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1. Why the First Eight Weeks Matter

What happens during the first eight weeks of a puppy's life matters. We liken raising a puppy from birth to 8 weeks of age to that of raising a child from birth to 5 years of age.  The social and environmental interactions that a child experiences during the first five years form the basis for how he or she perceives and interacts with the world around him or her.

We believe that how we raise puppies influences how they perceive and interact with their world.

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Three Stages of Canine Growth and Development 

1. Early Neurological Stimulation - 3 to 16 days of age 
2. Socialization - 4 to 16 weeks of age
3. Enrichment - no time limit - throughout the life of a canine

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2. A bit of background on the modern Early Neurological Stimulation program

 

The current ENS program evolved from a program operated through the military's canine research initiatives to systematically optimize the performance of working dogs destined for tactical duties. Decades later, the protocol was released to the public and repackaged for domestic breeders.

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The protocol of stimulating the central nervous systems of puppies was originally reported to be created as a classified military canine research project during the 1970s (specifically adapted between 1968 and 1974). It was called the "Bio Sensor" program. 

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The Military’s goal was to give military working dogs a distinct tactical edge. The military needed dogs with superior focus, lower emotional reactivity, and higher endurance.  During the era, dogs were trained for high-intensity, high-stakes combat and security operations. The Bio Sensor routine was claimed to give them superior stress tolerance and heightened sensory focus.

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They were uniquely equipped for the following demanding roles:

Scout dog -  Walking point in front of a patrol through dense jungle or hostile terrain. They used heightened senses to alert handlers to enemy forces long before humans could see or hear.

Mine and booy-trap detection - Sniffing out tripwires, buried land mines, IEDs. Emotional stability was vital.

Sentry amd perimeter guarding - They needed to be intenseley vigilant and give silent alert (raising hackles or freezing) to warn of enemy saboteurs breaching the wire.

Tunnel Detection - Finding the entrances to vast, hidden underground enemy tunnel systems. These dogs were trained to sniff out the hollow spaces, booby traps, or air shafts connected to the tunnels. 

Combat Trackers - Teams were deployed to track fleeing enemy forces or locate missing and wounded friendly soldiers by following scent and blood trails. 

Water Patrols -  Some dogs were trained to detect enemy divers submerged completely underwater who were breathing through hollow reeds, waiting to attack military watercraft.

n 1976, the U.S. Army published an article titled “Army Deactivates 'Super Dog' Cross-Breeding Program,” announcing the termination of its military dog breeding program.

The program had produced 1,996 puppies over five generations through selective breeding, conditioning, and evaluation.

Trainers reported improvements in trainability, reliability, and sensory abilities.

The Army's “Super Dogs” were the result of a much broader breeding and development program, not simply the five neonatal handling exercises.

Through their research, the Army discovered a brief, rapid window of brain development between days 3 and 16. They found that introducing very mild, controlled stressors—like a cold towel or changing their body position—forced the tiny puppies' nervous systems to adapt and grow stronger. 

It was reported that the research was eventually declassified and released to the public, and it was affectionately dubbed the "Super Dog Program." 

Dr. Carmen Battaglia, a respected scientist and American Kennel Club (AKC) judge, studied the military's data, packaged the five specific exercises into what we now call Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS), and popularized it for domestic dog breeders around the world. He first introduced the protocol to civilians in 1995 by publishing "Developing High Achievers" in the AKC Gazette, later expanding its global reach in a 2009 paper. While he kept the military's exact parameters identical—retaining the five core exercises, the 3-to-5-second duration, and the days 3 through 16 neonatal window—he successfully repackaged the classified "Bio Sensor" project into an accessible civilian checklist. Ultimately, Dr. Battaglia framed ENS as a foundational first phase that must be paired with subsequent environmental enrichment and socialization.

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3. Performing ENS on Our Puppies

When puppies are born, their eyes, and ears, and digestive systems are not fully developed. The dam licks them to stimulate urination and defecation.  At this age they are only able to smell, suckle, and crawl.

 

Body temperature is maintained by snuggling close to their mother or by crawling into piles with their littermates. There are specific time periods early in life when neurological stimulation has optimum results.

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The first period begins at the third day of life and lasts until the sixteenth day.  This interval of time is a period of rapid neurological growth and development, and ENS, when employed during this period, is claimed to give the dog a superior advantage.

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At Strauss and Solace Shilohs, from day 3 to day 16, during each of the five exercises, we stimulate the puppies between 3 and 5 seconds  (as per the ENS protocol).

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Timeline
* Age Range: Days 3 through 16 of a puppy's life.
* Frequency: Once per day, per puppy.
* Duration: 3 to 5 seconds per exercise. 

