Our dogs are their own breed with a unique look that is all their own: Meet the Habibi Bear

Our teddy bear breed is a hybrid that was purposefully developed for service, therapy, ESA and facility work. The Habibi Bear has been purposefully and carefully maintained without ANY inbreeding or line breeding to destroy it's genetic diversity.  The Habibi is the result of mindful hybridization, unlike it's distant ancestors with somewhat unknown history. Arabic is the most common language of the Mediterranean region, which is to be believed where the Bichon and Bichon family breeds originate,  and thus the Habibi Bear found it's name!  Habibi--meaning my beloved, and Bear for it's beautiful, teddy bear breed look. This unique breeding of exceptional quality dogs has been shared only amongst close friends and family members, and available to select homes.

The Habibi Bear is a line created exclusively by our breeding program. We have combined the very best genes, carefully chosen to produce a larger variety of coat colors and the fluffy wind blown coat like an English Sheepdog. Kept short, the Habibi has a teacup teddy bear dog look. Our parent dogs (Moms & Dads)  are paired together carefully to compliment each other's qualities and produce Beautiful Habibi Bear Puppies! A Habibi Bear's temperament is paramount, and we breed for health and temperament above all else. 

Habibi Bear Standard (Habibi Bear Appearance)

Habibi Bears Colors:
Habibi Bears produce a wide variety of colors and patterns, all are beautiful in their own way! Some of the colors range from; cream, apricot, sable, phantom (black brown), black, parti-color, chocolates, Liver, Red, and our new Confetti Merle colors and patterns!  

Habibi Bears Carry the Fading Gene:
This means the coats can fade as they mature, or morph into different colors as they grow.  It is fun to see what we get in the end!  (To determine adult color, we look at the root of the hair and the nose and foot pad colors. and that is a pretty good way to determine the final outcome!)

Habibi Bears Coats:
Our Habibi teddy bear breed come in two coat types:

FLEECE: a soft, silky to cottony coat with varying degrees of wave or curl, which features an all over fluffy, wind blown look.

PLUSH: A recessive gene that only comes up once in a blue moon.  A soft straight to wavy coat, which resembles the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with shorter hair on the face, feet and under the tail, and longer ears and body. The Plush coat is great for those families who want a very low maintenance coat that is basically wash and wear.  This coat type doesn't require trimming of the face or feet and can shed some.  

Owners who prefer the shorter, easier to maintain puppy cut, or 'Teddy Bear" trim, should consider selecting a puppy with a Wavy/Curly or Plush Coat.
While families that prefer a longer coat will do better with puppies with less wave and more silky in texture. The longer coat is easiest to maintain if it is more silky, however the wavy coats look very beautiful longer too, but do require daily brushing to eliminate matting.

Non-Shedding: The Habibi teddy bear breed has a coat similar to human hair, requiring brushing and grooming. Non-Shedding coats have less allergy causing dander, therefore causing less allergic reactions. They lose hairs like humans do, but they do not shed like shedding breeds. The coat doesn't carry the doggy smell, and if maintained in a teddy bear puppy cut, they are very easy to maintain in a wash and wear mop top style!

Temperament: The Habibi Bear personality is that of a happy temperament with immense charm.  They are stable, alert, intelligent, very sociable with humans and with other dogs; it adapts perfectly to all ways of life. A non-quarrelsome breed dog.  The temperament of the Habibi Bear is one of the main characteristics of the teddy bear breed.

Habibi Bears Shedding and Allergies: Multi-generation Habibi Bears are non-shedding and considered to be an allergy-friendly breed.

Definition from the American Heritage Dictionary: "Hypoallergenic" refers to a dog that has a decreased tendency to provoke an allergic reaction.  (There are no totally non-allergenic breeds, as allergies are subject to the allergy sufferers particular body. Some people are allergic to dander or saliva, etc.)

Habibi Bear Size

We raise three sizes of Habibi Bears. Standard (Large) Medium (Mini) and (Small) Teacup.

