Just wondering if any of you do the Battaglia handling techniques?

Here's a link to more info for anyone (like me) who has not heard of Dr Battaglia:-

http://www.breedingbetterdogs.com/articles/early_neurological_stimulation_en.php

Although much of what is described in this section of the link is what many breeders do instictively (omitting the cold towel perhaps), the rest of the website has other articles which are interesting.

I used this technique, having not had a litter which I didn't do this with the only way I can judge is that the vet commented how out going the pups were and the new owners said they had never had a pup settle in so well in their new surroundings.

Thanks guys - did you start at 3 days ?

Yes I did.

My pups are handled every day too, weighing, cuddling and quietly checking progress, my owners too comment on how well they settle into the new environment. Never used the cold towel though.
Aileen

I handle mine daily, weighing etc, and stroking generally, never thought of holding them vertically etc. Interesting article!

Of course you do Lucy. We sit them up like little people on our hips when carrying them around and tip them over to look at poopy bums, trim toenails etc etc. As I said, things we do without thinking it was a 'strategy'

Yes, we do all of these things without it being a formal exercise.

Well I suppose I sit them up, but I usually have mine held in my laps on their backs to do nails, not pointing head down or whatever that article said. No need to check poopy bums here, idiot mum Ellie is STILL cleaning up after her nearly 9 month old puppy!!! :-p

Yes, I did ENS with my litter last year. As other folk have said, I would expect to do lots of handling anyway, but I did this programme as 'set exercises', from day 3. Whilst I've helped to raise 10 litters of my breeder friend/mentor, they were someone else's litters, so I'd been looking forward to having my own litter where I could do these exercises. Last year I had my opportunity.

It would be difficult to say whether it benefitted the pups or not. I certainly don't believe it has done any harm and there's huge amounts of research carried out by many institutions to suggest that it does benefit. The litter was almost 4 years in the planning so I had a lot of time to research ENS & whether I wanted to use it or not. The pups were all very confident and outgoing, all really even tempered, all similar sizes/weight, and now at approaching 9 months are all doing exceptionally well in their homes and their 'chosen' jobs. Whether that's down to ENS, who knows, they're not exactly from lines of shy retiring doggies :-D Will I be using it on my next litter? Most definitely.

The main thing of importance is not to overdo the time and frequency. Once only per day & keep within the time.

Just to add to anyone reading the thread who is not familiar with Battaglia/ENS/superdog programme ... this is not intended as something to be carried out at the exclusion of what one hopes all good breeders do in the way of every day handling and socialisation.

idiot mum Ellie is STILL cleaning up after her nearly 9 month old puppy!!! :-p

Awww, bless. Hope you don't get kissies immediately after!

I smell their breath whenever they come in from the garden to see if kisses or Dentastix are required!! :-D