From the very first moment your puppy is born all the way until they are in your arms, he/she is growing into the incredible companion that will compliment your family. I take this “sensitive” period very seriously. Each day builds upon the next in order to fully take advantage of developmental milestones that your puppy needs to become the highly adaptable, courageous and curious pup that will continue to grow all the way to 24 months. I have compiled a methodical and chronological list of the stimulating and enriching activities that your puppy will experience from day 1 though 56 (8-weeks-old.)
Day 1
Welcome to the World. Your puppy has made it through the birth canal. Mama and myself have been waiting for this moment and its time to transition from being kept alive inside mama to getting sustenance through Colostrum and being kept warm from her external body heat, their siblings in the form of a puppy pile, and heat lamps. These first 72 hours are critical. I. have a camera and thermometer inside the whelping box to be sure the temperature is just right. I have an app on my phone where I can see them and be alerted if there is a change in temperature. Most puppies that have something wrong will not make it through the third day. This happens unfortunately and we have to just move on. In the case of a stillborn, I let mama see what happened so she can grieve and let go. You would be surprised how mama knows and needs this closure. Your puppy has been cushioned in a sac of amniotic fluid and has been fed through an umbilical cord and now Mama or I cut the cord and get them clean them up quickly. If everything seems ok, I will weigh them, document the time and place of birth and put identification on them with a colored collar. Sometimes, I need to help a pup if they are not breathing or stuck in a breech position. This is a very hard day for us. Sometimes not everyone makes it and by the time we are done severe exhaustion for mama and me sets in. My goal after the whelp is to clean and sanitize the box, provide Mama with fresh water and small nutritious meals several times over the next few days to help her regain her strength, and monitor the box for any sign of distress. I use the professional series of whelping boxes from EZ Whelp and guard rails are set up for the first 21 days to protect the pups in case of mama accidentally laying on them.
Day 2 Army Crawls
During the second day, the pups are already using their instinct and nose to search for warmth and food. The pups are able to use all four limbs to scoot around on their tummies to find their siblings and mama. I do not interfere with their searching unless they are in severe distress and crying out relentlessly. If I do have to intervene, I place the puppy in the direction within about 8 inches of their source to help them problem solve in these early days. I check the pups weight and look for full tummies after nursing. Sometimes if it’s a big litter, I will help the smaller ones find a nipple and suckle before the stronger and bigger ones. This is very important now because I don’t want to overlook a smaller pup who may grow weak with hunger and potentially not make it. I check mama for any kind of heat or swollen hard spots in her mammary glands to make sure she is not having problems with mastitis. Mama is still in the process of cleaning out the afterbirth so keeping the box clean and sanitized every few hours to keep everyone healthy.
Day 3 Getting Stronger
The Army Crawls are starting to pay off. Everyone is already showing more energy and movement around the box. I can start to see some parts of temperament early. Some pups like to lay on their side off in a corner by themselves and others need the company of their siblings. Some pups are more vocal than others and let mama and me know of their displeasure. I make a mental note and start to think about the puppy parents that would be a good fit for them. This is the day that I start the ENS therapy to help stimulate the neurological systems of each puppy. You can read more about ENS on the Development Week-by-week Page. Each puppy is carefully inspected for any kinds of issues that may begin. As I handle each pup, I make sure to stimulate their bums to avoid a mess before I start handling them.
Scentwork begins. Since pups are unable to see and hear, I focus on what they can do which is feel and smell. ENS covers the physical touching part so I begin Early Scent Introduction (ESI)
Early Scent Introduction (ESI) is a procedure we do that helps puppies with their nose awareness and confidence. It enhances their ability to identify and react to scents. Similar to Early Neurological Stimulation, ESI is introduced at days 3-16 of a puppies life and is very benefical for their development.
During this curriculum, we expose them to a different scent each day. As we do this, we hold the puppy close to us, and let them smell each item. After this we then chart their reaction on their neonatal care chart. The reaction is considered to be positive when the puppy shows interest in the scent, moving his/her nose towards it. A negative reaction is recorded when the puppy tries to move away from the scent. If a puppy is neither interested or uninterested in the scent, this is considered a neutral reaction.
What are the benefits?
This procedure creates a more aware and alert dog, which in return makes an even better companion, service, and therapy dog. Many times with therapy and early service dog training, the dog’s scent abilities are a characteristic that is required. Studies have shown that stimulating puppies scent ability early on has been proven to dramatically increase their scent ability later in life.
Here are a few examples of how dogs can help through their scent abilities—
- Nearly half of children with autism tend to run away or go missing. Many dogs are trained to follow the scent and can locate the child.
- Diabetic alert dogs are trained to detect low or high blood sugar levels by the smells in the air.
- Some dogs can even let an elderly person know that the stove has been left on, or even a gas leak.
Naturally some dogs have more of natural nose instinct compared to others. By doing this training and recording their reactions it helps us match the right pup with the right individual need.
You can read more about ESI or watch a short video at Avidog’s website.
Day 4
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