Mulberry River Poodles and Doodles, LLC.

Q. & A. with Mandy

• What makes your program special?

  The first three weeks of a puppy’s life are a crucial time. Puppies are very helpless at this stage. Their eyes do not open until around 10 days, and the sense of hearing starts around 2 weeks. Mama dogs do most of the work at this stage, and our job is to keep everyone warm, safe, and clean. The most important way we interact with our litters during this phase is by touch. Our puppies are gently handled and stroked at least two times a day so they learn that human touch is a pleasant experience. Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) exercises, which are conducted once daily from the 3rd to the 16th day, a period believed to be a time of rapid neurological growth and development. Even though puppies are very immature during this time frame, they are sensitive and respond to ENS. The US Military developed this method designed to improve the performance of future military working dogs, according to the Breeding Better Dogs program developed by Dr. Carmen Battaglia, esteemed breeder, judge, seminar presenter, and AKC board member. ENS requires handling the puppies one at a time while performing a series of five exercises. 1. Tactile stimulation – Holding the pup in one hand, the handler gently stimulates (tickles) the pup between the toes on any one foot using a Q-tip. It is not necessary to see that the pup is feeling the tickle. Time of stimulation 3 – 5 seconds. 2. Head held erect – Using both hands, the pup is held perpendicular to the ground, (straight up), so that its head is directly above its tail. This is an upwards position. Time of stimulation 3 – 5 seconds. 3. Head pointed down – Holding the pup firmly with both hands the head is reversed and is pointed downward so that it is pointing towards the ground. Time of stimulation 3 – 5 seconds. 4. Supine position – Hold the pup so that its back is resting in the palm of both hands with its muzzle facing the ceiling. The pup while on its back is allowed to sleep. Time of stimulation 3-5 seconds. 5. Thermal stimulation— Use a damp towel that has been cooled in a refrigerator for at least five minutes. Place the pup on the towel, feet down. Do not restrain it from moving. Time of stimulation 3-5 seconds. What Does ENS Do? When performed correctly, ENS is believed to impact the neurological system by kicking it into action earlier than would be normally expected, the result being an increased capacity that later will help to make the difference in its performance, according to Breeding Better Dogs. ENS is time sensitive and must be performed from the third to the 16th days of a puppy’s life. Five benefits have been observed in canines that were exposed to ENS, including improved cardiovascular performance (heart rate); stronger heart beats; stronger adrenal glands; more tolerance to stress; and greater resistance to disease. In tests of learning, ENS stimulated pups were more active and exploratory than their non- stimulated littermates, according to Breeding Better Dogs. We also do Early Sent Introduction (ESI): So on days 3-16, we expose the puppies to a different pungent scent each day. The benefits of this is nose awareness and confidence! Great for hunting, tracking and diabetic dogs (to name a few). Along with with the other exercises, we do "Loud Noise Exposure" with the puppies on day 18,19, and 20, such as banging a spoon on a metal pan, vacum, tv etc.. At this age, puppies do not fear sound, so we use this opportunity to get a jump start on desensitization of loud noises.

  Read more

• What are the different breed sizes in your program?

  Our puppies are medium size. Sizes will vary depending on the parent dogs.

• What are the different breed coat colors in your program?

  Our puppies include cream, red, black, and phantom. Colors will vary depending on the parent dogs.

• Where do your breeding dogs live?

  They live in my home.