ENS/ESI: Why We No Longer Do It.

So I did a thing that might make a few breeders gasp

When you start breeding, you just want to do everything right.

You want to do what others say works.
You want to raise the best puppies possible confident, social, adaptable, happy.

So when I first started, I kept hearing about ENS (Early Neurological Stimulation) and ESI (Early Scent Introduction).
Everywhere I turned, breeders were talking about how it shaped their puppies for the better.

So naturally… I started doing it too.
Because I wanted to do everything right.
I wanted to give my puppies every single advantage I could.

But if I’m being honest, I never really saw the difference.
And I wasn’t sure if other breeders actually did either or if it had just become another “keeping up with the Joneses” thing.
You know what I mean?
One breeder swears by it, others follow, and before long it’s just what everyone does without ever stopping to ask if it’s truly helping their dogs.

So this time, I decided to find out for myself.

One litter got ENS/ESI.
One litter didn’t.
Same home. Same environment. Same curriculum. Same amount of love.

And you know what?
There wasn’t a noticeable difference.
Their confidence, curiosity, and temperament were all the same.

But where I did see a difference
was in our 10-step handling exercises.

Most breeders stop those around 4 weeks.
But we keep going and we intensify them each week.
It starts small: gentle touch, cradling, light restraint.
Then we build on it touching ears and tails, brushing, petting while they eat, opening mouths, handling paws, new sounds, textures, and movements.

By the time our puppies go home, they’ve been handled in all the ways real life will bring.
They’re confident. They trust people. They know touch means safety, not fear.

That’s what changes them.
That’s where I see growth.
That’s what truly matters.

So after this experiment, I made the decision to stop doing ENS/ESI in my program.
Not because I think it’s wrong but because I’ve seen what actually works for my puppies.

At the end of the day, every program is different.
Every breed is different.
Every puppy is different.

Doing what’s best for your dogs sometimes means letting go of what everyone else swears by
and focusing more on the things you’ve seen truly make a difference.

Breeding isn’t about trends.
It’s about intention.
It’s about being observant, honest, and brave enough to do what’s best for your dogs, even if it looks different than everyone else’s.

That’s how we grow.
That’s how we raise better dogs.
That’s how we stay true to our purpose.