> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://breederbuddy.com/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Neonatal Check-In > How to do the daily neonatal check-in for newborn puppies — log daily puppy weights any day, ENS (Early Neurological Stimulation) and ESI (Early Scent Introduction) from day 3 through day 16, find the check-in on the Dashboard, and fill in a missed day. # Neonatal Check-In > **Video walkthrough:** [Watch on Loom](#) *(link coming soon)* *** Neonatal Check-In is your daily log for newborn puppies — weight, **ENS** (Early Neurological Stimulation), and **ESI** (Early Scent Introduction). You can log weights any day once a litter is marked **Born**, while ENS and ESI run from day 3 through day 16 after birth. Every litter marked **Born** shows up on your Dashboard so you don't miss a day. *** ## What You Can Do Here * Log each puppy's weight, with a small trend chart of recent changes * Record ENS sessions — the stimulus performed and the puppy's reaction * Record ESI sessions — which scent you used and the puppy's reaction * Move day-by-day through the check-in window with arrow controls * Switch between puppies in the litter without leaving the page * Add notes and the handler's name so you remember who did what *** ## How It Works ### Starting a Check-In **Before you start:** the litter's **Status** must be **Born** and it needs a **Date of Birth**. Only Born litters appear in the check-in. 1. Go to your [**Dashboard**](https://app.breederbuddy.com/) (the first item in the left menu). 2. Find the **Neonatal Check-In** section. (Don't see it? New dashboards start with only a few sections. Click the **sliders icon** near the top of the Dashboard (hover text: **Manage dashboard sections**), tick **Neonatal Check-In**, and click **Save changes**.) It lists each Born litter with its age, like "Day 5 — neonatal active", and how many puppies it has. 3. Click **Check In** next to the litter to log today's check-in in a pop-up window, or click **Full View** to open the check-in on its own page. 4. The top of the check-in shows the litter's day, with arrows to move to the previous or next day. You can also log a single puppy's check-in from that puppy's profile: open the puppy and go to the **Aptitude & Neonatal** tab. ### Picking a Puppy A carousel at the top lets you cycle through puppies (showing their photo, collar color, and position like "1 of 8"). Use the arrows to pick a puppy, fill in the check-in, click **Save Check-In**, then move to the next. ### Logging Weight Enter the weight in pounds and ounces. A small chart shows the change since the previous weight in grams, so you can spot a puppy losing ground quickly. Skip the weight section any day you don't have a scale handy. Saving a second weight for the same puppy on the same day replaces that day's weight instead of adding another entry. ### ENS — Early Neurological Stimulation ENS is performed once a day from day 3 to day 16. Pick the stimulus and reaction: * **Stimulus options:** Tactile Stimulation, Supine Position, Cranial Stimulation, Caudal Stimulation, Thermal Stimulation * **Reaction options:** None, Mild Protest, Medium Protest, Strong Protest ### ESI — Early Scent Introduction ESI is also performed daily during the same window. Pick the scent and reaction: * **Scent options:** Garlic, Rosemary, Red Pepper, Cinnamon, Peppermint, Ginger, Clove, Lavender * **Reaction options:** Positive, Neutral, Negative ### Notes & Handler Add a free-text note for the day and type who did the check-in under **Handled By**. Click **Save Check-In** when you're done. Saved records show a green checkmark next to the section, so you can tell at a glance what's been logged. *** ## Key Terms | Term | What It Means | | - | - | | ENS | Early Neurological Stimulation — five simple stimuli performed daily on days 3–16 | | ESI | Early Scent Introduction — exposing newborns to different scents daily on days 3–16 | | Day of Litter | The number of days since the puppies were born | | Handler | The person who actually performed the check-in | *** ## Tips & Common Questions > **When does the check-in window start and end?** > > Weights and notes can be logged any day once the litter is marked **Born**. ENS and ESI run from day 3 through day 16 after birth. Before day 3 you'll see an "ENS/ESI starts day 3" message. After day 16 the protocol window is closed, but you can still log weights and notes. > **What if I miss a day?** > > No problem — use the **Previous day** arrow at the top of the check-in to go back and fill in a missed day. > **My litter isn't showing in the Neonatal Check-In. Why?** > > Only litters with **Status** set to **Born** appear. Open the litter, click **Edit Details** on the **Details** tab, set **Status** to **Born**, make sure the **Date of Birth** is filled in, and save. If you don't see the **Neonatal Check-In** section on your Dashboard at all, turn it on: click the **sliders icon** near the top of the Dashboard, tick **Neonatal Check-In**, and click **Save changes**. > **Do I have to do every section every day?** > > No — each section (Weight, ESI, ENS) has a **Skip** checkbox for the days you can't get to it. Saved records show a checkmark so you know what's logged. > **Where do these records live?** > > Each check-in is attached to the specific puppy in the litter. They're saved with the puppy's record and stay with that dog for life. *** ## Still Have Questions? We're here to help. If something isn't working the way you expect, or you'd like to have a discussion around a certain topic, please reach out to us anytime through the chat in the bottom right corner of your screen. Thank you. This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.