What is the dog rule of 7?

The rule of sevens, or the 7-7-7 rule, is a simple rule that can help socialise your new puppy by the time they're seven weeks old. Experts at the SPCA of Wake County share this rule to help your young pet adapt to their new environment. By the time your puppy is seven weeks old, you should make sure they have completed the following: Been in at least seven different locations, these could include your front or back garden, the garage, different rooms in the house, or even your neighbour's garden. They should have eaten from at least seven different containers, been held and petted by at least seven different people, taken at least seven one-mile car rides, been in a crate at least seven times, played with at least seven different kinds of toys, walked on at least seven different surfaces, and been exposed to at least seven challenges. These challenges could be as simple as climbing onto a box, through a tunnel, or venturing to a new place. Dog training website Train with Marka explains that exposing puppies to new environments offers numerous benefits, including socialisation, improved behaviour, reduced anxiety, and a stronger bond with their owners, leading to a well-adjusted and confident dog. Introducing your puppy to many different people, animals, and situations boosts their confidence, and allowing your puppy to interact with other people and dogs in a controlled, supportive environment teaches them not to fear these encounters when they happen in the real world.

Following this rule makes sure that each of our puppies have done the following by seven weeks of age: Eaten out of seven different dishes Eaten in seven different locations Have met and been handled by seven different people Have been on seven different surfaces Played with seven different objects Have been exposed to seven different challenges Lived in seven different locations The greater the variations in their positive experiences, the more well rounded the puppies become. We raise our puppies using the Rule of 7's. This simple rule is discussed further by Pat Hastings in Another Piece of the Puzzle: Puppy Development, a book that we recommend to all new puppy owners.

People always ask me what I mean by the rule of 7. This is something that whether I am teaching a group class or doing a private lesson I make it a priority for all puppies to experience at some point before the age of 4 months. Number 1 Been in 7 different environments. This could include inside your house, your backyard, a training facility, a local park, a local pet supply company, etc. Number 2 Have met at least 7 different types of people. Number 3 Heard 7 different types of sounds. Number 4 Puppy has played with 7 different types of toys. Number 5 Eaten from 7 different food containers and in 7 different places. Number 6 Been exposed to 7 different types of surfaces. Number 7 Meet 7 different types of animals.

Dr. Carmen Battaglia created the Rule of 7’s as a guide to increase a puppy’s exposure. By the time a puppy is 3 months, make sure he/she has: 1. Been on 7 different types of surfaces: carpet, tile, linoleum, concrete, wood, vinyl, grass, dirt, gravel, and wood chips. 2. Played with 7 different types of objects: rope toys, plush toys, big balls, small balls, soft fabric toys, squeaky toys, paper or cardboard items, metal items, and sticks. 3. Been in 7 different locations: front & back yard, basement, kitchen, car, garage, laundry room, bathroom, kids room, living room, hallway, Vet’s office, groomers. 4. Met and played with 7 new people: include children and older adults, someone walking with a cane or in a wheelchair or walker, someone tall, someone in a hat. 5. Been exposed to 7 challenges: climb on a box, go through a tunnel, climb steps, go down steps, climb over obstacles, play hide and seek, go in and out of a doorway with a step up or down, run around a fence. 6. Eaten from 7 different containers: metal, plastic, cardboard, paper, human hands, pie plate, tin pan, frying pan, Frisbee, elevated bowl. 7. Eaten in 7 different locations: crate, yard, exercise pen, basement, laundry room, living room, bathroom, back yard. The rule of 7 is a trick we learned to help introduce our golden retriever puppies to new environments and get them used too many different things they may encounter in their lives. Much like ENS (Early Neurological Stimulation) the Rule of Seven introduces the pups to small stresses that will help boost confidence, social behavior, and their train-ability. We start applying the "rule of 7" at four weeks, we allow the puppies 7 new items they hadn't had contact with before. Around four days later, we changed these to 7 new items/ things. By the time you take our new puppy home, he or she has been exposed to 49 different or new changes/ items.