One thing you’ll see us doing very early with our puppies is ENS, or Early Neurological Stimulation. It’s brief, gentle, and always done during a very specific window of development, but it plays a powerful role in how the nervous system matures. ENS is performed during the first couple of weeks of life, when a puppy’s brain and stress response systems are rapidly developing. Research originally conducted through the U.S. military’s canine program showed that puppies exposed

By day three, the puppies are settling into a steady rhythm of nursing, sleeping, and growing. While much of their time is still spent resting, there is already a lot happening beneath the surface. You may notice tiny muscle twitches during sleep—little paws moving, whiskers fluttering, or even brief tail flicks. This is called active sleep (sometimes referred to as REM sleep), and it is a critical part of early neurological development. During active sleep, the brain is busy

The NICU Stage of Puppy Development The first several days of a puppy’s life are often quiet, but they are anything but passive. This period is best described as the NICU stage of development, where growth, regulation, and survival take priority over stimulation. Newborn puppies are born neurologically immature. Their nervous systems are still learning how to regulate body temperature, digestion, heart rate, and stress responses. During these early days, the goal is not activ