Inside the Puppy Pen – Day 3

At three days old, these puppies are still in that incredible early newborn stage. Their eyes and ears are closed, so they are completely dependent on their sense of smell and their ability to detect warmth to find mama. You will see them instinctively root and crawl toward her, guided by scent and body heat alone.

Right now, their entire world revolves around sleeping and eating. This is exactly what we want. During these first days, their bodies are growing rapidly, and their nervous systems are just beginning to develop. Even though it looks simple from the outside, there is a lot happening behind the scenes.

Today, we also began ENS (Early Neurological Stimulation) and ESI (Early Scent Introduction).

ENS is a series of very gentle, short exercises done once daily from days 3 through 16. Each exercise lasts only a few seconds and is designed to provide mild neurological stress that helps strengthen the puppies’ developing systems. Research has shown this can lead to improved stress tolerance, stronger cardiovascular performance, better immune function, and overall more resilient dogs.

ESI introduces a new scent to each puppy every day during this same early window. We present one scent at a time and observe their reaction. This helps begin building scent recognition pathways early in life, which is especially valuable for future service work, therapy roles, and advanced training.

Both ENS and ESI are done carefully, briefly, and intentionally so that we support development without overwhelming them. At this stage, it is all about laying a strong foundation in the simplest, most natural ways.

These early days may look quiet, but they are some of the most important days in shaping who these puppies will become.

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