Some years ago I heard Gail Fisher give a fact-filled talk on puppy development at an IAABC conference. Fortunately I took notes.vI was reviewing my puppy materials recently as I work with my own new puppy BIlly, and I came across a neat formula for enrichment between eight and sixteen weeks. Gail described FOUR E’s OF ENRICHMENT: explore, encounter, examine, experience.
Because I want my Billy to be the best pet he can be, I want him to achieve his mental potential. To use Gail’s advice, I want to make sure BIlly is offered a new experience every day. I want him to explore safe new surfaces and environments, encounter new people in the course of the day, examine odd and unfamiliar objects (today it was an electronic robot) and experience a variety of conditions.
We have to remember not to overwhelm our puppies, especially keeping in mind the predictable fear period between eight and eleven weeks. At this vulnerable time, a puppy can develop a permanent fear from a one-time negative event. This is the time you want to keep pup safe from unpredictable experiences. So use common sense.
For now, my goal is to guide my pup to explore, encounter, examine and experience his world with confidence, developing the belief that the world is a fun and safe place to be!
