# Cedar bedding .



## maker4life (Oct 13, 2009)

My girl had a litter of pups yesterday and was wondering what folks thought about cedar chips for bedding in the whelping box . I've heard some pro's and cons but wanted to hear from some folks that may have used it .


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## amstaff (Oct 13, 2009)

*Wouldn't use it...*

My wife and my mother in law have been in the show dog buisness for about 20 years, The M-I-L tried it at the start and quit using said the chip were to rough on newborn puppies eyes plusthey can inhale dust get pieces in their mouths possibly choking them. I would just use an old blanket that can be washed.


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## Tag-a-long (Oct 13, 2009)

Our breeder kept blankets/towels in the whelping box until the pups were getting around good and started on soft foods and then she switched to cedar shavings.


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## maker4life (Oct 13, 2009)

That's what I've been thinking and am doing right now .


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## TripleXBullies (Oct 13, 2009)

I put my females in pins with cedar bedding and only a blanket of some kind for birthing. Within an hour or so of each birth I ensure each puppy is dry and that the blanket is dry enough to keep them that way. I remove the blanket within about 24 hours. I keep the whelping box open with no bedding for about a week. I've never had it very dirty in that time. Anything that is out of the ordinary I spot clean. 

After that I put a VERY fine pine bedding in the whelping box. Once the puppies are out of the box, I generally have about 50/50 pine and cedar in the pen. I like having the cedar for fleas and the smell.


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## CFGD (Oct 13, 2009)

regular ol hay works fine


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## rexb (Oct 13, 2009)

Shredded paper works great.


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## waterdogs (Oct 13, 2009)

ramfreak said:


> regular ol hay works fine



hay will have parisites, just like wheat straw does.


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## southern_pride (Oct 13, 2009)

amstaff said:


> My wife and my mother in law have been in the show dog buisness for about 20 years, The M-I-L tried it at the start and quit using said the chip were to rough on newborn puppies eyes plusthey can inhale dust get pieces in their mouths possibly choking them. I would just use an old blanket that can be washed.





rexb said:


> Shredded paper works great.



The pups can choke on the chips. Towels/blankets are bad too. The pups can get rolled up/covered up and momma can lay on them and smother them. Use newspaper or nothing at all. The momma dog will keep it clean.

Once they geat about 4 weeks, then you can use the chips, but I still dont like em. They'll eat them and they'll get stuck when they try to poo.


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## wildlands (Oct 14, 2009)

Shreaded newspapers works best. I have used small hand towels even wash rags. Stuff that is small enough for them not to get rolled up in it. Make sure you have some pig rails around the sides of the box to keep mom from rolling over on them an squashing them.


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## Cottontail (Oct 14, 2009)

I use shavings had a few pups that found there way under blankets and might smother them.


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## 281 (Oct 14, 2009)

I have always used shavings never had any problems.


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## goose buster (Oct 15, 2009)

Shreaded newspapers works best


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## TripleXBullies (Oct 15, 2009)

I agree that all puppies eat wood! You've just got to find something fine enough that it's not going to stop them up. It's pretty much always a possibility though.


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