How to give newborn pups a head start

There are many ways to give newborn pups a head start in life so they are able to grow into well-developed dogs. In this article we will look at the research data concerning the plus side of removing newborn pups from their mother and litter mates as soon as possible. This data will be eye opening to many people who feel leaving the litter of pups with mom for as long as possible before introducing any stimulation or stress into the pup’s environment results in puppies who naturally grow into well-adjusted dogs.

I am just like everyone else in that we all want to pick up a puppy and play with them. This has actually been proven to be a good thing as the pup is learning from an early age he or she can feel ok and safe when not in the pack of new born pups.

Give newborn pups a head start

Start to give newborn pups a head start in life by introducing stimulation and small amounts of stress while they are still with mom and nursing. The information quoted below from BreedingBetterDogs.com explains in more detail the benefits and how to do so:

Other studies involving early stimulation exercises have been successfully performed on both cats and dogs. In these studies, the Electrical Encephalogram (EEG) was found to be ideal for measuring the electrical activity in the brain because of its extreme sensitivity to changes in excitement, emotional stress, muscle tension, changes in oxygen and breathing. EEG measures show that pups and kittens when given early stimulation exercises mature at faster rates and perform better in certain problem solving tests than non-stimulated mates.

Apparently the military discovered this initially in their studies, and found five very specific neurological stimulation exercises to perform on puppies and other animals between the age of 3 and 16 days! The benefits were that the pups matured faster and were more intelligent than those not subjected to these stimulations. Also, they were found to be significantly more resistant to several major canine diseases. Each of these 5 exercises only lasted 3-5 seconds each, and were done only once per day. It was critical that no more than this amount was done, or neurological damage could result.

Very similar findings resulted when puppies were picked up and petted and loved by their owners routinely before weaning. So if you have ever wondered whether or not you should do this, don’t hesitate.

The research has been performed on many different animals and the conclusions show puppies as well as other animals benefit by this technique. By using these methods you will give newborn pups a head start on life and produce a stronger, more trainable dog in the process.

How do you feel about this information? All comments can be shared below.