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Ideal Foundations – ESI & ENS – Getting the most out of early days
I’m raising my Australian Shepherd puppies with the goals of therapy and service roles, so ENS & ESI will translate to better focus, calmness, and comfort with novel environments and people. Because of the work I’m doing these first 2 weeks of their lives, they will have more resilience & an increased ability to work as medical scent detection dogs. Both exercises take only about a minute per puppy, each day. It’s an easy investment in their future! I’m including a video of the process at the bottom of this post.
ENS and ESI are powerful, science-based methods to help dogs develop focus, resilience, and adaptability. Starting on day 3 of life and continuing to day 16, ENS (Early Neurological Stimulation) techniques stimulate puppies’ neural networks, increasing connections in the brain. Research on ENS, particularly studies by Dr. Carmen Battaglia, points to substantial long-term benefits in heart health, stress tolerance, and immune function. Initially designed for military working dogs, these practices leverage neuroplasticity to improve puppies’ adaptability and stress resilience, allowing them to grow into calm, confident dogs well-prepared for a range of environments. ENS items stay the same every day, and I try to do them in the same order, though it’s not critical so long as all items are done. Each item is only 3 to 5 seconds long! The items are: Q-Tip paw tickle, head vertical over rump, rump vertical over head, rolled over (spine down) and then placed on a cool wet surface. Except for the wet surface, the puppy is held securely so they feel safe while they experience the change.
ESI (Early Scent Introduction) adds an olfactory layer, exposing puppies to different scents daily in short, controlled sessions. Developed by Dr. Gayle Watkins, ESI incorporates daily exposure to scents such as herbs, grass, and other natural elements. This brief, 5-second introduction to varied scents plays into the brain’s natural plasticity, helping puppies develop keen scent capabilities early on. Research suggests that early olfactory experiences can help shape the neural pathways for scent detection, ultimately leading to more confident adult dogs. For puppies destined for detection work, this exposure translates to improved scent memory and heightened scent-tracking abilities. So far, I’ve used a palo santo (wood) stick, fresh rosemary, soil, and a banana. Farm scents (chicken feathers, cow, goat, etc.) and more to come!
In addition to the above, I’m in the habit of placing one novel item in the whelping box each day. It seems a small thing, but it’s huge when you realize their whole world right now is a 4×4 cozy box. So far, they’ve had a large rock, a plush animal toy, a metal water bottle and a rolly plastic popping turtle toddler toy. Every day is something new!
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12 Replies
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This is interesting! I notice that the first sounds I started hearing were with the Q-tip paw tickle. Some didn’t seem to mind the position changes as much as others.
What scent did you introduce them to this particular day? It looks like cumin!
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Oh, it’s just topsoil! The first two days I used natural but somewhat strong scents (palo santo & rosemary) and almost all the pups were like: “no, thanks” so I wanted to try something milder and hopefully more attractive, and it worked for the most part – some nice, long sniffs from some of them.
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Today will be banana… haven’t done it yet. Waiting for a bit more daylight (I’m on central time) because it makes for better video.
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That’s so cool. My lab loved banana. It was a favorite treat. I’m hoping they like it!
They are all such little individuals!!! I’m enjoying watching my daily fix of puppyhood. I missed them over the weekend.????
How are YOU doing, @catherine ? Are you getting enough sleep and having time for some self-care in there?! I hope you have some backup. I’ve been reading the Puppy Brain book and that family sounds like they all take turns doing all this stuff with the puppies…I am just thinking about you and wish I could help! Sending you lots of energetic and pawsitive vibes for your passage into week 2!
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It’s just Me, Myself & I over here, but family is coming next month when things get crazy, so I’m grateful for that. My brother and my son – both big bearded men, so that’s PERFECT for socialization! My next door neighbor is supplying the children. I’ve been planning that for weeks. haha
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Ah, Great plan! Gotta have men with beards and kids! Take care of yourself, Catherine.????
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Ha ha! OK! Thanks for clarifying…I guess I’m used to darker soil here. It made me want coffee. ☺️
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☕ – Everything makes me want to have coffee!
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How are these puppies doing? Just thinking about all of you and hoping mama is doing well, too. Hope you have had some Siri and time with Magic.????
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Thanks for checking in, Paula! We’re doing well. I’ll post a new update soon.
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