum hose on the outside of the inside will keep Moms from laying on the Pups. I haven't lost a pup since I started using the pools and threw out the boxes.

I've only used the 5 foot wide kiddy pools for the past 14 yrs. In all those yrs, we only lost 1 puppy to mom laying on it. The laying on pups can happen in any whelping box, pig rails included. Since that one puppy got squished, my husband bought some pvc piping and made a circle that I dropped into the pool. I duct taped the joints but you can also glue them. It looks pretty UNPROFESSIONAL THOUGH, I double up the kiddy pools for extra support as the dam and myself lean back. I tried using this stiff, hard plastic shipping crate but my girl hated it and I worried about her laying on her pups due to her moving around trying to get herself in a comfy position. I use those kiddy pools for their potty area when they out grow their pool..around 3 weeks of age. I cut down the sides and put shavings or pellets in. I won't let my dogs who chew, use the kiddy pools for cooling off in. They chew the plastic and sometimes eat it, causing GI upset and in some cases intestinal blockages.

That just blows my mine that pools are used. Seem so small. I hate seeing pictures of pups and mom in a kid pool. A litter is messy, don't have a litter if you don't intend to clean up alot. If you are having several litters, yep see it might work. Build one whelping box and you will have it forever. Bet mine is 20 yrs. No sick pups either.

I'm not sure what you are imagining when breeders use pools to whelp their puppies in. If the correct bedding materials is used, the dam and her pups do not slide around or get lost in the bedding. Once the pups are all whelped, I sanitize the pool then put down my hard heating pad with temp controls, Then I lay down rubber backed mats and over that I put down towels then sheep skin over it all. I used to use a heat lamp without the heating pad but now I only use the large heating pad for the first week...sometimes longer, depending on the year.
I swap out the puppy bedding in the pool 2 times a day and by the time the pups are 3 weeks old, the pups come out of the pool and are taught to go potty in their designated area.
I'm confused as to how you think your pups are so much healthier than the pups being whelped in a kiddy pool for the first 3 weeks ? It is all about keeping the puppy area free of bacteria growth isn't it. Bacteria can grow in a traditional whelping box just as easy. I'm assuming most breeders do not keep their puppies in a kiddy pool past 2 to 3 weeks of age when all they are doing is sleeping and nursing.

it's my understanding that the guiding eye is using them now also. I understand that those who use them only do so for about three-4 weeks? I wanted to, but decided that I like that I can lean on my old whelping box when needed. we used the pool for a back up when cleaning the big box. the pool will become the big dogs swimming pool when the puppies are too big for it.

You asked for it & you got it. It's not a matter of being cheap. Some long time breeders use the same wooden box for 30 years, are they cheap or it works for them? I use kiddies pools later on, not at whelping but with an x-pen in it and put 2 to 3 pups in each 5 ft pool especially overnight. A potty box and a fresh, soft bedding to sleep on is not being cheap either. I then graduate to a little crate training for the buyers the last 5 days.

I whelp litters in the Durawhelp, it's not expensive it's middle of the road. Jonart is insanely expensive. Most that use them that aren't showing off, never mention them unless asked. The 1 poster that said Jonart with buck signs was being a show off and a few the bring up Jonart all of the time with their names are also showing off. Some are the same breeders with Full Time kennel help and sections for all of their bitches.

Bottom line, as long as the puppies & Mum are safe, warm, clean and comfortable it doesn't matter how much you spend.

Think before you accuse someone of being cheap next time because kiddie pools are great at being kept clean. Would you rather expensive boxes were used that are hard to clean so the pups lay in a mess?

I use a 5 foot pool. The puppies are in it until they climb out, which is usually around 3 weeks. Then they move into a Rover Enclosure with a custom made pan, that probably costs more than all your stuff put together.

I WHELP my litters in a kiddie pool which is actually put inside my homemade WOODEN box. Which I learned how to make from my mentor...15 years ago.

I use the kiddie pool to whelp because it is easy to clean and sanitize. Once the whelping is done, the pool goes out and I put bedding down in my wooden whelping box and that is where they are raised until they are mobile and are moved into a 12 x 6 pen with potty area.

I did not realize the goal of this hobby was to see who could spend the most on pretty whelping boxes. This is how my mentors whelped their litters and my good old wooden boxes have held up pretty well over the years.

Reply to May I ask why anyone would whelp their puppies in a kiddie pool?
This seems very cheap and unprofessional to me.
You mean you can't spring for a proper whelping box with safety rails?
Hmmm.




Did you take your nasty pill this AM I have used both the pool and my JonArt box, BOTH work very well, actually some bitches prefer the pool. Now go and find your nice pills and use your name when commenting

I can more than afford a whelping box. I had one custom made, love it. But, I think I like the idea of whelping in a kiddie pool. After whelp, put mom and pups in a clean box. When I whelp in the box I would have to move mom and pups to a pen while I cleaned the box, which was a mess as you well no.
Question? Do you line the pool with anything, paper, towels?

I use towels in the bottom of the pool while whelping, changing them out as needed when they get wet or icky. When mom is done whelping I prefer my whelping box that is still nice and clean and sanitary to put the new litter in. Then I can take the pool outside when I have time, hose it down and bleach it before storing it for the next time, or putting it out for the other dogs to play in if it's hot (filled with water of course).

.....and a queen bottom sheet fits right over the pool with the bedding under. It's so easy to change every day til three weeks then 3 x a day. I quit using sheets then and cover half of the pool with bedding. Love those pools.
.....and after your'e done and the puppies are old enough they can swim in them!

Breeder 2-2..what a great idea using queen fitted sheets that first few weeks. I couldn't find a 5 foot wide sheep skin to cut to fit my 5 ft wide kiddy pool so I use 2 pieces but have to use good old duct tape to secure the middle so the pups don't wiggle under the sheep skin.

Does anyone know of a store I can buy that really good sheep skin or lamb wool material in 5 foot wide sections ?

I like the really thick blue bedding but it only came in the 2 feet wide material on one of those whelping sites..can't remember where I got it years ago.

Try Jonart whelping fleece - believe they could cut to order.