It’s that special time of year that we at Habibi Bears prepare for with happiness and anticipation…it’s new puppy time! Everyone around the Habibi Bear Central Hub has got a spring in their step and a smile on their face in anticipation for the blessed event of delivery of our new bundles of joy. With over thirty years of experience, we have our whelping routine down to a tee and thought perhaps we would share what we do to get ready for our new fur babies.
1. Preparing moms for birth
Our little Habibi Bear mamas are getting the preparatory spa treatment to get them all nice and fresh for their big delivery day. We love pampering our little mamas! First they get a nice warm bath, to get them spanking clean and sparkly fresh. After their baths, we give them their mommy shave down- keeping their fur shorn nice and close because after the birth, the mamas get so warm from the body heat of their new litter who are always snuggled right next to their mama to keep warm. The shorter fur also helps control the matting of mama’s fur with spilled milk when nursing their babies, who will most likely need some time to master the art of eating daintily. Those first few puppy nursing sessions are squeaky chaos as puppies, blind at birth for two weeks, climb and crawl over each other to try to find mama’s milk, led by their superior sense of smell. Even after they open their eyes, their sight is limited and still developing until eight weeks of age but their ability to sniff and smell is ready to go!
2. Creating a calm and quiet space for momma reduces stress for her and the puppies.
There are certain times in a dog’s life when they prefer to den, and giving birth is one of them.
We love to truly honor our little mamas by setting up their private whelping areas, giving them the darker, quieter, and significantly more private quarters that they crave to bring their precious babies into the world away from the rest of the pack, human and canine. We have noticed if there’s too much activity around after the birth, some of the more nervous mamas will become overwhelmed. Once that happens, there have been some mamas who try to hide their pups and keep them safe. We have found that by giving them a calm space of their own, we can provide the mamas with the peaceful environment they seek. The natural drive for a private birth is one of the main reasons why we maintain a strict no visitor policy for our Habibi Bear mamas and their babies. And honestly, in this miraculous age of virtual visits, Zoom meetings and doggie cams, we can share our little slice of puppy heaven with our Habibi Bear tribe members no matter where they live.
3. A dog-centric approach leads to well-adjusted pups and a happy mom.
As we are dog-led and pup-focused, we allow and keep our Habibi Bear babies just a little longer, watching our mamas for signs that they are ready to let their pups go, which we found naturally makes for more well-adjusted dogs, mamas and babies, alike. Every mama and every litter are different, and we like to honor that. We tune into the individuals that they are, one pup at a time, from the moment they are born.
It’s just one of the many practices that set us apart from others in the breeding world. We believe that is what makes our precious Habibi Bear puppies different from the rest from the very beginning of their lives. By observing them closely and taking our cues from the pups- by observing and monitoring their developmental milestones, their stress levels are kept low, allowing their true personalities time to develop and flourish organically, allowing them to become ambassadors of love, on a mission to spread joy wherever they go.
4. A New Breed for Today’s World…that’s the Habibi Bear
In 1989, Julie started a movement to honor and support dogs worldwide. Dogs are loved, guided, and allowed to develop at their own pace. The mission is to educate humans about building a beautiful relationship with their dogs. Join the movement by scheduling a call today using the button below.
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We know it can be overwhelming getting a new puppy, you want to find the right breeder, get the right pup, and get started the right way! You’re in the right place! If you’re not sure where to start, schedule a call and we’ll help you out!