Those who are familiar with and own our wonderful Habibi Bear puppies often tell us how loving and cuddly our little furry guys and gals are! It is one of their defining characteristics! We couldn’t agree more and we are pleased to be able to share our magical Crystal Babies with the entire world. Our puppies are pretty close to being in every one of the 50 states, and that is awe inspiring! So many of our clients are eager to bring our Habibi Bear puppies into their hearts and homes, and one of the most frequent questions we receive is …. Drum roll Please….. When Can I Let My Puppy on the Couch?
So here is a guideline for you to make use of to evaluate whether your Habibi Guy or Gal is ready to be given more space on their mental leash, so to speak, and ready to share your space.
- Your puppy’s ability to follow house rules and regulations nearly 100% of the time.
- Your puppy sees and respects you as Top Dog, and is happy with their role in the family Pack.
- Your puppy has never displayed anything resembling resource guarding (see last weeks blogpost “Gimme Gimme, Resource Guarding in Puppies”).
- Your puppy while outside of the home and in public, listens to your commands and complies nearly 100% of the time.
- Your puppy is confident inside and outside the home and doesn’t display timid or aggressive behavior in either location.
- Your puppy is Master of their Potty Time Domain, and never has accidents.
- No matter how exuberant their personality, puppy is obedient to what you ask.
- Puppy is out of the destructive teething phase.
- Puppy has successfully navigated their adolescence and is, once again, the loving puppy you first brought home.
- You are confident in your role as Pack Leader and Top Dog, and you have excellent boundaries and keep up regular routines.
As we talked about in the last two weeks, when we understand about space and hierarchy in the dog world, we can use that information to bring the very best out in our loving little Habibi Bear puppies. If we can honestly evaluate abilities, capabilities and personalities, we can safely invite puppy to share our intimate space of a couch or chair to sit alongside of us. Be sure to start and end every cuddle session with a polite sit or place – And don’t be afraid to rescind the offer if puppy starts acting out once this happens, simply get back to the basics for a few more weeks. If you really have your heart set on having a Netflix Binge fest with your pup next to you, try it again after the above 10 criteria is met on a consistent basis. Remember, progress and growth are an upwards spiral that takes a little time to achieve. So don’t lose heart by a few tiny setbacks, and if you need more help, check out our Pup Start program and reach out to us. We’re always here for you, cheering you on!