Since I’ve had several questions about raising Service Dog puppies recently, here’s a list of things to make sure your breeder does, in addition to the Early Neurological Stimulation Program.
General socializing: the Rule of 7s
By the time a puppy is seven weeks old, he/she should have:
1). Been on 7 different types of surfaces: carpet, concrete, wood, vinyl,
grass, dirt, gravel, wood chips, 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,
sticks, hose pieces, etc….
3). Been in 7 different locations: front yard, back yard, basement, kitchen,
car, garage, laundry room, bathroom, crate, etc…..
4). Met and played with 7 new people: include children and older adults…
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, etc….
6). Eaten from 7 different containers: metal, plastic, cardboard, paper, china,
pie plate, frying pan, etc….
7). Eaten in 7 different locations: crate, yard, basement, laundry room, living room, bathroom, etc…
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