do you feel it is big enough for a litter of 8 or more pups? At least for a while? This pool is in a much larger pen area.

A large one would be big enough for awhile. But you need some sort of pig rail to keep mom from rolling/laying on the puppies. I do use a baby pool, but just for the whelping itself as it's easy to clean - my whelping box is a Jonart box, and I've found with all the fluid during a whelping it's more of a hassle to clean. So I whelp the litter in the pool, then when we're all done, I can move the new family into a nice, clean box and go and disinfect the pool.

I use them all the time. My brother designed a pigrail for it, and this helps hold the bedding in place as well.

Linda

I use a pool for my litters until they are old enough to climb out (about 3 weeks) I have never lost a puppy and they are so easy to clean. I love it!!!

I've never used anything but a pool , and whelped a litter of 10 sevral times, and they stayed in untill 3 weeks of age, then I bought a larger one. Super easy to keep clean ! Mine is set up inside a 10 X 10 foot chainlink enclosure in my basement , all on 3/4 inch rubber stall mats.

I use pools with no pig rail. Since there are no corners, the puppies do not get wedged in. They slide right out. Just one thing. Kiddie pool season is over in some parts of the USA. If you don't have one already, you better start shopping now.

I use nothing but a pool. Easy to clean and set up. When I am done with it, it goes outside for the big dogs to wade in.

I have never used a pig rail with it as my girls do not like to lie against the sides as it gives. My puppies are in it until about 3 weeks of age also.

JanG

I use the pool for the whelping only. Within 24 hours everyone is moved to the whelping box with the pig rail, and soft sheepskin pads. Then when we start weaning, they are moved to a big sawdust pen. I think the pool is great for containing the mess during whelping, but it can't be comfortable for momma. I like the privacy of the taller sides of the whelping box (homeade) for mom, and the fact that it keeps drafts off the litter.

Just put xpen around the pool and I put sheets on it so the other dogs dont bother her works great and stops any drafts

How intriguing & ingenius! How did you add the pigrail?

I used one as a second place to put the pups only. When I was not present, pups were always in the whelping box with pigrails. The pool really did come in handy.

Hi-
Are we talking about fibreglass pools here? I can't imagine the old-fashioned rubbery ones are supportive enough?

I've always used the 5 foot wide kiddy pools except for my May 2007 litter. We found this hard plastic shipping box that has removeable sides on it. It sits off the ground by about a foot.

I don't like it and won't use it again. My girl didn't like it either. She likes to be able to stretch out in the kiddy pool which has softer sides.

My pregnant girls always get their own private room to whelp their babies for the first 3 weeks. I can control the temperatures in the room better and keep the other dogs out.

I don't believe that the pig rails save puppies from being squashed in all instances so I've always monitored the puppies and dam very closely that first 3 weeks, sleeping in the same room during this time.

My husband bought a video monitor for me, it's mounted so I have full view , I can see and hear everything and still be upstairs, without bothering her . Works for me ! Sleeping in my own bed gives me more rest.

I don't use it as a whelping box as I can't get pig rails in it. Pig-rails are an excellent safety mechanism. I use baby poolS later on with x-pens surrouding them. I wouldn't recommend a pool as a whelping box for the reason mentioned. Durawhelp is lightweight, as easy to clean and has pig-rails.

The problem with some bitches is that they will not position themselves so that both rows of teets can be reached by the hungry brood so then some of the puppies will start crawling under the dam's armpit and under her in search of the lower row of teets. Then the dam will roll back over on the puppy and get squashed under the dam's upper body. Pig rails or not, the puppy is squashed and didn't stand a chance at being able to get out of the way of the dam and pushed over to where the supposed pig rails are to save it's life.

This is what happens in my litters all the time and is the very reason why I don't sleep well at night during that first 3 weeks. If I set up a moniter system, it still would not alert me to a puppy getting squashed. The puppy can't make any noises to alert you that it is being smothered. Am I missing something here with the moniter as a solution where the squashed puppy syndrome can happen ? I've never lost a puppy to being squashed but it is only because I am very vigilant about watching over them. I don't like being sleep deprived either and would love to come up with a better solution besides removing the dam from puppies during the night. That stresses them out too much so I've never resorted to that until the puppies are 3 weeks old...then sleep never felt so good !!

I have one of those big green hard plastic pools. my girl has had 3 litters over 8 pups each and had no problems whatsoever in the pool. Very easy to clean. I also had a hard time sleeping the first week or so. I slept in the same room waking up every time I heard a puppy cry and counting them all. No problems! Very tiring but worth it. When they were old enough to climb out on their own, into the expen they went.