Information below is from Avidog

Avidog’s Early Scent Introduction:

1. Introduce a new scent daily to each puppy beginning on Day 3 and ending on Day 16.
2. Once a day, pick up each pup individually and hold it gently but firmly in one hand, so that there is no chance of it falling. If you would be more comfortable, sit on the floor and cradle the pup in your lap.
3. With the other hand, hold the scent item about ½ inch from the pup’s nose. If the pup wants to move towards the item, allow it to do so. If the pup tries to move away from the scent item, allow this as well. Do not move the scent item toward a pup that is trying to avoid it.
4. Hold the scent item in place for 5 seconds. If the pup shows no reaction or an adverse response, end after 5 seconds. If the pup chooses to engage with the scent item, allow it to do so for up to 30 seconds.
5. Return the pup to the box and repeat this procedure with the next puppy until you have done the entire litter (or cohort, if you are splitting the litter).

We select scent items based on what we think that they may interact with during daily life. But avoid meats, since we are trying to stimulate scent not taste.

• Natural items (grass, tree bark, leaves, moss, dirt, leaves, evergreen needles and cones)
• Fruits, herbs and spices (lemon, apples, bananas, oranges, rosemary, mint, cloves)
• Training items (gamebirds, such as pheasants, grouse, ducks, pigeons; tennis balls, leather, cloth, wooden and plastic items, essential oils, manufactured training scents)
• Miscellaneous (tolerant pets such as cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils)

We track all ESI results, for each puppy:
• Which item was used that day 
• If puppy likes, avoids and is neutral toward said item