Miniature sized breeds under 20 lbs (8-18 lbs is most typical - the smaller end we refer to as Teacups). Weight can vary, but average size is in the middle. Occasionally a pup will fall below or above this standard, as is typical in all breeds, due to genetics. Some parents produce slightly larger or smaller puppies. Both genders are equally easy to manage. A Mini and teacup teddy bear dog can easily fit into a soft-sided carrier for travel. We do our best to provide approximate adult weights for each litter and puppy, however it is complicated with many factors and genetics that are outside of our control. We cannot guarantee size and neither can any breeder. Every breeder categorizes sizes differently. The Habibi Bear is a unique teddy bear breed with it's own breed standard,  here is how we categorize our puppies:

• {X-SMALL} Micro Teacup: 3-6 lbs | Rare!
• {SMALL} Teacup: 7-12 lbs  | 7-11 inches tall - stand below the knee on average  
• {MEDIUM} Mini:  12-20 lbs  | 11-15 inches tall - stand below the knee on average
• {LARGE} Standard:  18-40 lbs  | 14- 20 inches tall - stands above knee-thigh height on average 

Body Structure: They are sturdy in structure with a tail that they carry over their back. Body is  rectangular, with substantial bone and muscle.  The back line of the Small and Medium size can be slightly convex, so the teacup teddy bear dog will have slightly shorter front legs. They have a cute little hop when they run that sets them apart from other breeds!  Longer legs run in the background of the breed, and is not considered a fault. Both short or long legs are acceptable and produced in our lines.

Head: Their expressions are soft and intelligent, with an air of mischievousness. Their skulls are broad and slightly rounded. Length of muzzle is equal or slightly less than length of skull measured from stop to point of occiput. Muzzle is covered in fur and is full, not too long, with full nostrils. Ears are a drop ear, broad at the base, with or without a slight fold. Eyes are large, rounded, lively and expressive, typically dark brown with deep pigmentation of eye rims and nose. Confetti colored dogs can have blue or green eyes and Chocolate dogs will have lighter brown or green eyes with lighter pigmentation of eye rims and nose.

The Teeth: Scissor or an undershot.  Either are acceptable due to the rounded shape of the head. Underbites are not considered a fault, due to the Pekingese and Shih Tzu in the background.  In these breeds, the underbite is the breed standard, and without would be considered a fault. This lends to the sweet expression of the Habibi, which happens to look the cutest on our teacup teddy bear dog! 

Video about bites from Doctor Pup

The Habibi Bear Personality & Temperament

The Habibi teddy bear breed was created exclusively for therapy, service and emotional support. They are unlike any breed we have met!  Their soul purposes is to be a companion and support to humanity.  Their intuitiveness is magical, and we often call them our little "Crystal Babies" as they raise the vibration everywhere they go.  

• Habibi Bears are extremely intuitive, intelligent, affectionate, very loyal, and they are great with children. They love to be close to their family, and will follow you around the house, we lovingly call them 'Velcro Dogs'.  Habibi Bears are  not a barky dog, but they can become active barkers, as with any breed, if left unattended or not trained to quiet.

• Habibi Bears love to entertain, they are like little clowns and can easily learn tricks. They have this amazing intuitive quality where they seem to understand  our language and are so willing to please!  

• Habibi's are great watchdogs, letting you know when someone arrives, but usually quieting down right away with a quick command to be quiet. They make lovely travelers, too!

• Our Habibi teddy bear breed makes for great lap dogs, and a wonderful companion. Our dogs are great for active families and also are excellent at obedience and most dog sports. They are very easy going and versatile dogs with a desire to please their family. Habibi's also make a wonderful service, ESA, facility, or  therapy dog as they are quick to please and intuitive.

• Habibi Bears  are excellent companion animals for home or apartment dwellers. They are very smart animals and enjoy having the opportunity to use their intelligence by learning tricks, playing games and participating in agility training. Habibi's  are very affectionate. They are energetic and playful, but this energy can be easily tamed through throwing a ball or going for a walk. Habibi Bears are known for the  having  "Zoomies", wherein they run around the perimeter of rooms at high speeds. It is quite funny to watch, and families love seeing their  dog show off its speed!  Habibi's  can be very athletic and make good companions for runners, but they do not require running miles a day to keep them calm.

Fun Facts About the Habibi Bear  

These are the common traits that are typical of OUR unique line of  puppies. They all have very similar and definable traits that are consistent from litter to litter, and what we feel to be the standard of the IDEAL Habibi Bear.

• Did you know that we have dogs placed with lifesaving services such as Diabetic Alert, Medical Alert and Seizure Alert?  They are naturally intuitive and tenderhearted and bright.  They thrive as therapy, service and emotional support dogs for families and individuals living with special needs.
  
  
• Extremely intelligent and train easily. Our puppies always graduate head of the class in training.
  
  
• Calm and non-barky. Our Habibi teddy bear breed tends to be quiet, and most families report that their dog is so quiet they rarely hear them bark. (Although, without training and in certain environments ANY dog can learn bad habits. This is easily corrected with consistency in your training.)
  
  
• They make great watch dogs and will alert you of new guests at the door.
  
