Puppy Curriculum

Five exercises that are performed for 3-5 seconds:
Tactical stimulation (between toes)
Head held erect
Head pointed down
Supine position 
Thermal stimulation

BENEFITS:
​Improved cardiovascular performance
Stronger heart beats
Stronger adrenal glands
More tolerance to stress
​Greater resistance to disease 

ESI is a process we do that helps puppies with their nose awareness and confidence. We expose our puppies to a different pungent scent each day and chart their reaction. A positive reaction means that the puppy actively engaged with the scent, and a negative reaction means that the puppy moved away from the scent. A puppy may also have a neutral reaction. ESI enhances a pup's ability to identify and react to scents. It is very beneficial for a their development!

Examples of scents used:
​Allspice, red pepper, tennis ball, pine chips, ginger, cinnamon, leather, rosemary, coconut, soil, garlic, nutmeg, peppercorn, clove, poppy seeds, oregano, orange peel, etc.

BENEFITS:
Confidence
Nose awareness
Great for hunting, tracking, & diabetic alert dogs

We introduce puppies to brief "loud noise exposure" on day 18, 19, & 20. When puppies are this young, they do not fear sound, so we use this as an opportunity to get a head start on desensitization of loud noises. This is as simple as banging a spoon on a metal bowl three times. As puppies develop their senses around three weeks, we gradually begin to expose them to a variety of sounds that they may encounter in their forever homes. Examples include: TV, vacuum, garage door, clapping hands, shouting, music, lawn mower, atvs, vehicles, sirens, blow dryer, etc.  All puppies are closely monitored during this time to ensure they do not become stressed. ​

During the first two weeks, there is minimal handling as mom is caring for her puppies. At week 3, we begin our handling exercises. We rub ears, cover eyes, rub belly in circular motions, run hand down back and tail, touch paws, tap nails, run fingers around neck & under collar, and touch nose. We allow puppies to smell our face, then we hold them snug to our chest until they've settled. This is meant to condition puppies to human touch and it is never meant to upset or stress them. Our goal is to create a positive experience each time a puppy is held. We continue the handling exercises until puppies go home, each week slightly increasing the intensity and pressure.

At three weeks old, we place a novelty item (gentle and safe) in the whelping box so that puppies can explore at their own leisure. We do this for an entire week, and we typically use rolled-up towels, buckets, small boxes, stuffed animals, & pillows. This item stays in their whelping box during the day and it's typically taken out once all puppies have either lost interest or they have fallen asleep. If puppies do well with one exposure item, we may decide to add a few throughout the day. The main goal of this activity is to build trust with our puppies. 

At four weeks old, we begin following an exposure activity guide. The guide includes many items we will use to expose our puppies throughout the coming weeks as they grow and develop. These items are listed in order from beginner to advanced. We move throughout the exposure items as they are ready, never overstimulating puppies. Each litter is assessed and moved through these items at an appropriate pace. Some litters may not accelerate as quickly as others, so we take this into consideration with each litter.

Examples of Exposure Activities:

Day 28-34:
Stuffed toys
Big blocks
Bubble wrap
Rubber Toys

Day 35-41:
Water bottles
Objects with wheels
Ball Pit (plastic colored balls)
Snuffle mats (tactile work)

Day 42-56:
Water exposure
Brain games (using kibble or treats)
Balloons/Plastic Bag (overhead exposure)
Slides/Steps with landing
Crate Exposure
Exposure to new location
Car/ATV rides

We start making note of temperament traits when puppies reach 6 weeks. We begin official temperament assessments on day 53 and around day 60 for our petite puppies. 

Temperament Traits Tested:

AssertivenessConfidence
(Belief in his or her own abilities and approach to new situations.)

Motivation Level
(Intrinsic desire to work for and with a human. Also, can be called his or her workability.)

Nerve Strength/Resiliency
(Ability to handle and manage stress in reaction to situations.)

Touch ToleranceEnergy LevelSound SensitivitySight  SensitivityPrey DriveHuman Focus or Pack Drive