With one baby it is one thing, but with 8 to 12 pups it is very hard for a tired female to always make sure they are all in the right place.

How you make the whelping box depends largely on your preferences. A book with a diagram is probably your best option. You definitely want something that you can use in the house, since puppies can't regulate their body temp and your female could die out in the dog house from complications without you ever knowing about it. You will probably want to use plywood to make it and paint or seal or do something to keep it from absorbing puppy pee. I have heard great things about bottomless whelping boxes (4 sides, door, pup rails), but for a big dog you probably want to make a bottom that the top can sit in so it doesn't get pushed around. Then just put down a tarp over the bottom, then newspapers then a towel or old blanket on top. I don't know much about the specifics of it, but I am sure you can find several sets of plans on the internet.

Drew, this should give you an idea of a whelping box with the rails...

http://www.flatcoat.com/building.htm

I made one similar to it (actually the husband did, he's a carpenter <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> ), but he made it with hinges at the corners so it could be folded up and put away, and lined the interior walls with formica for easy clean up.

Hey Drew, how did your dog house hold up in the rain? I used wooden shingles like you and we had our first snow this week, then it rained and now the dog house is soaked and a huge mess, it leaks!!. I just installed a dog door into the garage, works better than the dog house did... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I actually left the house I built in the garage, since that is where the dogs sleep at night. Outside I have some dogloo style houses I picked up at Ace Hardware and Wal-Mart on clearance. These work well during the day.....the Pit's house has a door, and seems to be quite warm. I placed an old wool blanket in it for him and he goes in and cuddles up to it and stays there most of the day. He seems to enjoy it.

The Malinois just has the house. Any type of bedding I have put out for her has been destroyed, so I just leave her the house. The straw ends up everywhere......besides, she seems to be just fine with the house.....that is when she actually uses it......typically she is bouncing off the walls of the kennel.

The only problem I am having with the house I built, is the dogs chewing on it.....I realize they want to decorate it and all.....but it really looks fine as it is. I have yet to find anything to put around the edges to keep them from chewing, though I have yet to make it to a couple of stores that will porbably have what I am looking for.