"In
many animal breeding programs, the entire process of selection
and management is founded on the belief that performance is
inherited"
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Early Neurological Stimulation
By
Dr. Carmen L. Battaglia
| This article has
been reproduced with the kind permission of Dr. Carmen
L. Battaglia for the CFBA, the CIDBT, and their students
of Dog Behaviour & Training |
Surprising as it may seem, it isn't capacity
that explains the differences that exist between individuals
because most seem to have far more capacity than they will ever
use. The
differences that exist between individuals seem to be related
to something else. The ones who achieve and outperform
others seem to have within themselves the ability to use hidden
resources. In other words, it's what they are able to
do with what they have that makes the difference.
 In many animal breeding programs, the entire process
of selection and management is founded on the belief that performance
is inherited. Attempts to analyze the genetics of performance
in a systematic way have involved some distinguished names
such as Charles Darwin and Francis Galton. But it has
only been in recent decades that good estimates of heritability
of performance have been based on adequate data. Cunningham,
(1991) in his study of horses, found that only by using Timeform
data, and measuring groups of half brothers and half sisters
could good estimates of performance be determined. His
data shows that performance for speed is about 35% heritable. In
other words, only about 35% of all the variation that is observed
in track performance is controlled by heritable factors, the
remaining 65% is attributable to other influences, such as
training, management and nutrition. Cunningham's work
while limited to horses, provides a good basis for understanding
how much breeders can attribute to the genetics and the pedigrees.
Researchers have studied these phenomena and have looked
for new ways to stimulate individuals in order to improve their
natural abilities. Some of the methods discovered have
produced life long lasting effects. Today many of the
differences between individuals can now be explained by the
use of early stimulation methods.IntroductionMan for centuries
has tried various methods to improve performance. Some of the methods have stood the test
of time, others have not. Those who first conducted research
on this topic believed that the period of early age was a most
important time for stimulation because of its rapid growth
and development. Today, we know that early life is a
time when the physical immaturity of an organism is susceptible
and responsive to a restricted but important class of stimuli. Because
of its importance many studies have focused their efforts on
the first few months of life.
Newborn pups are uniquely different from adults in
several respects. When born, their eyes are closed and
their digestive system has a limited capacity requiring periodic
stimulation by their dam who routinely licks them in order
to promote digestion. At this age they are only able
to smell, suck, and crawl. Body temperature is maintained
by snuggling close to their mother or by crawling into piles
with other littermates. During these first few weeks
of immobility, researchers noted that these immature and under-developed
canines are sensitive to a restricted class of stimuli which
includes thermal and tactile stimulation, motion and locomotion.
Other mammals such as mice and rats are also born with
limitations, and they also have been found to demonstrate a
similar sensitivity to the effects of early stimulation. Studies
show that removing them from their nest for three minutes each
day during the first five to ten days of life causes body temperatures
to fall below normal. This mild form of stress is sufficient
to stimulate hormonal, adrenal and pituitary systems. When
tested later as adults, these same animals were better able
to withstand stress than littermates who were not exposed to
the same early stress exercises. As adults, they responded
to stress in "a graded" fashion, while their non-stressed
littermates responded in an "all or nothing way."
Data involving laboratory mice and rats also shows
that stress in small amounts can produce adults who respond
maximally. On the other hand, the results gathered from
non-stressed littermate show that they become easily exhausted
and are near death if exposed to intense prolonged stress. When
tied down so they were unable to move for twenty-four hours,
rats developed severe stomach ulcers, but litter mates exposed
to early stress handling were found to be more resistant to
stress tests and did not show evidence of ulcers. A
secondary affect was also noticed.
Sexual maturity was attained sooner in the littermates
given early stress exercises. When tested for differences
in health and disease, the stressed animals were found to be
more resistant to certain forms of cancer and infectious diseases
and could withstand terminal starvation and exposure to cold
for longer periods than their non-stressed littermates.
Other studies involving early stimulation exercises
have been successfully performed on both cats and dogs. In
these studies, the Electrical Encephalogram (EEG) was found
to be ideal for measuring the electrical activity in the brain
because of its extreme sensitivity to changes in excitement,
emotional stress, muscle tension, changes in oxygen and breathing. EEG
measures show that pups and kittens when given early stimulation
exercises mature at faster rates and perform better in certain
problem solving tests than non-stimulated mates.
In the higher level animals the effect of early stimulation
exercises have also been studied. The use of surrogate
mothers and familiar objects were tested by both of the Kelloggs
and Dr. Yearkes using young chimpanzees. Their pioneer
research shows that the more primates were deprived of stimulation
and interaction during early development, the less able they
were to cope, adjust and later adapt to situations as adults.
