A Tygold puppy’s first 8 weeks

The time has come and the work now begins. Over the next 8 weeks your future puppy will be experience many things designed to build confidence, problem solve, stability, manners, respect and various foundation work; handling, grooming, recall, connection, crate training, scent and much more. My goal with each and every puppy is to expose them to experiences that will help them shape their behavior and give them the confidence and skills to become a well balanced dog.

The first week after birth is when pups are the most fragile. They are completely dependent upon their mom and myself for their survival. Monitoring room temperatures, puppies weight gain/loss, puppy development, Mom’s milk supply and mothering skills are just a few things that are watched closely on a daily basis. Just because we have puppies on the ground, we aren’t out of the danger zone yet. It is important over the next several days that the puppies continue to thrive giving them the best possible start to their life.

An exciting time and I look forward to sharing with you the development and growth of your future puppy.

From 3 - 16 Days of Age | ENS | ESI

Many people may think that the first several days the mom does all the work, however this is a very important time in a puppies life and the only time that we can wake up their neurological system promoting stronger heart beats and heart rates. Below is a video on ENS and the 5 exercises that are done to promote good health in our puppies.

Early Scent Introduction (ESI) Scenting is our dogs' primary sense and definitely the most important and satisfying to them. It is one of the senses that is present in a highly developed form from birth. Remember neonatal puppies do not have their eyes or ears open and rely on their nose to find their way to the milk bark and to sniff their way around the whelping box seeking out their litter mates. Using scenting to develop their brains through Early Scent Introduction can benefit all puppies, regardless of their future roles and will certainly enhance their tracking ability for those of you who wish to try tracking or nose work.

ESI is done once daily for about five seconds a day for a total commitment of one minute per puppy. On each of these days, I present each pup with a new scent, one that it's never smelled before. Natural items such as grass, dirt, leaves, bark, moss, flowers, and more. Kitchen items such as pungent fruits, herbs and spices, including orange, banana, lemon, apple, lime, rosemary and mint, cloves, cinnamon and even anise. Training gear/working items, which include game birds such as duck, pheasants, grouse and pigeons, and the other tools we use such as tennis balls, wood and leather.