Just looking to see if I can get some ideas as to the size and depth of your boxes.

(I won't use a pool again, thanks)

I use the Jonart box . I have the extra large size 60"L X 48"W X 24"H and I love it. I also have the attached pen which I fill with shavings for a "puppy potty". The pen is 48" X 48" X 24". This works out well for me. I like the sturdy construction as I can sit on the side of the box!
http://www.thewhelpingbox.com/

I personally don't like the pools. My whelping box is 4' x 4' and 10" high and has pig rail on all sides 3" of the bottom. It has worked well for me.

I love my large 60x48x23 Dura-Whelp box. Puppy Rails included, and the easy slide door. Stores flat ready for next use. I find that size works for me. Over the past 20 years I have used a 60" diameter pool, and also constructed a 48"x48" wooden whelp box with rails, but while that worked well storage and weight were not good for me.

Mine is homesade out of polyurethane pig nursery panels. It is 60L X 48W X 30H and I used 2 of the childrens plastic 26" high playyards from Shopko that work wonderfully. E-mail me and I will be happy to send you pictures. I could not imagine having one any smaller.

These are the sizes of the Dura Whelp to give u and idea.

I have had up to 12 pups in the XL, 10 in the Large. Good ideas of sizes manufactured: You can take two and put them face to face for potty and sleeping areas too. The pig rails work very well unlike using a kiddy pool for whelping.

Large 48" x 48" x 20"
Extra-Large 60" x 48" x 23"



http://www.xocom.com/fr/Boxes.htm

so no one has a 5 X 5? I am building, and can do a 4X5 or a 5X5.

I actually do whelp in a pool but only for the whelp itself. I find I can maneuver around much easier. Durawhelp is also set up and ready and I transfer mommy and babies into it when we are done. I love the Durawhelps. I have both sizes. Depending on how large a bitch and how many pups either size would be fine.

Mine was home made out of that white shelving material, 24" x 4 ft sections. When pups were eating on their own I expanded it another couple of feet so they had a seperate potty area. ALso cut out a portion then reattached it with hinges so mon could get in and out when pups got bigger. Wasn't too expenses and is easy to put together.

Did you have to paint the white shelving material after a litter or two or it was easy to clean. It didn't need a non toxic, waterbase paint later? That material sounds like a great idea.

As for size, I would think you can go with any size you're comfortable with. Make sure it will fit the area you will be whelping the litter in with enough room to get around it easily.

My son is a cabinet maker....he made me a 48X48 whelping box out of plywood and laminate ....it is 24 inches high and has a 7 X 9 foot attachable playpen. I love it.....it is so easy to clean and to take down for easy storage. I designed it from the dura-whelp which I used for my first two litters. I have pictures if you would like to see it please email me.

Mine is also homemade, 48X72X24. I really love it espacially for litters of 10!

We LOVE our Jonart box/ extra large size 60"L X 48"W X 24"H, and also have the attached weaning pen. Works great.........one side is for bedding, and other side converted into potty area....funny thing is....they always end up wanting to romp around on the wrong side. Gotta love those pups!!!! Ours are two weeks old now, and just opened their eyes....We LOVE this Jonart Box!!!!

I had my first litter 27 years ago and have used a 4 x 6 wooden box with a divider that made it 4 x 4 with a 2 x 4 potty area, a 4 x 5 DuraWhelp and a 4 x 4 JonArt with a 4 x 8 Rover Enclosure plastic ex pen attached. (See pictures on my website puppy page http://www.cygnet-labs.com/folklaur/PuppyPen.htm )

However, my favorite is a 3 x 5 box I made from the 1/2 inch thick white plastic pig panels.

The key is that this box is only 36" deep from front door to back wall. I have found that having the box shallower and longer makes it easier to reach puppies, lay blankets etc. without having to step into the box.
The mothers also tend to lay across the back which makes it easier to see what is going on. Also, a lot of the bedding comes in 30" or 36" width.

The puppies get about the same square footage of space but it is much easier for me to reach.

My recommendation is to make the box either 30" or 36" deep and as long as you can yet still fit it in the available space. Ideal would be 30" x 72" with a removable divider to keep it smaller when the pups are newborn and make it bigger as they get bigger.

"Did you have to paint the white shelving material after a litter or two or it was easy to clean. It didn't need a non toxic, waterbase paint later? That material sounds like a great idea."

It comes in white already. Its more like a thin laminate. Cleans pretty easy.

As the pups got to be about 5 weeks old, I cut a doorway onto one end and placed a large wire crate next to the panel so the pups could venture into the cage and become familiar with it before they went to their new homes. No one had any real issues with crating their pups later.

I have a 4'x8' (x2' high) box that can be divided in the middle. it comes together very easily without screws or nails and stores flat. I like this design because the bitch can be in the front half of the box and take a well needed break, the middle can be removed when the puppies are bigger.