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 sweet babies! The puppies have either been delivered via c-section or made it through the birth canal. Mama and myself have been waiting for this moment and its time to transition the puppies from being kept alive inside mama to acclimating to the outside world. Pups are weighed in, checked for cleft palate, rear ends, and heart murmurs. Pups begin to get their sustenance through the mama’s Colostrum and must be kept warm. This is achieved from her external body heat, their siblings in the form of a puppy pile, and carefully placed 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. Unfortunately, this does happen from time to time and we have to just move on. In the case of a stillborn or a death within the 72-hour period, I let mama see what happened so she can grieve and let go.( You would be surprised how mama knows and needs this closure.) Each puppy has been cushioned in a sac of amniotic fluid and has been fed through an umbilical cord. Once they are out the cord is cut and they are cleaned up quickly. Pups are assigned a colored collar in order to keep up with their progress and health. The first day is usually a very long and hard day for both mama and I. My only goal for the next 72 hours is to keep the whelping box sanitary, provide Mama with fresh water and small nutritious meals several times to help her regain her strength, and monitor the puppies 24/7 for any sign of distress. I use the professional series of whelping boxes from EZ Whelp which has the guard rails which are set up for the first 21 days to reduce the risk of pups being smothered or crushed.
Day 2
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 (army crawls) 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 and exercise in these early days. I check the pups weight and look for full tummies after nursing. Typically, puppies will lose a little bit of weight and hopefully double their weight by the 10th day. 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 and wash her incision if she had a c-section. Pigment on the nose and toes begins to darken
Day 3
Everyone is already showing more energy and movement around the box. Puppies have been doing the army crawls and competing for the milk bar. The critical survival period is ending and the critical neurological and olfactory period are beginning. 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. Anything of note is documented as I begin to think about the puppy’s natural traits and tendencies and which puppy parents that would be a good fit for them.
The 3rd day is also the day I start the Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) therapy to help exercise the neurological system which helps with physiological reactivity and response (think staying calm in adverse or surprising circumstances.) Graceful Goldens pups are well know for being exceptionally calm, well-mannered and ready to learn. You can expect a puppy that will not be jumping up and down demanding for attention and biting at ankles and hands.
Early Scent Introduction (ESI) also begins on the third day to see which pups have “natural scent skills.” These “naturals” are then identified as potential prodigies for medical service work (Diabetes, Epilepsy, Heart Disease, and Neurological/Psychological fields for Bipolar, Autism, and Anxiety.). I will ask you for an article of clothing that you have recently worn to acclimate the pups to you and your family’s smells for a smoother transition to your home.
Our intention is for every single puppy to have the ability to do service work to some degree and in some capacity. We all have stress and our dogs have the ability to identify and respond to us humans who may be struggling with emotional flooding, high levels of stress or a hightened state of arousal and anxiety. My belief is that each and every puppy’s life is going to be a primary comapanion and source of comfort to someone and their family. Every single day matters and is the highest priority in my breeding program during the first three weeks of life. Each puppy has it’s very own chart with individualized documentation and is sent home in their personal take home folder.
What are the benefits?
It has been proven that both of these types of early therapeutic interventions creates a more intuitive companion who is oftentimes made aware of what is going on before we notice in ourselves or in others what is happening. Because of this early awareness, this gives the opportunity for an early interventions (such as the dog calmly sitting next to or nudging the human in order to distract from the stressor in order to recallibrate and recover.)
In addition to early detection and quick response, your dog should have low reactivity and quick recovery to sudden circumstances that could create an unwelcome or volatile stress response (running away, growling, biting, or nipping.)
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.
- People with Heart Conditions can be detected before the onset of a heart attack.
- Individuals with mental health conditions can be alerted to an onset of hyperarousal and responded to with calm energy.
- 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.
You can read more about ESI or watch a short video at Avidog’s website.
Day 4
Because puppies are born without sight and hearing, they must use their nose and nervous system to find food and warmth. They are highly sensitive to smell, touch and temperature which is why ENS and ESI are at their peak. Each day I will discuss each component of the ENS intervention to help you know what is going on. Today we will talk about the first thing I do to begin the ENS protocol. I start by orienting the puppy in an upright position. I will hold them under their elbows and around the ribcage while supporting the head. I like to bring them up to my face and let them smell my breath as I am speaking to them. Although they cannot hear me, they can still sense the vibration. I hold them like this for about 10 seconds while gently moving them back and forth to help them settle. Their legs will soften and their spine will settle and stretch. This lets me know that they have recovered from the stress of being held in this position.
Day 5
After the puppy softens from the upright position, I then gently turn them completely upside down. The puppy becomes disoriented and begins to object with squirming and squealing. While supporting the head, I begin to gently rock them back and forth to encourage a settling response. Once the puppy calms and settles, the neck will soften and the squealing stops. I then maintain this position for about 10 seconds and then move on to the supine position (which is flat on their back.)
Day 6
The supine position is a very unnatural position for a dog. Like the upside down position it is usually met with objection. While on their back I gently move them back and forth in a circular pattern and wait for them to settle. The legs will soften and the hips will yield once they recover. I continue this for another 10 seconds.
Day 7
The next ENS position is the nose to tail exercise. I hold the pup with one hand and gently caress the puppy in one downward motion from nose to the end of the tail. They seem to have a positive response to this position. The will put their head back as though they are wanting to be petted. It is my very favorite!
Day 8
After the nose to tail position, I proceed to tickle their paws and nose with a qtip. This gentle but effective stimulation causes them to pull their paw back. Even though eyes are closed, their faces, brows and ears make undeniable expressions. You can tell they are experiencing something for the first time and processing the stimulation. Each day the brain is creating neural pathways and each time they experience the same stimulation, it reinforces what has previously been learned which builds stability in the brain.
Day 9
After tickling the paws, I pick up the dremel and turn it on. The vibration and light can be felt and seen in the brain even though the eyes are closed. I gently massage the back, arms, head and tummy with the vibration and then at the very end, I will use the dremel on one to two toes.
Day 10
Once I complete the dremel exposure, I will use a small clipper and trim the nails that are beginning to get long.
Day 11
After the quick nail trim, I introduce a new scent or object and record the response.
Day 12
After the scent / object has been recorded, I quickly weigh the pup to check on growth.
Day 13
After recording the weight, I then place the pup on a cold and wet surface. I am looking for them to problem solve in that they quickly move off the object by themselves.
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