The Rule of Sevens

This is Trilby puppy-sitting again. She's trying to help them reach their goal of all the sevens in the 'Rule of Sevens' . My peeps read about this in a book on Puppy Development - it was originally written by Pat Schaap for her Shelties. She says that by the time they are 7 weeks old puppies should have been on 7 different types of surface: my pups have been on vet bed, newspaper, shiny tiles, stone tiles, concrete, grass and carpet.

Played with seven different types of object: plastic flower pots are a favourite of my pups, also woolly toys, antlers, chew toys, cardboard boxes, squeaky toys and small rubber balls.

Been in seven different locations: here is one of my boys in the conservatory, they have also been in the kitchen, the sitting room, a crate, the whelping box area, the playpen and the patio.

This is Gracie with one of her new owners - the pups have to meet and play with seven new people, including children, elderly people, wearing a hat or carrying a walking stick or umbrella. They are meeting new people quite often and will meet more by next week when they go for their eye test. But so far they have met two children, four men including one elderly man and five women of different ages.

They must have faced at least seven challenges BOL - that has been no problem for my little mischief makers. Here is my other boy trying to make his escape through a gate while Aoife wasn't looking. They have also been in a play tunnel, climbed out of the conservatory, climbed back in and up the garden steps, they have climbed over obstacles, played hide and seek in the conservatory in and out of the chairs...and more :-)

This is one of my boys with his sister trying the food in the plastic bowl. They need to try food from seven different containers - we are still working on that one - they have had plastic and china so far:-)

And they need to eat in seven different places: my pups have fed in the whelping box, the playpen, the kitchen, the conservatory so far so 3 more to go :-)

They have all had great fun meeting these challenges and my peeps think the rule of sevens is a good one to aim for. Just before I go - here is are a few more photos of my pups who are 6 weeks old now and getting very grown up.

Gracie

My eldest boy

My youngest boy

and last but not least sweet Mabel :-)