While experiments have not yet produced specific information
about the optimal amounts of stress needed to make young animals
psychologically or physiologically superior, researchers agree
that stress has value. What also is known is that a certain
amount of stress for one may be too intense for another, and
that too much stress can retard development. The results
show that early stimulation exercises can have positive results
but must be used with caution. In other words, too much
stress can cause pathological adversities rather than physical
or psychological superiority.Methods of StimulationThe U.S. Military
in their canine program developed a method that still serves
as a guide to what works. In
an effort to improve the performance of dogs used for military
purposes, a program called "Bio Sensor" was developed. Later,
it became known to the public as the "Super Dog" Program. Based
on years of research, the military learned that early neurological
stimulation exercises could have important and lasting effects. Their
studies confirmed that there are specific time periods early
in life when neurological stimulation has optimum results. The
first period involves a window of time that begins at the third
day of life and lasts until the sixteenth day. It is
believed that because this interval of time is a period of
rapid neurological growth and development, and therefore is
of great importance to the individual.The "Bio Sensor" program was also concerned
with early neurological stimulation in order to give the dog
a superior advantage. Its development utilized six exercises
which were designed to stimulate the neurological system. Each
workout involved handling puppies once each day. The
workouts required handling them one at a time while performing
a series of five exercises. Listed in order of preference,
the handler starts with one pup and stimulates it using each
of the five exercises. The handler completes the series
from beginning to end before starting with the next pup. The
handling of each pup once per day involves the following
exercises:1. Tactical stimulation (between toes)
2. Head held erect
3. Head pointed down
4. Supine position
5. Thermal stimulation.Tactile stimulation1. Tactile
stimulation - holding the pup in one hand, the handler gently
stimulates (tickles) the pup between the toes on any one foot
using a Q-tip. It is not necessary
to see that the pup is feeling the tickle. Time of stimulation
3 - 5 seconds. (Figure 1)2. Head held erect - using both hands, the pup
is held perpendicular to the ground, (straight up), so that
its head is directly above its tail. This is an upwards
position. Time of stimulation 3 - 5 seconds (Figure 2).3. Head pointed down - holding the pup firmly
with both hands the head is reversed and is pointed downward
so that it is pointing towards the ground. Time of stimulation
3 - 5 seconds (Figure 3). 4. Supine position - hold the pup so that its
back is resting in the palm of both hands with its muzzle facing
the ceiling. The pup while on its back is allowed to sleep. Time
of stimulation 3-5 seconds. (Figure 4)
5. Thermal stimulation—use a damp towel
that has been cooled in a refrigerator for at least five minutes. Place
the pup on the towel, feet down. Do not restrain it from
moving. Time of stimulation 3-5 seconds. (Figure 5)
These five exercises will produce neurological stimulations,
none of which naturally occur during this early period of life. Experience
shows that sometimes pups will resist these exercises, others
will appear unconcerned. In either case a caution is
offered to those who plan to use them. Do not repeat
them more than once per day and do not extend the time
beyond that recommended for each exercise. Over stimulation
of the neurological system can have adverse and detrimental
results. These exercises impact the neurological system
by kicking it into action earlier than would be normally expected,
the result being an increased capacity that later will help
to make the difference in its performance. Those who
play with their pups and routinely handle them should continue
to do so because the neurological exercises are not substitutions
for routine handling, play socialization or bonding.Benefits
of StimulationFive benefits have been observed in canines
that were exposed to the Bio Sensor stimulation exercises. The
benefits noted were:
1. Improved cardio vascular performance (heart rate)
2. Stronger heart beats,
3. Stronger adrenal glands,
4. More tolerance to stress, and
5. Greater resistance to disease.In tests of learning, stimulated
pups were found to be more active and were more exploratory than
their non- stimulated littermates over which they were dominant
in competitive situations. Secondary effects were also noted regarding
test performance. In
simple problem solving tests using detours in a maze, the non-stimulated
pups became extremely aroused, whined a great deal, and made
many errors. Their stimulated littermates were less disturbed
or upset by test conditions and when comparisons were made,
the stimulated littermates were more calm in the test environment,
made fewer errors and gave only an occasional distress sound
when stressed.Socialization As each animal grows and develops,
three kinds of stimulation have been identified that impact and
influence how it will develop and be shaped as an individual. The first stage
is called early neurological stimulation and the second stage
is called socialization. The first two (early neurological
stimulation and socialization) have in common a window of limited
time. When Lorenz, (1935) first wrote about the importance
of the stimulation process, he wrote about imprinting during
early life and its influence on the later development of the
individual. He states that it was different from conditioning
in that it occurred early in life and took place very rapidly
producing results which seemed to be permanent. One of
the first and perhaps the most noted research effort involving
the larger animals was achieved by Kellogg & Kellogg (1933). As
a student of Dr. Kellogg's, I found him and his wife to have
an uncanny interest in children and young animals and the changes
and the differences that occurred during early development. Their
history-making study involved raising their own newborn child
with a newborn primate. Both infants were raised together
as if they were twins. This study, like others that followed
attempted to demonstrate that among the mammals, there are
great differences in their speed of physical and mental development. Some
are born relatively mature and quickly capable of motion and
locomotion, while others are very immature, immobile and slow
