We here at the Habibi Bear Central Hub are enjoying the beauty and wonders of spring in the PNW, home of the Original Teddy Bear dog, the Habibi Bear puppy. Our tender hearted and loving little Habibi Bear guys and gals are making the most of the longer days and increased sunlight, frolicking the days away. It is only our decades of experience that keeps us on our toes and keeps our Habibi Bear puppies on a strict schedule, to avoid the dreaded lapse in potty training that can strike any household, even ours, at any time if not diligent.
Want to avoid this problem? Would you like to make sure you don’t step in “it” one fine morning before your first cherished cup of Keurig? This is one of the top inquiries that we get in our emails and happily, it is one of the easiest to remedy with focus and attention.
Focus on: Puppy Schedule.
In those first few months after bringing your Habibi Bear puppy home, you as a puppy parent have quite naturally been very vigilant over watching puppy for the first signs that he or she is on the lookout for a place to relieve themselves (circling, intense sniffing). Because we cannot normally maintain intense surveillance, it is common that we begin to relax after one or two months of no accidents in the home. We may forget to place puppy in his or her litter box right after a meal, or get distracted and forget to let them outside. If puppy has had an accident, review honestly if you have allowed the potty schedule to slip down the list of priorities, and re-dedicate your focus to provide your Habibi Bear pup with the support they need.
Focus on: Re-Establish Boundaries.
Quite often with potty accidents, it is a case of too much area, way too soon! When your Habibi Bear puppy first comes home, we always recommend the establishment of puppy zones (Puppy Zones & Spatial Learning, Sept 2022) to avoid confusion and overwhelm in those first days, weeks and months. Remember, in every skill that your puppy masters, he or she must relearn that skill in a new environment. It is not as dire as it sounds, for it is much like a refresher course, and not learning from scratch. The clear physical barriers will allow for much quicker learning for your Habibi Bear pup, and be less frustrating for you and your family. After a certain time period with absolutely no accidents, areas may be slowly introduced to your puppy. It is wiser to err on the side of caution, (no accidents=one new area=one month), than risk overwhelming your Habibi Bear pup with free reign everywhere.
We need to keep in mind the physiological and developmental capabilities of our precious Habibi Bear puppies, who need to juggle several skills simultaneously to master reading proper signals, coordination and timing, including:
-Recognizing the biological urge to void
-Stopping their activity
-Remembering where to go
-Timing it all just right
That is an awful lot for pups who have a relatively short gestational period to handle.Just as we wouldn’t scold a 10 month old baby for using a diaper, it is helpful to recall how much we are asking of our baby dog, who looks to us for love, comfort, security and stability. Take care not to punish or use aversive techniques, which will only encourage hiding or nasty surprises where you least want to find them. It is best to clean it up calmly and get back on a potty schedule, letting bygones be bygones. Your Habibi Bear puppy wants nothing more than to please you and make you happy. Never fear, in no time at all, your Habibi Bear puppy will have the skills needed to be master of their domain and never have another accident. If you need more help, make sure you reach out to us as soon as possible, and make use of our experience to troubleshoot any issues. After all, we at the Habibi Bear Central Hub are always here, cheering you on!