The Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) method has gained much traction in recent years. Mainly, in reputable dog breeder’s community. So, if you’ve ever wondered what exactly Early Neurological Stimulation is and how it benefits your puppy, then keep on reading.

The U.S. Military developed an enrichment program in the 1970’s called “Bio Sensor.” It became publicly known and is often referred to as the “Super Dog” Program' or Bio-Sensory Training for Dogs. The program was developed to improve the performance of dogs used for military purposes. They found that not only were puppies able to cope more with stressful situations, and problem solve better than other puppies but that they were actually physically healthier with higher cardiovascular performance, stronger immune systems, adrenal glands and heart beats.

The basic premise of the program is that early neurological stimulation exercises could affect the performance of the dog. The Army’s research revealed that early stimulation of the puppy from the 3rd day through the 16th day influence rapid neurological growth and development.

Bio-Sensor is practiced here at Beyond Bliss Doodles. We incorporate the Bio-Sensor or Super Dog Program into our socialization and temperament development regimen. The Bio Sensor program easily fits into our established puppy rearing process and supports our values.

Below are the five Bio Sensor exercises designed to stimulate the neurological system of the puppy. We incorporate these exercises into our daily puppy routine between the puppies third and sixteenth day of life. Each puppy is put through the following exercises once daily:  

1. Tactile stimulation – Hold the puppy 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 – The head pointed down exercise is very much similar to the head held erect stimulation. However, you’ll be holding your pup upside down with their head towards the ground. Hold the puppy firmly but gently with both hands so they can't fall out of your hands. Then the head position 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 puppy so that its back is resting in the palm of both hands with its face towards the ceiling. The puppy should lay horizontally in your palms while you support their head and the whole body. 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. Is is completely normal if the puppy wiggles as it notices the change in temperature. Don't restrain restrain the puppy from moving but keep the puppy safe. Time of stimulation 3-5 seconds.

Bio-Sensory Training for Dogs improves the development of the puppy’s neurological systems by early stimulation and stress. Five benefits have been observed in dogs that were exposed to the Bio Sensor stimulation exercises:
– Improved cardiac performance
– Stronger heartbeats
– Stronger adrenal glands
– Improved tolerance to stress and stressful situations
– Greater resistance to disease

*We do not substitute Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) for daily socialization and handling of our puppies. At Beyond Bliss Doodles, we use ENS in addition to our everyday programs and find that it helps to enrich the development of every puppy. ENS is a well-documented puppy development tool. Many puppies bred for field, security, therapy and guide work are introduced to ENS as part of their development training.

This page is an excerpt from our Policies page.

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