The concept of “puppy curriculum” has been around for years and was first introduced by Dr. Ian Dunbar, a veterinarian and animal behaviorist, who developed a puppy socialization and training program called ‘Sirius Puppy Training’. The program emphasized on the importance of early socialization and training in preventing behavior problems in dogs. Throughout the years the concept has evolved and has become more and more popular and widely recognized among breeders as a necessary tool to accompany pups in their mental and physical development.
Unlike traditional approaches that may work for most breeders but miss the mark for outliers, at MajAnns Australian Labradoodles we understand that each puppy is a unique canvas. Since we believe nothing is static, we embrace the ever-changing nature of reality. We have tried to refine and combine best existing curricula with recent scientific discoveries, arriving at a novel understanding of puppy curriculum. Our dynamic and continuously evolving program ensures that our pups undergo an amazing growth timeline, receiving the care, attention, and socialization they deserve. Alongside Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) and Early Scent Introduction (ESI) that are the building blocks of our program, we introduce our puppies to a rich array of social experiences, ensuring they grow into adaptable and confident dogs. Additionally, massage techniques are utilized, as a good way to relax with the pups after high energy play and to expose them to different types of touch and handling.
Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS)
To best support puppy development and welfare, factors such as the puppy’s growth or time spent with its mother and littermates should be considered. Additionally, the amount and type of environmental enrichment provided to puppies in the form of toys, walks or playtime outdoors, and interactions with humans and other animals have shown to be important considerations over the years. Simple interactions early in a puppy’s life may additionally increase its ability to learn and cope successfully with stress later, thus leading to better welfare outcomes. Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS), which involves applying gentle stressors to a very young animal for short periods of time, is thought to improve their stress responses later in life. These stressors often include removing animals from their litters for short periods, very briefly exposing them to cool temperatures, holding them in different positions, and gently touching parts of their bodies. These handlings are applied for a few seconds, once a day, for at least 10 days, and involve a number of exercises such as tactile stimulation, head erect, head down, supine or thermal stimulation.
Benefits of Early Neurological Stimulation in puppies include:
- improved cardiovascular performance (heart rate)
- stronger heart beats
- stronger adrenal glands
- more tolerance to stress
- greater resistance to disease.
Early Scent Introduction (ESI)
During the first few weeks of a puppy’s life, its brain undergoes rapid development. This period is a prime time for the puppy to learn and adapt to various stimuli. ESI is a procedure that helps puppies to develop confidence and nose awareness. It enhances their ability to identify and react to scents. During this phase, we let the pups smell several items. Similar to ESN, ESI is introduced at days 3-16 of a pup’s life. Introducing varied scents during this period can influence puppy’s neural pathway,
- enhancing their cognitive abilities,
- developing good temperament and confidence building,
- reducing stress-related behaviors and making them more resilient to changing environments,
- enhancing their social skills, therefore improving socialization (especially when exposed to scents associated with humans, other animals, or different environments),
- laying the foundation for specialized training (search and rescue, service roles, etc.).
Puppy socialization
At MajAnns Australian Labradoodles, we understand that socializing our pups is a crucial part of their early development, setting the tone for how they will interact with the world as they grow. We therefore introduce them to a variety of people, environments, sounds, and experiences in a manner that is safe, gentle, and controlled. Our comprehensive socialization process includes exposure to household noises, outdoor noises, sights, textures, meeting new people, and safe interactions with other animals, in accordance with the ESN and ESI procedures.
Puppy massage
Massage a puppy is more than simple petting. It is a hands-on therapy that addresses the tendons, muscles, and other soft tissues by gently manipulating these areas with your hands and flexing the joints. Massage is a good way to relax with your pup after high energy play. It helps reduce anxiety and stress levels, promoting a more relaxed state and increasing comfort in your pup. It can also help them to sleep. Very young pups shouldn’t exercise too much anyway or can risk injuring themselves. In the latter case, massage is an excellent alternative to increases blood flow to sore spots and removes lactic acid that collects in tissues and makes the pup stiff and painful. Since numerous lifelong conditions are affecting your dog, have in mind that massage is therefore a continuous therapy throughout your dog life, and it also has benefits for you too.
Toilet, crate and miscellaneous trainings
Bringing home a new puppy is such an exciting moment, and one you’ll never forget! It is important you should remember your home is not a familiar environment for it, and the first few days can be stressful. Although there’s a lot to learn, one thing you’ll want to get started with as soon as they step paws into your home are puppy toilet and crate trainings. To make things a bit easier for you, we introduce toilet and crate training to the pups respectively when they are around 3 and 6 weeks old. Keep in mind that both toilet and crate trainings take time and patience. It is almost impossible to predict how long it will take as every puppy will take a different length of time to become fully trained. Some puppies can learn really quickly in only a few weeks, whereas for some it may take longer. Most importantly, your pup learning will dependent on how consistent you are, how much you prevent mistakes and reward successes, and how mindful you are.
Having safe and fun enrichment activities during the summer is important for your pup. Additionally, there are lots of outdoor activities in which your dog might encounter water. Wouldn’t it be nice if your dog could enjoy a quick dip in a stream, rather than having to be carried over it? For that aim, we introduce our pup to water games on a kiddie pool to encourage them to play and feel comfortable with water, to develop low-stress bathing skills.
