Parenting
Kids & Dogs

Rediscover your inner child and experience a joyful journey while mastering the art of being an exceptional parent to your children and canine companion

Expectations


This page aims to provide valuable insights for families considering bringing a new puppy into their lives. It's essential to approach this decision with realistic expectations and not view it through overly idealized lenses. While puppies undoubtedly bring immense joy, they also demand hard work, patience, and consistency, which can be a bit challenging at times.
Most families are well-prepared for the responsibilities that come with puppy ownership. However, some individuals who are new to puppy raising may find themselves feeling overwhelmed by the arrival of their furry companion. It's our belief that being transparent about the reality of puppy ownership is crucial. We want to ensure that the match between a family and their new puppy is the right one from the very beginning to ensure a lasting, loving home.
Over the past three decades, we've encountered only a handful of cases where families found puppy ownership to be too much after a few days. Even though these instances are relatively rare, we strive to minimize such situations. We're dedicated to providing every puppy with a forever home, which is why we choose to hand deliver or have families pick up their puppies in person. This personal connection helps us ensure that every transition is smooth and that each puppy finds its forever family.
Our ultimate goal is to have one smooth transition, one loving home, and one happy family for each puppy. This commitment drives our thorough pre-screening process and the maintenance of this informative website. When we entrust a puppy to its new owner, it's a significant moment for us, and we place immense trust in those who will care for our puppies. We expect families to have already done their research and soul-searching before bringing home their beloved Habibi.

Meeting their needs in order

In most cases, the initial days can be a bit challenging. Your new Habibi might cry, seem unfamiliar with its pen or potty box, and seek extra attention. Remember, it's a baby taken away from its original home, so it needs love and kindness as it adjusts to its new environment. To start on the right foot, following our Human's Guide to the Dog Galaxy course for new parents is essential. This course helps you learn to communicate effectively with your puppy, using consistent language and creating a strong bond through our Power of Three Rituals. Prioritizing your relationship with your new puppy is crucial during the initial days.  Below is the Hierachy of Dog Needs:



During this early phase of puppy parenting, it's crucial to avoid overwhelming your puppy with excessive expectations. As trauma-informed puppy parents, our focus lies in addressing their needs sequentially, starting with Biological, Emotional, and Social requirements. Our bonding practices, coupled with our puppy management program found in the Human's Guide to the Dog Galaxy lay the foundation for a strong relationship. Once your puppy trusts you, and you understand their unique personality, education takes precedence over traditional training, as it centers on comprehending their emotions and the underlying reasons for their behavior, rather than merely correcting actions or applying rigid techniques. This approach allows us to better connect with our dogs. It's imperative to be forgiving and understanding during this period to foster a strong bond. Refrain from becoming disheartened or giving up, as the best moments are yet to come. You'll soon cherish these early days and miss the endearing puppy antics. Embrace the journey, as it swiftly evolves. The challenges like mouthing, accidents, chewing, and nipping will soon become cherished memories. By following our step-by-step guide, you'll acquire the confidence and tools to navigate this exciting journey with your new furry companion.

First let's discuss energy...

Puppies naturally exude abundant, healthy energy, and it's entirely typical for them to require regular playtime to stave off boredom. Puppies tend to experience bursts of energy followed by the need for rest. Their wake-sleep cycle typically consists of one hour of wakefulness for every three hours of downtime, given their young age. This is why it's vital, especially for families with children, to allocate time for the puppy to have some undisturbed rest in its designated pen or crate. Our comprehensive four-week program in the Human's Guide to the Dog Galaxy underscores the importance of this, with its initial lessons focusing on "Structuring Your Day" with puppy management. We highly recommend adhering to this routine for the optimal development and well-being of your puppy.


Parenting Kids and Dogs


Please review with your children the Doggy Body language module in Habibi U, and also print our free resource, Parenting Kids and Dogs (located at the bottom of the page).  Management if key when raising kids and puppies together, and it's our responsibility as adults to advocate for our puppies.  Teach children to respect the puppy and its space, so puppy doesn't become overwhelmed and start snapping out of fear or over stimulation.  Another thing to be aware of is children walking around holding the puppy constantly can make it motion sick. Please give your little Habibi Bear some needed down time amidst all the snuggles! On the other side of the coin, for families wanting the mellow lap dog, keep in mind you have to get through this puppy stage before it is the dog you want it to be.  Do not expect even the mellowest puppy of a litter to just sit around all day at your feet.  This is not realistic at all for ANY puppy, and if you are not able to handle the activity level of a puppy, we recommend rescuing an older dog that has already gone through the puppy stage.  It simply isn't fair for a little puppy to be placed in a home that cannot keep up with it or provide proper exercise.   Even the mellow pups are quite playful and bouncy during play times---it takes some maturity for the pups to outgrow the normal puppy energy.  A small dog will reach that mental maturity around a year old, some larger breeds take two years.    In all litters we see some with more or less energy, but separately, even those little mellow pups have huge bursts of energy.  If they did not, then we would be concerned.  Energy is healthy and NORMAL and demonstrates the puppy is well-socialized and happy.   We have dozens of families over the years that live in apartments and are able to manage their adult Habibi's energy level with daily walks and appropriate toys indoors.  On the other side of the coin, our Habibi's are perfect for active families with children and lots of activity.  Our puppy assessment will help me match the right puppy to YOUR situation.  We are focused on placement by temperament first above all else.  If anyone tells you all puppies adapt and it doesn't really matter, they do not understand puppy temperament and are not going to do right by their puppies.  They all are very different and we are puppy-centric at Habibi Bears.  We place for the puppy and honor it as the individual wonderful being that it is!

