Everyone knows that our absolutely adorable Habibi Bear puppies are the most lovable, charming and people-centered dogs around! These are the Original Teddy Bear dogs, folks, and it only takes one look to see why everyone wants to get their hands on one. Who wouldn’t want to cuddle with these fluffy little angels? After all, we breed our Habibi Bears to be the canine ambassadors of tender love and affection, all wrapped up in a cute little package. But before you do that, we are here to help you advocate for your dog when approached by unknown friends and the general public who are sure to want to handle your Habibi Bear pup.
Advocate for your dog
The word “advocate” comes from the Latin word advocare which means “add a voice,” which is what we do when we speak up and guide people how to greet and, if our Habibi Bear guy or gal is receptive, pet them.
The Habibi Bear Guide to Meet and Greet New Friends:
- Why? It is extremely important for our dogs, who cannot speak for themselves, to have someone who knows how they are feeling about an unknown person before that person is allowed to put a hand on them for a meet and greet. We should be familiar with the basics of doggie body language and the temperament of our own Habibi Bear puppy, so we can properly explain and guide someone new how to approach our dog safely.
- What to Look For: General signs that your Habibi Bear puppy is open to “pets” and ready to receive affection are a soft open mouth, soft eyes, wiggly butt, and moving closer to person or even under their hand for some good good lovin’. Some signs of discomfort or anxiety at being touched by an unknown person are tail tucking, lowered ears, whale eyes, frozen body language or being stiff-legged, or turning their head away from the approaching person. This is your cue to make an excuse and prevent petting.
- How? If your Habibi Bear puppy has given the green light to being touched by showing you a relaxed and open posture, you may proceed and instruct the new friend to move slowly and gently towards the back end of your dog from the side, making sure to avoid over the head movements or a hand in front of their mouth or face. Gentle side movements are more neutral in nature and in general, are non-threatening to dogs.
- When to stop: A good rule of thumb is to count to three, and pause, waiting for the next cue from your Habibi Bear puppy. If they move with the hand, you may instruct the new friend to slowly continue for a few more seconds, taking care to end things on a high note. Notice if your Habibi Bear puppy freezes, or even moves away. This means it is time to bring the meet and greet to a close. Calmly step between your Habibi Bear puppy and the new friend, and be the barrier that your dog, if they want, can stand behind. By being that protector, your dog can increase their trust in you, resulting in a deeper bond and eventually a more confident dog who knows they are being heard.
To Toddle or not To Toddle? A Cautionary Ta(i)l
We at Habibi Bears will always advocate for dogs first, and it is in your own best interest and that of your Habibi Bear puppy, to discourage unknown toddlers from handling your pet. Toddlers by their nature, are not able to regulate their voices or movements sufficiently enough for your Habibi Bear puppy to have a guaranteed positive experience. Toddlers lack the ability to properly understand how they can cause fright or an injury to a non-human being. As a puppy parent, you can only be responsible for controlling who touches your Habibi Bear pup, not how an unknown toddler may unexpectedly grab or hit your pet in under thirty seconds. Be proactive and avoid any potentially risky encounter. Explain to the parent that your Habibi Bear puppy is in training (which technically is always true) and mustn’t be touched. All it takes is one moment of a spontaneous shriek or accidental strike to cause a lifetime of apprehension and months of training to undo the damage.
We hope this gives you a good idea on how to proceed when unknown friends and neighbors approach you to interact with your absolutely precious Habibi Bear pup, who is bound to get loads of attention and heaps of praise. For a great visual example, check out our YouTube channel and the Consent Petting video with the scene-stealing Amil! This little superstar gives you a perfect example of what a puppy open to “pets” looks like. Check it out and if you have any other questions, reach out and ask! We are always here for you, cheering you on!