By now, most of you have had your Habibi Bear pups for a few months now, maybe even a year or two. Along the way, there may have been some ups and downs in finding ways to live together in love, peace and harmony. As a fun exercise, let’s think back to maybe one or two of the challenges that you may have experienced, and I invite you see if they had to do with puppy’s ability or lack thereof, to control their innate impulses (chew, gnaw, bite, burn off excess energy, vie for attention, etc).
Impulse control is one of the most important skills and tasks that we ask of puppy. We are asking them to delay or forgo something that their brain is telling them to do, and listen to us and do something else instead. Taking into consideration the age of your Habibi Bear guy or gal, it is amazing that these little loving creatures give us attention and compliance. A six month old puppy is still very much a bundle of energy to be harnessed, filled with hard-wired responses (Chew that mystery item! Follow that fun friend who smells good!) and limited understanding. It still amazes me that when you get down to it, we are sharing our homes and love with a species that through their ability to bond, has allowed us to domesticate them. It’s pretty humbling and exciting!
So, circling around back to the topic (impulse control) and issue (help puppy develop theirs) we can ask the big question : HOW?
Here is where your developing bond with your Habibi Bear pup comes into focus. It is the strength of your bond with your puppy that will gradually teach them that it will be worth the temporary inconvenience of delaying their will/action and that in exchange, they will be rewarded by you for their efforts.
This is why knowing your Habibi Bear puppy’s Love Language (see January 21 post, Doggie Love Language) is super duper helpful! Recognizing if your little one is motivated by food, fun, or affection is going to really advance your loving bond exponentially. Puppy will learn if they retreat from temptation, they get a reward from you. Repeated hundreds of times in the short life of a puppy, and that provides a wonderful experience and basis for lifelong trust and love. There’s even a Bonus! By providing a consistent opportunity for success for your puppy to comply with your requests, you are helping puppy in building the self confidence they need to become the best puppy ever and the Habibi Bear of your doggie dreams. A confident dog is a dog who exhibits less anxiety associated behaviors and makes for a pup that is a pleasure to be around.
No matter where you are on your journey with your puppy, it is never too late to fine tune your routine and bring in more simple activities that will deepen the bond between you and your pup. And if you have any questions or dilemmas, make sure you reach out to us and let us know. We are committed to empowering you to be the confident and knowledgeable pack leader who leads with understanding and compassion, patience and humor, and we have a wealth of resources to achieve that goal. We are always here for you, cheering you on!