The Game On litter hit a big milestone this week. At 16 days old, our puppies have completed the Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) and Early Scent Introduction (ESI) phases of their development — a carefully structured program designed to give puppies the best possible neurological foundation during a critical window in their first weeks of life.

It's a moment we always look forward to. The puppies are healthy, growing fast, and ready for the next chapter.

But milestones don't mean slowing down — they mean shifting gears. And for us, Day 16 also means it's time to start thinking about something that might surprise you: grooming prep.

English Springer Spaniels are beautiful dogs, and that coat comes with responsibility. Regular grooming — clippers on the head, a Dremel on the toes — is a lifelong part of owning a Springer. A dog who tolerates grooming calmly is a happier dog and a much easier grooming appointment. So we start early.

At around two and a half weeks, Terra introduces each puppy to a simple electric toothbrush. The vibration mimics what a clipper feels like on the head. She also runs it gently along the tips of their toes — which, as you'll see in the video, they find considerably more objectionable. That's exactly the point. We want them to encounter that sensation now, in a warm and safe environment, so that by the time they reach their forever homes, it's already familiar.

It's a small thing. It takes less than a minute per puppy. But those small things, done consistently in the first weeks of life, add up to a dog who moves through the world with confidence.

That's the Puppy Culture philosophy we live by here at Three Doves — and it starts on Day 16.