to develop. For example, the Rhesus monkey shows rapid
and precocious development at birth, while the chimpanzee and
the other "great apes" take much longer. Last
and slowest is the human infant.One of the earliest efforts to
investigate and look for the existence of socialization in canines
was undertaken by Scott-Fuller (1965). In their early studies, they
were able to demonstrate that the basic technique for testing
the existence of socialization was to show how readily adult
animals would foster young animals, or accept one from another
species. They observed that, with the higher level animals,
it is easiest done by hand rearing. When the foster
animal transfers its social relationships to the new species,
researchers conclude that socialization has taken place. Most
researchers agree that among all species, a lack of adequate
socialization generally results in unacceptable behavior and
often times produces undesirable aggression, excessiveness,
fearfulness, sexual inadequacy and indifference toward partners.Socialization
studies confirm that one of the critical periods for humans (infant)
to be stimulated are generally between three weeks and twelve
months of age. For canines
the period is shorter, between the fourth and sixteenth weeks
of age. The lack of adequate social stimulation, such
as handling, mothering and contact with others, adversely affects
social and psychological development in both humans and animals. In
humans, the absence of love and cuddling increases the risk
of an aloof, distant, asocial or sociopathic individual. Over-mothering
also has its detrimental effects by preventing sufficient exposure
to other individuals and situations that have an important
influence on growth and development. It occurs when a parent
insulates the child from outside contacts or keeps the apron
strings tight, thus limiting opportunities to explore and interact
with the outside world. In the end, over-mothering generally
produces a dependent, socially maladjusted and sometimes emotionally
disturbed individual.
Protected youngsters who grow up in an insulated environment
often become sickly, despondent, lacking in flexibility and
unable to make simple social adjustments. Generally,
they are unable to function productively or to interact successfully
when they become adults.Owners who have busy life styles with
long and tiring work and social schedules often cause pets to
be neglected. Left
to themselves with only an occasional trip out of the house
or off of the property they seldom see other canines or strangers
and generally suffer from poor stimulation and socialization. For
many, the side effects of loneliness and boredom set-in. The
resulting behavior manifests itself in the form of chewing,
digging, and hard- to-control behavior (Battaglia).
It seems clear that small amounts of stress followed
by early socialization can produce beneficial results. The
danger seems to be in not knowing where the thresholds are
for over and under stimulation. Many improperly socialized
youngsters develop into older individuals unprepared for adult
life, unable to cope with its challenges, and interactions. Attempts
to re-socialize them as adults have only produced small gains. These
failures confirm the notion that the window of time open for
early neurological and social stimulation only comes once. After
it passes, little or nothing can be done to overcome the negative
effects of too much or too little stimulation.The third and final
stage in the process of growth and development is called enrichment. Unlike the first two
stages it has no time limit, and by comparison, covers a very
long period of time. Enrichment is a term which has
come to mean the positive sum of experiences which have a cumulative
effect upon the individual. Enrichment experiences typically
involve exposure to a wide variety of interesting, novel, and
exciting experiences with regular opportunities to freely investigate,
manipulate, and interact with them. When measured in
later life, the results show that those reared in an enriched
environment tend to be more inquisitive and are more able to
perform difficult tasks. The educational TV program called “Sesame
Street” is perhaps the best known example of a children's
enrichment program. The results show that when tested,
children who regularly watched this program performed better
than playmates who did not. Follow-up studies show that
those who regularly watch “Sesame Street” tend
to seek a college education and when enrolled, performed better
than playmates who were not regular watchers of the “Sesame
Street” program.There are numerous children’s studies that show
the benefits of enrichment techniques and programs. Most
focus on improving self-esteem and self-talk. Follow-up
studies show that the enriched “Sesame Street” students,
when later tested were brighter and scored above average, and
most often were found to be the products of environments that
contributed to their superior test scores. On the other
hand, those whose test scores were generally below average,
(labeled as dull) and the products of underprivileged or non-
enriched environments, often had little or only small amounts
of stimulation during early childhood and only minimal amounts
of enrichment during their developmental and formative years. Many
were characterized as children who grew up with little interaction
with others, poor parenting, few toys, no books and a steady
diet of TV soap operas.A similar analogy can be found among canines. All
the time they are growing they are learning because their nervous
systems are developing and storing information that may be
of inestimable use at a later date. Studies by Scott
and Fuller confirm that non-enriched pups, when given free
choice, preferred to stay in their kennels. Other litter
mates who were given only small amounts of outside stimulation
between five and eight weeks of age were found to be very inquisitive
and very active. When kennel doors were left open, the
enriched pups would come bounding out while littermates who
were not exposed to enrichment would remain behind. The
non-stimulated pups would typically be fearful of unfamiliar
objects and generally preferred to withdraw rather than investigate. Even
well-bred pups of superior pedigrees would not explore or leave
their kennels, and many were found difficult to train as adults. These
pups, in many respects, were similar to the deprived children. They
acted as if they had become institutionalized, preferring the
routine and safe environment of their kennel to the stimulating
world outside their immediate place of residence.
