The Role of the Dam

How Maternal Care Shapes Lifelong Behaviour

At Emerald Park Border Collies, I often say that a puppy’s first teacher is not a human; it is their mother.

Long before a puppy can see, hear, or walk, their nervous system is already learning how the world works. And the dam is the primary guide.

Her presence, behaviour, and emotional state do not simply influence puppies, they shape the architecture of their developing brains. Maternal care is not just nurturing. It is neurological programming.

The dam as the puppy’s first nervous system

Newborn puppies cannot regulate their own bodies or emotions. They rely on their mother for:

• warmth

• safety

• nourishment

• emotional stability

Through touch, scent, movement, and rhythm, the dam acts as an external regulator. Her calm breathing, steady nursing, and attentive care help organise the puppy’s stress-response system.

This process is known as co-regulation. Where one nervous system stabilises another.

Before puppies can self-regulate, they must first be regulated by their mother.

How maternal care alters the brain

Research across mammals has shown that high-quality maternal care leads to measurable, lifelong changes in the brain and stress system.

Puppies raised by calm, responsive dams tend to show:

• lower baseline stress hormones

• faster recovery after stress

• improved learning and adaptability

• stronger social resilience

This is not just behaviour — it is epigenetics. Experience influences which genes are turned on or off.

In simple terms:

the mother’s care teaches the puppy’s body how safe the world is.

What “good” maternal care looks like

Quality maternal care is not just about feeding. It includes:

• Licking and grooming – stimulates circulation and neurological development

• Consistent nursing rhythms – stabilise physiology and digestion

• Calm physical contact – teaches the puppy that closeness is safe

• Protection without panic – models emotional regulation

• Appropriate correction – teaches boundaries without fear

A well-supported dam raises puppies who are not just physically healthy, but emotionally stable.

The dam’s environment matters too

A stressed mother cannot provide optimal regulation.

Noise, chaos, pressure, or constant intrusion elevate cortisol levels, which are then passed to the puppies through both behaviour and milk.

That is why I protect my dams’ space, routines, and emotional wellbeing just as carefully as I protect my puppies.

Caring for the mother is caring for the litter.

Why this is especially important for Border Collies

Border Collies are sensitive, fast-processing dogs. Their nervous systems are exquisitely tuned — which makes them brilliant, but also vulnerable to early stress.

A calm, stable dam provides the neurological blueprint for:

• emotional resilience

• frustration tolerance

• recovery after arousal

• confidence in new environments

This early foundation cannot be recreated later.

What this means at Emerald Park Border Collies

I do not view omy dams as breeding animals. They are family and central to my program.

I support them with:

• low-stress environments

• predictable routines

• high-quality nutrition

• space, rest, and choice

• respect for their emotional needs

Because the quality of maternal care is one of the greatest gifts a puppy can receive.

At Emerald Park Border Collies, I believe that every stable, confident dog begins with a cared-for mother.

And that is where lifelong wellbeing truly starts.