Here in the PNW, home of the Original Teddy Bear dog, the beloved Habibi Bear puppy, we are knee deep in slush, snow and ice wherever we look. It’s a real Winter Wonderland, and we are having fun, keeping cozy, with the snuggliest, most loving dogs you would Ever Want to Meet! If you have had the honor of meeting or having a Habibi Bear puppy, you know exactly what we are talking about. You’ll never meet more sensitive, more cuddly little guys or gals running here and there on four legs! They truly live up to their names. In fact, Love is literally built into their name. Habibi means my sweetheart, my love or beloved,  in Arabic. Our mission is a commitment to bringing that kind of love into the world to share with you and everyone one pup at a time. In addition we are here to help you in learning how to honor your dog’s nature, soul and essence, by allowing them to be dogs. Here are the three easiest ways to allow your Habibi Bear pup to be a dog. 

• Let your Habibi Bear puppy Walk. Because they are so cute and small, it is tempting to want to pick up your Habibi Bear guy or gal and take them where you want them to be, instead of letting them make the physical effort of walking, trotting or running.  Sometimes it is hard to remember that they are not stuffed animals to be carried from room to room, we get it! They’re adorable! But we do them a disservice when we deny them the physical pleasure of movement as they were built to walk everywhere and wander for miles in search of food. Remember our motto from the Habibi Bear Handbook : Four on the floor whenever possible! The only exception for this is when they are not fully protected with their initial set of vaccines, so roughly any age before 20 weeks, they will need to be carried if outside the home. After their puppy shots are done, those little Habibi Bears need to be four on the floor and four-wheeling around the house like there’s no tomorrow! 
• Let your Habibi Bear puppy Explore and play. Because they do not have the privilege of hands like us, dogs explore the world with their mouths and with their noses. Don’t forget to provide appropriate items for your Habibi Bear puppy to chew and discover. Remember to rotate new or favorite toys or chewies to keep your Habibi Bear puppy at peak interest. Play hide the treat in a room and help your Habibi Bear puppy find the hiding spot with their sense of smell. If you haven’t tried Puzzle Feeding toys, they are a great Winter activity to keep your Habibi Bear guy or gal entertained. 
• Let your Habibi Bear puppy Bark or Vocalize. No, we do not condone hours of yapping on end. Far from it! In fact, we work actively to discourage barking as a way to demand our attention. We reward our Habibi Bear pups for offering a nice sit to get pets, love, and treats. We do, however, recognize that dogs have a natural instinct to run through a cycle of barking, and we pay attention to what they are trying to communicate (boredom, warning, hunger or other need) and evaluate our appropriate response. If they are warning us of something out of the ordinary, or a package delivery, we thank them, and tell them “good job,” so that they understand that they have been heard. If you have missed it, read our June 2023 blog post “Habibi Hero!” on how our Hannah’s Heart puppy Honey saved her family by alerting them of mortal danger, and  August 6th blog post about the small and mighty little River who took a rattle snake bite for her mama, AND lived to become a therapy dog!   My friends,  building a strong bond with your puppy pays off! 

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