Puppies with a purpose!
Glad you stopped by! Our Habibi Bear puppies are here to fill homes with joy and healing. These pups are unique, coming in a variety of sizes and bursting with love and snuggles. And guess what? Their hypoallergenic coats mean you can forget about allergies and just enjoy the hugs.
We've spent over 30 years focusing on the well-being of our dogs, not the number of litters. We nurture just a few litters each year, ensuring every Habibi Bear is a standout. These puppies are part of our family, and we're excited to share them with you.
Our program is small, but our passion for pairing our Habibi Bears with loving families is huge. These pups are whip-smart, super affectionate, and have an innate ability to connect with people, making them excellent therapy, Emotional Support, and family companions. They're not just pets; they're furry family members with a purpose.
Here's our backstory. It all started with Schnoodles for my students, and the desire to do more. We discovered new stunning colors in Schnauzers and Poodles that DNA tests revealed additional breed genetics. We then infused healthy rare imported lines to increase the genetic diversity. That's the origin of our Habibi Bears—sweet, empathetic, and just the right fit for those in need of a furry friend.
We use DNA testing to ensure a diverse and robust canine family. This labor of love has been our path, and we're thrilled to invite you into our world. Discover the Habibi Bear difference for yourself.
Habibi is an Arabic word that means 'my beloved'
and they truly are our beloved bears.
Connectivity between dogs and humans is a profound, transformative experience. It is my deep passion to help nurture and promote this meaningful relationship. Therefore, after much introspection, I knew I had to align our name with my vision. We chose the Name 'Habibi' for our Egyptian heritage, an Arabic term of endearment meaning 'my beloved' and 'Bear' for the adorable teddy bear appearance of our dogs.
Why We Embrace Purpose Breeding and Creating a New Breed through Outcrossing
One might question the rationale behind choosing crossbreeding or purposely breeding a new breed, rather than breeding purebreds. The reason is straightforward: we are in pursuit of specific temperament and personality traits that are not fully encapsulated by any single purebred breed. Often, the breeds that bear a resemblance to our vision are either exceedingly rare, making them less accessible, or they may share only the physical characteristics without the desired temperament.
Furthermore, many purebred lines were established in eras prior to the advent of genetic testing, leading to prevalent inbreeding practices. Although purebred dogs can be wonderful in their own right and suitable for many, they do not align with the objectives of our breeding program and The Habibi Bear Project goals. Through crossbreeding, we are able to circumvent these challenges, ensuring a diverse genetic makeup and honing in on the precise qualities that distinguish Habibi Bears as extraordinary
Inbreeding & Bottlenecking health issues
In the world of breed clubs, many have closed their stud books, meaning that traditional breeds are unable to introduce new breeds into their lineage to increase genetic diversity or rectify potential health issues caused by years of inbreeding and line breeding. This lack of genetic diversity can contribute to an increase in health problems within specific breeds, creating a bottleneck in the gene pool and limiting their well-being. This is one of the numerous reasons why we have chosen to embark on our own path of development. Our focus is simple yet profound – we prioritize temperament and health above all else. We do not adhere to the traditional methods of maintaining "purebreds." For more information on our approach to breeding, please visit our
Hybrid page.
What Breeds are involved?
Habibi Bears are a unique combination of parent breeds:
To date, our line consists of Bichon Family Breeds; Bichon, Coton de Tulear, Maltese, Poodle (in all sizes), European Imported lines of Shihtzu, Pekingese and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. (Original foundation lines began with Schnauzer & Poodle). Other breeds will be added as needed to reach breed goals.
Note: DNA testing by the Embark DNA testing company has revealed the presence of other breeds in some of our purebred parents. It's important to recognize that these results may be influenced by rare lines not considered in their testing system. While the presence of Lhaso Apso, Japanese Chin and Chihuahua has been indicated in our imported lines, we maintain skepticism about the accuracy based on our dogs' pedigrees, or perhaps it is picking up the fact that all purebreed dogs were developed with a mixture of breeds. Refer to the note below from Embark regarding this aspect of genetics. Additionally, it's worth mentioning that DNA tests may not display all the breeds in a dog's background, or only two breeds may be identified. This is common in genetics, where each puppy within a litter pulls from the entire ancestry/gene pool of the parents and receives a unique percentage of those genetics. This variability is similar to humans, where siblings can have different DNA results in ancestry DNA reports. An example being, a child having red hair and blue eyes born into a family with dark hair and brown eyes. Genetics involve pulling from the entire gene pool, leading to the emergence of recessive genes or only identifying dominant genes. This diversity is observable in our dogs' coats, leg lengths, nose sizes, and eye shapes within a litter. Regardless of the parents' "generation" (F1, F2, F1B), it is not so simple that each puppy will receive those exact percentages, like a math equation. Breeding on paper (Pedigree) can look different than genetics/DNA. Instead, each puppy receives a different percentage of genetics from the ENTIRE gene pool, and we have absolutely no control of this matter. This is one of the things that Mother Nature has the final say. While human breeding practices involve tracking and recording generations and identifying them with pedigrees and registries, the science of genetics operates differently. PawPrint Genetics refrains from employing breed identification in their testing due to numerous variables, which can introduce inaccuracies and confusion. We advocate using both systems; pedigree for tracking ancestry AND genetic DNA testing, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between the two. Together both systems help us develop our special dogs and give us insight in our progress. Your dog might exhibit different percentages of mentioned breeds or even breeds not identified in the line (due to limitations in the DNA test company's information). Nevertheless, your dog remains a cherished and purposefully bred Habibi Bear, nurtured and empowered from birth to be an intelligent canine companion and heart healer. Despite being bred for over 35 years, we maintain genetic diversity and always go back to the original parent breeds when needed to ensure we maintain hybrid vigor. The puppies' breed combination can vary based on the parents, influenced by dilution and the infusion level of certain breeds. Our objective is to preserve genetic diversity through hybridization, ensuring that our line consistently possesses a robust gene pool. We keep our studbook open to introducing new breeds when necessary, prioritizing the health and well-being of our line.
Temperament: Imagine a dog that's all about companionship, one that's eager to learn and in tune with your emotions. That's the essence of a Habibi Bear. These pups are just as content joining you for a brisk walk as they are lounging around the house on a quiet day. They're the ultimate easy-keepers—no endless exercise required to keep them serene.
What we aim for in a Habibi Bear goes beyond the physical; we focus on cultivating a stable mindset, sociability, and an even-keeled nature that can handle life's surprises with grace. These qualities form the cornerstone of our breeding philosophy.
Yet, we don't compromise on their spirited nature. Our Habibi Bears retain their lively character and love for life, all while being responsive and cooperative. This blend of traits makes them the perfect addition to any family, providing joy and companionship in equal measure.
They exhibit a friendly disposition towards other dogs and showcase exceptional cleverness, sociability, and joyfulness. Quick learners of unusual tasks, these active and occasionally comical dogs may attempt to outsmart their humans if undisciplined. Habibi Bear training should be calm and consistent, with daily mental and physical exercise to prevent behavior issues. Despite their loyalty to their own family, these non-aggressive dogs are friendly and approachable, making them wonderful therapy and support dogs.