Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS)
A few seconds a day in the first weeks of life, for calmer, healthier puppies.
Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) is a breeder-led training protocol for puppies aged 3 to 16 days designed to stimulate their nervous systems, improve stress tolerance, and boost health. It involves five 3–5 seconds, daily exercises—tickling toes, head held up, head held down, supine (on back), and thermal stimulation—that provides gentle, controlled stress.
Every litter we raise gets ENS.
Day 3Day 16
Once a day, five exercises of 3 to 5 seconds each. Under half a minute per puppy.
The five exercises
In this order, every day from day 3 to day 16.
- Tickling the toesHolding the puppy in one hand, we gently tickle between the toes of one foot with a cotton swab.
- Head held upWe hold the puppy upright in both hands, head straight above the tail.
- Head held downWe turn the puppy so the head points down toward the ground.
- On its backThe puppy rests on its back in our palms, nose toward the ceiling.
- A cool, damp towelThe puppy stands on a cool, damp towel, feet down. We do not hold it still.
Weeks 4 to 8: meeting the world
From week 4 to week 8, we expose our puppies to as many new things as we can. We run the vacuum and other everyday noises so they aren't afraid of them later, and they meet our other dogs. It all adds up to a calmer, more confident, better socialized adult dog.
Key benefits of ENS
Developed from the military's "Super Dog" project, this early training is intended to create more adaptable and healthier dogs.
- Improved cardiovascular health
- Stronger heart rate.
- Stronger adrenal glands
- Increased resistance to stress and disease.
- Enhanced performance
- Better adaptability and learning capacity.
Ask about a puppy or the next litter
Call or text, email, or send us a message. We are happy to answer questions about our puppies and how we raise them.