Chewing and nipping are another big puppy behavior...


It's crucial to remember that puppies are not displaying aggression or malice when they bite; they are simply acting in accordance with their natural instincts. In our "Human's Guide to the Dog Galaxy" course, we delve into the three typical biting phases that puppies go through, emphasizing that these phases are normal and should be anticipated. We provide clever management protocols and user-friendly flow charts to help you navigate and understand how to manage these phases effectively. This program offers an in-depth exploration of the art of raising a puppy. Puppies primarily learn through mouthing everything around them, and addressing this behavior isn't as straightforward as offering them something to chew on. Behind each phase, there are underlying biological developmental processes, and we equip you with the necessary techniques to manage them. Always bear in mind that puppies lack the understanding that their biting may cause harm unless you communicate this in a manner they can comprehend.

A wonderful song to teach your toddlers and pre-schoolers about 'speaking doggie"


from the family dog


 

Housebreaking puppies is not a simple task...


In our "Human's Guide to the Dog Galaxy Course," we provide a comprehensive training schedule designed to support families in a compassionate manner. By adhering to this approach, you will seamlessly navigate your puppy's developmental milestones as you progress through the training process. Many outdated training programs rely on rigid schedules and water deprivation, claiming to have fully trained puppies at a young age. However, these methods often involve a strict control over the puppy's routine, limiting their access to water, which we find to be cruel and unnecessary. Instead, we take a gentle approach, allowing our puppies to guide us as we observe their milestones. We believe that water is a basic right for any being, and removing it can be traumatic. While our approach initially involves using an indoor potty, we find that our puppies become fully house trained in a similar timeframe as strict methods, all without the stress-inducing scolding, frustrations, and accidents along the way. We begin with a potty box and management to ensure the puppy's comfort, teaching them to stay clean and eliminate in a designated area. We gradually introduce outdoor schedules, all while giving them access to water and an indoor potty box as their mind-body connection develops. By taking this compassionate approach, your puppy will feel confident and at ease, allowing you to avoid stressing about accidents in the house or crate confinement. This process enables you to sleep peacefully at night, offering your puppy a safe and accessible potty area, and as their bladder and bowels mature, they will naturally show signs of readiness to transition outdoors. Our systematic approach empowers you to decode your puppy's unique behaviors and effectively train them to eliminate outdoors or if you choose, use an indoor potty, too. Consistency is key, and our tracking tools enable you to understand your puppy's routine, ultimately fostering confidence and ensuring the foundation for your puppy's success and harmonious family life.

Puppy crying and alone time management is another big concern for new families...


While conventional advice often suggests letting a crying puppy settle on their own, at Habibi Bears, we advocate for a compassionate approach to help your puppy adjust. Teaching your puppy to be comfortable when alone is a vital skill, akin to the process of sleep training a child. We've observed that longer-lasting issues with crying tend to arise if this transition isn't handled in a compassionate way. In our Pup Start program, we've patiently and lovingly nurtured this skill, and it's essential to maintain this progress by following the prescribed schedule. To help your puppy thrive, it all begins with a consistent routine and understanding their communication cues. This early stage is similar to bringing a new baby home, where you both need time to get acquainted and decipher your puppy's signals. With our protocols, we find that the initial week may pose some challenges, but each day becomes smoother. In our "Human's Guide to the Dog Galaxy Course," we've provided helpful flowcharts to guide you as you gradually increase your puppy's confidence in being alone and the time spent in their crate. It's a beautiful process led by your puppy's needs, always prioritizing their well-being. During the first week, we recommend placing the puppy's crate beside your bed for comforting closeness. In the wild, when a dog is separated from the pack, they cry out to guide the pack back to them. It's only natural that this instinct might lead your puppy to cry when experiencing solitude for the first time in their new home.



Relationship vs Training

Our Habibi Method is  a relationship based approach that ensures you develop your bond FIRST before introducing  all the tricks.  Why you may ask?  Simply because a dog who TRUSTS you first will naturally enjoy working with you.  But if you put the cart before the horse, most families find they have less than stellar results.  Our process takes a spirit/mind/body approach to our relationships with our beautiful canine companions and we invite you to join the movement of elevating the way we are in relationship with these precious little heart healers!

I am in awe of dogs and the gift they offer us as our conscious companions. May you see and appreciate the magic inherent to your relationship with your dog.
-Julie
 



Parenting kids and dogs

Download our guide to learn our favorite management strategies for controlling the chaos that comes with kids and dogs, so everyone feels safe and behaves politely around each other.

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