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The Rule of Sevens

By the time a puppy is 7 weeks old, it should have had all of these experiences:

1. Been on 7 different surfaces: carpet, concrete, wood, vinyl, grass, dirt, gravel, woodchips, etc......

2. Played with 7 different types of objects: big balls, small balls, soft fabric toys, fuzzy toys, squeaky toys, paper or cardboard items, metal items, wooden items, milk jugs, etc.......

3. Been in 7 different locations: front yard, back yard, basement, kitchen, car, garage, laundry room, bathroom, crate, kennel, etc....

4. Met and played with 7 new people: include children and older adults.

5. Been exposed to 7 challenges: climb on a box, climb off a box, go through a tunnel, climb steps, go down steps, climb over obstacles, play hide and seek, go in and out a doorway with a step up or down, run around a fence....

6. Eaten from 7 different containers: metal, plastic, cardboard, paper, china, pie plate, frying pan, etc....

7. Eaten in 7 different locations: crate, yard, kitchen, basement, laundry room, bathroom, x-pen, etc...

Written by Pat Schaap

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