What is Super Dog Training?
Super Dog Training is a protocol used to stimulate a newborn puppy’s senses starting after the second day of being born up until the pup reaches 16 days old. This multi-sensory routine was developed by the U.S. military in an effort to produce the most intelligent dogs possible to be part of their rigorous training programs and has seen much success in both private breeding practices but most of all- with the government contracted breeders who are trying to give their ‘young soldiers’ the very best science-backed start at life!
What does Early Neurological Stimulation do for a puppy?
By gently engaging a newborn canine’s senses, the brain goes into rapid development much sooner than a puppy that’s left alone with it’s mother. Being exposed to different types of touch or briefly introducing them to cold temperatures- the immune system also starts to develop much quicker than a puppy always kept at the same snuggly and comfortable temperature for the first 8 weeks of life. Although ENS is not as extreme as us humans plunging into an ice bath or frozen lake- the concept for strengthening the immune system is the same. Engaging the senses is so important to our own human baby development- the survival mode switch in dogs gets briefly flipped on to help the awareness and understanding of the world around them.
How do I perform ENS on a puppy?
If you plan to breed, doing your own research as well as talking to your veterinarian and local puppy trainer would be wise. It is important to do the entire protocol in it’s entirety with each puppy before moving on to the next.
It’s also important to note that Early Neurological Stimulation can backfire if done for too long or temperatures too extreme- a puppy could become traumatized and will cause them to develop in such a way that will produce aggressive behavior or a completely broken sense of self. No breeder should ever mistakenly think they could develop a ‘super duper’ dog by lengthening the amount of time each stimuli that is performed or adding additional protocols in hopes for the producing the absolute best canines.
Touch– stroke puppies along their spine for 3-5 seconds 2x per day. This helps them get used to human hands as well as gently stimulating their nervous system. Puppies that receive human touch and socialization are far better at bonding with their forever families!
Tactile Stimulation– Use a cotton swab to touch between their toes 1x per day. Ever wonder why some dogs hate certain textures on their feet or refuse to let them hold their paw? While this certainly doesn’t guarantee aversions to all things on their pads, the touch between their toes helps them adapt as they grow!
Holding the Puppy– There are different ways to hold the puppy (sitting, diving, and submissive nap) for a brief period of time to get them used to their body being in various positions. Holding the young canines in such a way helps stimulate their immune response, body awareness, as well as their directional instinct.
Thermal Stimulation– Puppies are exposed for no longer than 5 seconds to a cold wet towel that has been refrigerated, or one that is covering a tray of ice. The jolt of cold awakens their immune response very briefly before getting put back to warm up with the rest of their littermates and mom.
Here at Blue Diamond Family Pups, it is our goal to produce the best quality canines possible. Breeding isn’t just about how cute a puppy is, but developing the intelligence and immunity of each puppy to ensure we are stewarding these creatures to the best of our ability knowing what we do here at the kennel is foundational for your dog to live a long life and adapt well into your daily lives. We believe that they will become integral parts to your family’s daily lives and forever pieces of your hearts! We see it as our duty to make every part of the puppy buying experience excellent- so employing Super Dog Training to accomplish this is a no brainer! It takes extra time and care with each puppy but we know it makes a huge difference in creating a not-so-average or downright crazy family dog.
Kimberly the Puppy Trainer has been a great resource to not only integrate ENS practices at the kennel, but has also created additional age appropriate stimulation with different toys and sounds once the dogs are ‘graduated’ from the Super Dog Training phase so that we can keep making impressions upon these young brains with some additional moments of intentional learning, socialization, and desensitization.
How does super dog training effect temperament testing?
Because we believe that each dog born here at the kennel has their own distinct personality- the Super Dog Training helps that little temperament shine through all the more when it’s time to test. The intelligence of each puppy has been coddled and molded ever so gently while in its first 8 weeks of life so the temperament test will reveal more information about the dog’s behavior, intuition, and smarts if Early Neurological Stimulation has been employed. We have said this before and it never gets old to say it again: we care about where our dogs end up which is why we do what we do on our end to ensure the breeding practices in the kennel are producing the best dogs! Though we do not produce military grade canines, many of our puppies go on to be service dogs, emotional support animals, or amazing family pets! It is SO important that our pups should be matched with their ideal forever families- first through Super Dog Training and then through Volhard Temperament Testing.
Since the pandemic- the world of buying a puppy has primarily been shifted to the world wide web which makes it hard for families to know what kind of dog they are getting after they fall madly in love with a cute photo! Perhaps you want and active dog to keep up with the kids and the entire neighborhood that is buzzing with constant activity or you want a slow paced companion who would be happy just to hang on your lap all day. The way each puppy reacts to the Early Neurological Stimulation helps guide them into the sweet, sassy, or scrumptious personality that they were born with and adapt into their new surroundings as quickly as possible so that buying that ‘perfect’ dog you are hoping for is a very real experience despite it all being so virtual.
If you are interested to learn more about ENS, Temperament Testing, or want to chat with Kimberly our local Puppy Trainer before selecting your puppy- please don’t hesitate to contact us!