  
• They are friendly with other dogs and people. Many families have told us that they are afraid their puppy will be stolen as they make friends with strangers everywhere they go.
  
  
• They use their paws as hands to hold and play with objects, even petting their owners. We have many pictures of our Habibi Bears holding their stuffed toys to sleep with. Ahhh, so sweet!
  
  
• Our puppies love cats! This is a consistent report I hear back, and believe this is inherited from our original sire. He used to pet them and can jump and pounce like a cat. I bet your Habibi Bear will too!
  
  
• Easily house broken!  Our in house trainer can get our puppies on a reliable schedule in two weeks.  This is unheard of with small breeds, but the norm with our bright Habibi Bears.

• Fun loving family dogs! Our Habibi teddy bear breed is wonderful for families with young children. They are extremely gentle and loving with well mannered children.
  
  
• A great consideration for families with allergies; low to non-shedding and low maintenance coats.
  
  
• Habibi's love to perform and play games like fetch. I hear from many families who have taught their Habibi Bear tricks that their dog will bring the toys to them as if asking to run through their repertoire.
  
  
• Many Habibi's love the water and will enjoy a dip in the lake or a run through the sprinkler at home.
  
  
• They are very intelligent and require stimulation. A bored or lonely Habibi can resort to digging or other destructive behavior. This is easily resolved with stimulating toys and companionship.
  
  
• A guaranteed loyal and loving friend for many years. These little dogs are truly a joy for many families.

Health

Habibi Bears are a healthy breed. All breeds are subject to certain disease that can many times be avoided with preventative care.  

Tenderhearted: Habibi's are a very intuitive teddy bear breed. They do not respond well to 'yelling' or aggressive training. Excessive force CAN encourage a Habibi Bear to become defensive and eventually act out. Please do not use any aggressive techniques with your dog, as they will mistake this as a threat and can react with fear and return this aggression with fear biting or cower in fear. This is an extremely intuitive and intelligent breed. Always use positive reinforcement and training.

Hernias: Umbilical hernias are common. This is from birth when the mother pulls on the cord.  It is not to be considered a fault. If your puppy has a hernia, it can be repaired during the spay/neuter procedure. It is not a life threatening issue, and fairly common in ALL breeds. Many close up on their own, if you rub and apply pressure to the area throughout the day.

Patellas: We have not had any patella issues with our parent dogs, but it is common for small breeds like a teacup teddy bear dog to injure their knees from excessive jumping or exercise while they are growing. Do not allow your Habibi to jump on and off the furniture, especially with hardwood floors, or out of the back of your trucks as this can injure your dog' knees, or injure the growth plates. We train our dogs to sit, and we lift them up. Using stairs to your furniture is also something that works. A lesson about proper exercise and protecting your dog's backs and knees is featured in the Habibi University Portal  for our adoptive families!

Ears: As with all dogs with drop ears, it is imperative to keep them clean of debris. Habibi Bears can grow excessive hair in their ear canals that will require removal to keep the area clean. When cleaning the ears, be sure to dry the ear completely with drying powder so yeast doesn't grow.  

Allergies: We have found that feeding our dogs a quality food has completely eradicated any skin issues in our dogs.  Most ear and skin issues are related to allergies or over medicating with flea and tick treatments. For more info, visit our Natural Rearing page.

Underbites: A majority of our Habibi teddy bear breed will have underbites, it is not considered a fault, as it is part of the round head, lending to the adorable Habibi Bear expression.

Cherry Eye: This is in the background of the breed, however rare. Usually massaging the area will help it the eyelid flip back into place. A small surgery will repair this, we recommend our own vets for this, as they have experience and high success rates without the exorbitant fees of specialists whose new procedures have proven to not be as successful. Click to read an article about cherry eye massage

Tear Staining: Tear staining is common with many dogs, especially noticeable with white or apricot coats. The cause more than likely is the PH level, and there is really no rhyme or reason to who will have this.  Within a litter there can be puppies with or without-- or it can develop later in life due to allergies.  Usually more noticeable when puppy is teething, or if the hair is touching their eyes, causing irritation. Many times dogs will exhibit tearing or ear infections when they have a food sensitivity, we have had excellent success with the food we recommend. New environments, pollution, teething  and allergies can also play part.  

To remedy the problem, we keep our dogs in a teacup teddy bear dog cut, making sure to keep hair trimmed close around the eyes. I keep a pair of scissors and a beard trimmer handy to trim up the area myself between grooming. 

Feeding a raw diet really helps with excessive tearing.  If you haven't tried it, we recommend  Raw Wild

Another option is to add Apple Cider Vinegar into the water to balance the PH level, and also try using filtered water.