Take a peek at how we raise our puppies!
The Puppy Raising Process
As a breeder I want to create well socialized and easily adaptable puppies.
This goes beyond pedigrees, selecting compatible breeding pairs, and health testing and into how we raise our puppies.
As due dates approach all of our momma dogs are set up in their whelping areas. They are given a sufficient amount of space to be able to take breaks, stretch out, and raise their puppies for the first 3 weeks of life.
We use Dura Whelp whelping boxes here as we find they are the safest option, allow for excellent traction using the Dura Whelp Pads and offer extra space as the puppies grow and become mobile. They are also easily kept clean! We ensure our whelping, nursing and weaning areas are deep cleaned on a daily basis!
Our moms spend the first 3-4 weeks in this set up with their puppies. They have 24/7 access to food and water and a space of their own to get away from the puppies as they wish.
Day 3: Learning begins!
At 3 days of age we begin to do daily exercises with the puppies called ENS "Early Neurological Stimulation" and ESI "Early Scent Introduction"
ENS is believed by some experts to enhance the natural abilities of dogs and give them a superior advantage. It involves subjecting pups aged 3-16 days to 5 forms of stimulation that lead to “stress.” It is said to benefit puppy development in 5 ways:
Improved heart rate
Stronger heartbeats
Stronger adrenal glands
Better tolerance to stress
Greater resistance to disease
The exercises are quite simple.
Tactile
Stimulation
Early Scent Introduction (ESI) is done in conjunction with the ENS training. ESI is designed to enhance puppy's ability to identify and react to specific scents.
How ESI is done:
We introduce a new scent each day starting at Day 3 & ending Day 16 of puppy's life. We use items such as grass, bark, dirt, pine cones, fruit, herbs, leather, wood, tennis balls, cats, birds, essential oils, but no treats or food items. We watch to see how a puppy responds, do they engage or express avoidance.