When I asked my reproduction vet (Veterinary Village Lomira, WI) what heat source she used for raising a litter of puppies she told me she uses the Lovett’s Whelping Nest and wouldn’t use anything different. Last February Glory was due to whelp her third litter, each litter I try to buy something to improve my breeding techniques. That year I dove in and purchased the whelping nest. I used to use a heating pad and a painters light. With all the horror stories of lights starting a fire and heating pads burning the pups I decided it was time to upgrade my heating source.

Description:

Lovett’s Heated Whelping Nest reduces mortality in newborn puppies, and produces healthier, more vigorous pups.

Did you know that 30% of puppies die before weaning? The majority of those deaths are due to insufficient heat from an inconsistent heat source.

Puppies cannot retain their own body temperature for the first week to 10 days of their lives. Since their ideal body temperature should be 96 to 100 degrees F, obviously supplemental heat is necessary. Now there are quite a number of heating aids on the market, but none that can maintain a constant, even temperature no matter what the surrounding environment. The Whelping Nest has an electronic heat sensor that constantly gauges the temperature and adjusts it accordingly. This maintained temperature, next to eating, is the most important element in a young puppy’s life. You’ll be surprised at the increased rate of gain and how much more healthy and vigorous your puppies will be. The dish shaped nest simulates a natural nest and serves the important function of keeping the pups all together in one area, making the female’s job much less stressful. You don’t use newspapers or blankets with the whelping nest. The plastic surface of the dish and a finished floor are much easier for the female to keep clean, and you’ll find she does a better job. Believe me, once you’ve used the whelping nest you’ll never raise another litter without it.

WHELPING NEST FEATURES

• Maintains a constant surface temperature.
• Adjustable from 85 to 100 degrees fahrenheit.
• Comes preset at 95 degrees (best for whelping) but can be set lower for heat pad or higher for stress pad.
• Tough ABS plastic construction.
• Remote LED status indicator.
• 150 watt power consumption.
• Recessed circular design meets the natural instincts of the mother and newborns.
• 23″ outside diameter.
• Sealed to protect against moisture/urine.
• When installed correctly there is no exposed wires or edges, this eliminates the chances of shock due to the dogs chewing on them.

The bottom line is that this product reduces the mortality rate of newborn pups and produces healthier more vigorous offspring which plays an important part in reducing stress on the mother.  If you save only one pup you have paid for the whelping nest. ~Lovettedog.com

Day one I used the whelping nest as is. The bottom of the dish is rough so the puppies could get their grip but I thought it was still a bit slippery so I put a pad over it to add some traction.

It took Glory a bit of time to figure out how to lay near the whelping nest so the puppies could nurse. Once she figured it out and once the pups started moving more they didn’t have any trouble at all nursing while laying in it.

This was day 3 some pups stayed in the nest and others moved to mom to take a drink.

The nest is very easy to keep clean. It is seated in the floor of the whelping so the cords are under the box away from the puppies.

At day 15 they were still gathered in their nest. They were moving around the whelping box pretty good, you would see one here and there laying around but for the most part they were all gathered together in the nest.

I kept the puppies on the nest for 3 weeks, at that time I started weaning them and they could regulate there body temperature they didn’t need the nest anymore. I really did like the whelping nest. It held a litter of 8 great, even a bigger litter I believe it would do a really nice job as not all the puppies laid in there all the time, they would rotate out and if all wanted to be in there they made it work. Glory would lay all around it at different angles to feed them. I am glad I made this purchase it was well worth it!