Regular trips to the park, shopping centers and obedience
and agility classes serve as good examples of enrichment activities. Chasing
and retrieving a ball on the surface seems to be enriching
because it provides exercise and includes rewards. While
repeated attempts to retrieve a ball provide much physical
activity, it should not be confused with enrichment exercises. Such
playful activities should be used for exercise and play or
as a reward after returning from a trip or training session. Road
work and chasing balls are not substitutes for trips to the
shopping mall, outings or obedience classes most of which provide
many opportunities for interaction and investigation.Finally,
it seems clear that stress early in life can produce beneficial
results. The danger seems to be in
not knowing where the thresholds are for over and under stimulation. The
absence or the lack of adequate amounts of stimulation generally
will produce negative and undesirable results. Based
on the above, it is fair to say that the performance of most
individuals can be improved, including the techniques described
above. Each contributes in a cumulative way and supports
the next stage of development.ConclusionBreeders can now take
advantage of the information available to improve and enhance
performance. Generally, genetics
account for about 35% of the performance, but the remaining
65% (management, training, nutrition) can make the difference. In
the management category, it has been shown that breeders should
be guided by the rule that it is generally considered prudent
to guard against under and over stimulation. Short of
ignoring pups during their first two months of life, a conservative
approach would be to expose them to children, people, toys
and other animals on a regular basis. Handling and touching
all parts of their anatomy is also a necessary part of their
learning which can be started as early as the third day of
life. Pups that are handled early and on a regular basis
generally do not become hand-shy as adults.Because of the risks
involved in under-stimulation, a conservative approach to using
the benefits of the three stages has been suggested based primarily
on the works of Arskeusky, Kellogg, Yearkes and the "Bio Sensor" program (later
known as the "Super Dog Program").Both experience and
research have dominated the beneficial effects that can be achieved
via early neurological stimulation, socialization and enrichment
experiences. Each has been
used to improve performance and to explain the differences
that occur between individuals, their trainability, health
and potential. The cumulative effects of the three stages
have been well documented. They best serve the interests
of owners who seek high levels of performance when properly
used. Each has a cumulative effect and contributes to
the development and the potential for individual performance. References:1.
Battaglia, C.L., "Loneliness and Boredom" Doberman
Quarterly, 1982.
2. Kellogg, W.N. & Kellogg, The Ape and the
Child, New York: McGraw Hill.
- Scott & Fuller, (1965) Dog Behavior -The Genetic
Basics, University Chicago Press.
- Scott, J.P., Ross, S., A.E. and King D.K. (1959)
The Effects of Early Enforced Weaning Behavior of Puppies,
J. Genetics Psychologist, p 5: 261-81.
Early
Stimulation ExercisesFigure # 1 Tactical stimulation Figure
# 2 Head held erect Figure
# 3 Head pointed down  Figure
# 4 Figure Supine position Figure
# 5 Thermal stimulation
| This article has
been reproduced with the kind permission of Dr. Carmen
L. Battaglia for the CFBA, the CIDBT, and their students
of Dog Behaviour & Training |
ABOUT THE AUTHORCarmen L Battaglia holds a Ph.D.
and Masters Degree from Florida State University. As
an AKC judge, researcher and writer, he has been a leader
in promotion of breeding better dogs and has written
many articles and several books.Dr. Battaglia is also a popular TV
and radio talk show speaker. His seminars on breeding
dogs, selecting sires and choosing puppies have been
well received by the breed clubs all over the country.
Those interested in learning more about his seminars
should contact him directly. Visit his website at http://www.breedingbetterdogs.com
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