Bio-sensor (ENS) raised pups

Hope it is alright to put this in here... I feel it has great importance in the behavioural section, to help more people understand the significance and importance of early stimulation and learning before pups leave for new homes.

It surprises me that such old and genuine research is ignored, because it is so vital. I see many problem cases with dogs between 10 months to 2 years old, which my my opinion could have been prevented.

A border collie foster dog of mine was picked up late at night, in the latter days of her season (I was not told or aware) and in the morning she was tied to my border collie resident. She had severe seperation problems at at only a year and a half had already had, and destroyed, 3 homes. After lengthy discussions we decided not to abort, as it might be calming for her (different hormones etc) and this has proved true, although in the past two months she has been a very different dog with me anyway (and is happily left without injury to herself (she self harmed) or my house).

I knew vaguely of the bio-sensor program and the research that had been carried out through 1930's-50's including the military's experiements creating the 'super dog'. I started some more indepth reading and combining this research with the research done by Assistance dogs, and you come to a conclusion that work can begin with pups, but rarely does, at 2 days old.

My vet friend and I will be writing for the local press, in the hope that we can raise potential puppy buyers awareness, and stop breeders leaving pups and mothers just to get on with it in a barn etc, as we have evidence, and lots of it, of what happens to pups not exposed to stimuli until leaving at the critical age that is 8 weeks.

If anyone is interesting in the program I can send on some interesting reading, otherwise there is a shortened version, along with 2 day old pictures of the pups, on my website.

Interested to hear your thoughts or questions,
Jess.x.

Sorry Jess...my only comment on this is that I cannot believe you left a rescue dog alone with an entire male before knowing if she was in season or not...then you left her to have a litter.
All the research I have seen shows that actually work begins with pups at conception...that is also what assistance dog charities have found. Any stress to mum at conception and in the pregnancy itself can impact greatly on the temperament of the resulting pups.

Shocked to be honest that such a mating was ever allowed to happen or that the preganancy was allowed to continue.

Have nothing more to add and won't.

I don't pre-judge anyone, and would be interested in seeing the research. Shall I pm you my e mail??

Well i'll add a bit more.

We spend a lot of time trying to convince 'have a go' breeders that 'having a litter will calm them down' is NOT an appropriate reason to breed (even if, which is very debatable, it is true)...yet here you are, a qualified behaviourist, recommending it

You had no knowledge of the bitch's temperment when you allowed her to have this litter. How completely irresponsible.

If you are inferring that I am prejudging Jess, you are probably right, yes, given her past history on here. I was hoping that this would be different...and whilst I admire the principles behind what she is doing....I can't not comment on the mating of a severly stressed (by the sound of it) young bitch who was then allowed to have a litter.

As I say though....that's all I have to say. Jess and I have history so best I say no more. I was hoping when I looked at the thread initially that this could be something really positive....

Thanks for your concern Ramble, I won’t take offense

We have a checklist of course for rehoming, with questions such as ‘if entire, when was last season?’ but sometimes people don’t realise, don’t know, or lie. This time is was a case of get her away before being dumped, so much more important to keep her safe.
This was not a decision that was taken lightly, 2 other behaviourists also thought it would be a good idea, and interesting to see how it affected her. (we did not have to abort straight away, which gave me a few weeks to get to know her before reaching a desicion.)
Pregnancy has helped her a great deal, and the whole concept of behaviour is to study dogs, which has been, and I am sure will continue to be of great importance to my own knowledge.
When we deal with dogs, no dog trainer knows for certain how an individual will take to a certain method, we have to use all of our idea and concepts to come up with one that will suit that dog.

You are of course right about conception and the way the female is handled during conception, I am in fact talking about physical and neurological development of newborn.

Yes please do pm, and I will send on, v. interesting reading, please let me know your opinions!

I am hoping to get something positive from it by learning from the research she has kindly offered to share. Sharing information and past mistakes helps us all avoid the many pitfalls out there.

I am not recommending it, I simply told the story of how she came to be (clearly contraversial), and I believe I did know her temperment, everyday I have to judge temperments, I had several weeks to get to know her before deciding.

If possible, it would be interesting to talk about the original purpose of the thread, which is about raising the awareness to breeders, which I am under the impression is little known, that they are able to start physical and neurological manipluation from a young age, which can prove to have a positive outcome, preventing problems in the adult dog (which would of course put me out of business!!!)

Sorry.....you could have given her an injection to ensure the pups didn't develop.
AS behavioursits you continued with a pregnancy in what sounds like a young bitch...who was exceptionally stressed...a pregnancy that should never have been allowed to happen in the first place, because it was 'interesting????????'

Knowing people lie on their rehoming forms you thought it would be okay to leave her unattended with an entire male???????

This is a rescue we are talking about and this has been allowed to happen to her on top of everything else?
Yet you try to justify it by saying you didn't know...people lie ...lets publish research about it??????
You say you are already aware that a bitches mental state during conception and birth can greatly impact on the temepraments of the resulting pups...yet you still let her have them???????

Never mind....it's all interesting stuff for behaviourists huh? Never mind the bitch and the pups.

It sounds like you are using her and this situation as an 'interesting experiment' when you could gain just as much info by asking those people who breed in any event rather than mating a rescue bitch. I'm also surprised that you are unable to check to see whether a bitch is in season or not.
Research as shown that neurotic bitches tend to bring up neurotic pups so if she has issues then so will her puppies as they will pick up on the subtle behaviours, pheromones etc that we simply don't notice.
Whilst some people may not know or make mistakes this can hardly be said of you!
Becky