During these first few days and weeks, the puppies’ process of discovery and growth is fascinating to watch and understand. You may remember a previous post in which I stated that a primary goal of puppy enrichment is to stimulate the brain’s neurological pathways. We know that during neonatal development, a puppy is particularly receptive to stimuli. During this period of dramatic growth, we can conduct brief, controlled interventions which are likely to produce life-long results. A few days ago, I noticed that a few of the puppies had started to open their eyes, and today during ENS it was clear that everyone had started to do so. So, with Vixen’s approval, I’ve started to introduce the puppy mobile to the whelping box. These hanging toys suspended a few inches in the air give the puppies a spectrum of colors, shapes, and textures to interact with. Over the next few weeks, the puppies’ days will be peppered with short bursts of time with the puppy mobile. In short order, the neonates will start using their paws and muzzle to interact with the floating objects.