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The 5 Exercises
Each puppy is handled individually and taken through the five steps in order, once a day:

 
1. Tactile Stimulation: Tickle or rub the skin gently between the toes on any one foot using a Q-tip or fingertip (3–5 seconds).

2. Head Held Erect: Hold the puppy straight up and perpendicular to the ground so that its head is directly above its tail (3–5 seconds).

3. Head Pointed Down: Hold the puppy firmly and reverse its position so the head points downward toward the ground (3–5 seconds).

4. Supine Position: Cradle the puppy so its back rests in the palm of your hands with its muzzle facing straight up toward the ceiling (3–5 seconds).

5. Thermal Stimulation: Place the puppy's feet down onto a damp towel that has been chilled in the refrigerator (3–5 seconds). 

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4. Studied and Claimed Benefits 

Studies have shown that mild forms of stress in animals stimulate hormonal, adrenal, and pituitary systems. 

Why is this noteworthy? 
The pituitary gland is a small gland at the base of the brain that helps regulate hormones, including those involved in the stress response. The adrenal glands release hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline that help the body respond to challenges. Together, these glands are part of the hormonal system, the body's chemical communication system that coordinates its responses.

The following benefits have been attributed to ENS, although research has not conclusively established that the exercises produce all of these outcomes.

* Cardiovascular Performance: Stronger heartbeats and improved heart rate.

* Adrenal Function: Stronger adrenal glands.

* Stress Tolerance: Greater calmness and lower emotional reactivity when facing novel or stressful situations later in life.

* Disease Resistance: Improved overall immune response and resilience.

* Cognitive Traits: Greater curiosity, active exploratory behavior, and better problem-solving capacity. 

Strauss and Solace's Firsthand Observations
Since 2006, we have been employing the Super Dog program, and we have found that our puppies tend to be more outgoing and adapt to situations more readily.  They have greater confidence and are less reactive than the previous litters, when we did not employ the Super Dog program in our breeding program.

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5. Socialization (4 to 16 weeks) Learning to interact with the world

Canine socialization studies have shown that puppy socialization is critical between the fourth and sixteenth weeks of age.   Puppies that have adequate attention and handling are more inquisitive and active.  We spend several hours each day with our puppies to provide active and fun time, but also to facilitate the canine/human bonding experience. We do this because it is healthy for the puppies but also because we adore our puppies and it is healthy for us.

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Current Strauss and Solace Puppy Socialization Interactions
* Clips puppies' nails weekly.
* Introduces a designated potty area.
* Introduces grooming.
* Introduces wearing a collar.
* Exposes puppies to older dogs and dogs of different ages.
* Interaction with children.
* Big screen TV where dog channel is played, animal planet, city traffic noises, etc.
* Thunderstorms and loud noises.

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6. Environmental Enrichment (throughout life) - Learning through exploration and discovery

Enrichment is a term which has come to mean the positive sum of experiences which have a cumulative effect upon the canine.  Enrichment experiences typically involve exposure to a wide variety of interesting, novel, and exciting experiences with regular opportunities to freely investigate, manipulate, and interact with them.  Canines that are raised in an enriched environment tend, later in life, to freely investigate, have more confidence and are less reactive.

Regular trips to the park, shopping centers,  and obedience and agility classes serve as examples of enrichment activities.  Enrichment activities should provide many opportunities for interaction and investigations. 

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Current Strauss and Solace Puppy Enrichment Activities
* Interactive toys
* Puppy jungle gym
* Raised platforms
* Wobble board
* Tunnels
* Different surfaces
* Different textures
* Different sounds

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7. Continuing Development After Puppies Go Home

It is up to the families that get a puppy from us to continue the work that has gone into the puppy.  We formed the pup's foundation and now it is up to the families to create the necessary time to enjoy their puppy, give the puppy outings and stimulation.  

Canines that are raised in an enriched environment tend, later in life, to freely investigate, have more confidence and are less reactive.

Supporting historical and scientific resources
U.S. Army — Army Deactivates 'Super Dog' Cross-Breeding Program (1976)
The original military account of the dog breeding research program.

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Dr. Carmen Battaglia — Developing High Achievers
The five exercises, reported benefits, and Bio Sensor account.

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Boone and colleagues — ENS and Puppy Welfare (2023)
A controlled study that did not confirm the proposed additional benefits of ENS.

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Gazit and colleagues — ENS in Working Dogs (2022)
Results suggesting that differences in later performance may depend on broader handling experiences.

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Merck Veterinary Manual — Social Behavior of Dogs
Developmental stages, maternal care, and early socialization.