A Guide to ENS & ESI
At Land of Goshen Doodles, optimal socialization is a priority. One of the earliest way we begin to implement socializing our puppies before they can even see and hear, is through Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) and Early Scent Introduction (ESI).
ENS and ESI are simple yet impactful exercises that you expose puppies to daily from the third day of life until the 16th day, to help aid their development, resilience, and ability to cope.
Benefits to introducing ENS & ESI include:
- Boost puppies’ brain development
- Improves circulation and immune system
- Improves stress response in later life
- Encourages a daily physical check of each puppy
- Begins early desensitization- helps puppies get used to being handled
Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS)
ENS was first used by the US military to improve the performance of their working dogs. First referred to as the “Bio Sensor” by the military and often called the “Super Dog” program, it’s a series of five body handling exercises, each done for three to five seconds. Based on military research, puppies experience their first rapid neurological development phase during the neonatal phase (first 28 days of the puppy’s life), making it the best time to perform neurological stimulation exercises as puppies are extremely sensitive and receptive to stimulation. In short, ENS introduces puppies to mild forms of stimulations and stressors, and these mild stressors & stimulations help kickstart the puppy’s neurological system and improve their natural abilities.
Benefits to ENS
Research suggests that puppies who have been exposed to Early Neurological Stimulation training benefit from stronger immune systems, to improved heart health, hormonal, pituitary, and adrenal systems.
Cautions
While high intensity or prolonged stress can have detrimental effects, the effects of mild, short term stress can be beneficial. It’s critical that you do not utilize ENS if the litter is experiencing any other type of stressors. This exercise is only to be implemented on healthy puppies who have no other stressors.
It’s important to note that just because a dogs has been introduced to ENS during their neonatal period, does not mean they won’t respond to stress at all. Rather, they can tolerate stress more effectively and react in an appropriate manner.
How the Exercises are performed
With these exercises, be sure to support the puppy’s head and body firmly but gently. Exercises should only be done only once a day for three to five seconds each to each puppy.
- Tactical stimulation
- Uses a Q-tip to gently stimulate the puppy between the toes of one foot.
- Head held erect
- Performed by holding the puppy straight up in both of your hands. The puppy should be in a vertical position, with the head directly above its tail.
- Head pointed down
- This exercise is very similar to the head held erect stimulation. However, you’ll be holding the puppy upside down with their head towards the ground.
- Supine position
- This is done by holding the puppy on its back. Hold the puppy in both of your hands with their face towards the ceiling.
- Thermal stimulation
- This introduces the puppy to a colder temperature than its use to. You first have to cool a clean, damp towel in the fridge for at least 5 minutes. Then, you’ll place the towel on a flat surface that is either on the ground or large enough so that if they puppy wiggles they won’t fall off. Do not restrain the puppy or hold them in place.
Here’s a video featured in the Puppy Culture curriculum that provides more information on ENS.
Early Scent Introduction (ESI)
ESI is used alongside ENS starting on Day 3 through Day 16, and introduces puppies to a new natural scents. The scent is introduced to the puppy each day for short intervals(done at a different time than ENS to ensure stress is not associated with the scents), and their reaction to the scent is then recorded.
Developed by Dr. Gayle Watkins, founder of Avidog and a renowned breeder of Golden Retrievers. Dr. Watkins thoroughly conducted trials involving the selective inclusion of ESI in certain litters, comparing the outcomes with those without ESI. The results were extraordinary – the puppies that were subjected to ESI not only displayed heightened scenting abilities but also gained more titles, furthermore, achieving these titles up to five years earlier than their non-ESI counterparts.
Benefits to ESI
ESI creates a more aware and alert dog, which makes an even better family, service, and therapy dog. Even if you don’t plan to raise your puppy to be a service or therapy dog, ESI helps create confident dogs who have less behavioral issues.
How ESI is Performed
The scent is held about 1/2″ from the puppy’s nose, if the puppy tries to move towards the scent with their nose highly engaged is recorded as a positive reaction. A negative reaction will have the puppy pulling away from the scent. If the puppy does not seem interested, its a neutral reaction. You can use many different scents: grass, lemon peel, bark, tennis ball, cat (or other animal) fur, spices, gravel, leaves, pinecones- the possibilities are endless and it’s easy to gather 13 difference scents.
Here’s more info on ESI, if you would like to learn more.
In conclusion
On top of previously mentioned benefits:
- Boost puppies’ brain development
- Improves circulation and immune system
- Improves stress response in later life
- Encourages a daily physical check of each puppy
- Begins early desensitization- helps puppies get used to being handled
It’s been observed that puppies who have been exposed to ENS & ESI during the neonatal period are healthier, better at problem solving, and have a more curious and active nature. By doing these simple exercises, we help begin the socialization process & raise healthy confident dogs.