Why do breeders put new born pups in a crate?

[Skippyandlulu]

I always thought new born pups should be in a whelping box with rails for their safely. I've seen lots of photos of crates being used instead. Isn't this a bit risky? I would worry that they could be crushed or get stuck in the rails.

[patg53]

I took my own cardboard box with me pick up Kai with blanket and small hot water bottle and couple toys and my Missus drove and I sat in back with him
keeping him calm and safe and feel I made bond with him...

We rubbed blanket on his mum and his brothers and sisters so he still had scent of them ...

My opinion of crates and cages is known I hate them understand why people may use them but my opinion is if you bring a dog into youre family he gets same access to places you do ...

Kai sleeps in our room at night and has been in my 2 older boys bedrooms to ...

Please dont slate me again I do understand why people like them im old fashioned and prefer not to ...

Pat G

[Daisy(mini)Doodle]

Never used a crate before we got Daisy, but we take her away in our motorhome that is not Doodle proof so we used a crate from day 1. She sleeps in a crate in our bedroom when at home. We have never had to force her in it and often when on holiday she will try to get in the crate while we are trying to assemble it. We now use a fabric cage when away which i'm sure she could get out of but she never tries to . Its the modern day kennel great when visiting non dog friends/ family etc.

[Jayne & Richard]

I like to think of Monty's crate in the same way as I did the kids cot, when asleep they are safe and if you have to turn your back for min or 2 they are not going to hurt themselves
I wouldn't have put my little baby straight on a bed, you can't watch them 24 hours a day whether dog or child, my 3 year old only came out of his cot about 6 months ago and he still misses it sometimes
I wouldn't put a new born pup in but when we got Monty it is his safe place, away from the kids where he can sleep in peace, he never minds going in even though it is just at night now unless he takes himself there for some peace and quiet

[Carole g]

Skippyandlulu, are you discussing new born pups or older pups in wire crates? If so I think it is extraordinary thing to do! We all know the dreadful pictures of poor puppy farms bitches in wire cages with their pups.
Maybe it's the large puppy pen type cage which many breeders use once the pups are mobile? Not sure what you mean otherwise.

[Bid]

All the newborn puppies I've seen (not that I've seen hundreds!) have all been in a comfy purpose-built whelping box, with a safety bar to stop them being squashed as you describe Skippyandlulu , with vet-bed to lie on. I have seen photos of really tiny ones that had to be in incubators. The only photos of new born puppies in crates that I've seen was when I was doing my research for the puppy farming awareness day when I googled puppy farms and found plenty, but they were clearly not in someones home in a crate

[Carole g]

I suppose you could put pups in anything for a second while cleaning crates. I use a cardboard box with a towel in it.

[GUNNER]

I always thought new born pups should be in a whelping box with rails for their safely. I've seen lots of photos of crates being used instead. Isn't this a bit risky? I would worry that they could be crushed or get stuck in the rails.

Skippyandlulu are talking about newborns being put in a crate, not something I would have done, however, perhaps it's a safe place to leave pups while whelping box is being cleaned, disinfected and dried, far better than cramming them into a basket, don't you think

[PennyAli]

Do you mean the croft puppy pen which has pig rails?

http://www.croftonline.co.uk/products.a ... +Pen+range

[GUNNER]

Do you mean the croft puppy pen which has pig rails?

http://www.croftonline.co.uk/products.a ... +Pen+range

I didn't realise the Croft had pig rails Lisa
Just to add though, I'd prefer not to have the worry of very mobile pups in a freedom puppy pen ( I had one 6 week old pup catch his teeth on the bars and I had to release him, his crying was absolutely awful thankfully he was ok but did it again when he went to his forever home and broke 2 puppy teeth ) as opposed to newborns in a puppy pen with an inside draught excluder and vet bed.
But then that's just my experience, would have to rethink the whole thing next time.

[amber]

My pups have come downstairs now for weaning, and early socialisation. They are in the Freedom puppy pen.
Is this what you mean?
My puppies are 3 weeks old now, and ready.

in the whelping box

in the freedom pen

[GUNNER]

My pups have come downstairs now for weaning, and early socialisation. They are in the Freedom puppy pen.
Is this what you mean?
My puppies are 3 weeks old now, and ready.

Aaaaw Linda, all cosy and gorgeous pups

[Barb]

Puppies cannot regulate their own body temperature until they are around 4 weeks old. Therefore they should be confined to a draught proof bed with a heat pad (or heat lamp) until they have reached that age. Young puppies are very susceptible to draughts and temperature change which could lead to them becoming very ill and dying.

[amber]

Puppies cannot regulate their own body temperature until they are around 4 weeks old. Therefore they should be confined to a draught proof bed with a heat pad (or heat lamp) until they have reached that age. Young puppies are very susceptible to draughts and temperature change which could lead to them becoming very ill and dying.

They have heat pad,. Barb. Should they still be in the whelping box?

Skippyandlulu, is this about our pups?

[Barb]

Yes Linda, they should. Alternatively in a big enclosed box, with the heatpad in it, within the puppy pen.