We use either the wading pool (large = 5ft diameter) and sheets that we picked up from a garage sale. Once the pups are old enough to crawl out, usually using mom as a ladder, we move them to a whelping pen that is 4 x 8 x 24" that we made with furniture grade plywood covered in 4mm heavy plastic sheeting. The boards were cut by home depot so no work is involved there, the plastic sheeting is stapled on and removed/replaced with each litter, the boards are screwed together using 2" x 4" x 24" corner anchors with 2 in screws. The whole thing is placed on two layers of the same plastic that covers the sides and is brought up the sides on the outside and stapled to form a moisture proof barrier since the pen is in our basement. We use pine shavings for litter, the pen is big enough to fit a crate in it to start with crate training, and the pups haven't gotten out of it yet with four litters so far, all going home at 8 wks old. Material list:
2 sheets furniture grade plywood, 4 x 8 ft, ripped down the center, the other one ripped and cut into fourths. You will have two extra pieces for other projects.
1 2 x 4 x 8 cut into 24" lengths, use the extra pieces for pig rails in the corners if needed
1 small box of 2" wood screws
1 battery operated drill and screw bit
1 roll of 4mm heavy duty plastic
staple gun and staples
sheets or carpet for when pups are young, wood shaving once they are at least 3 wks old.
If a blond polish girl can do it, so can you. Of course my dad was a carpenter and I helped him frame houses, but that doesn't count!
