Puppy Troubleshooting & Support

How To Make The Most Of Troubleshooting

Every week we receive lots of emails and we are thrilled to be of help. We have thirty + years of doggy experience that we are happy to pass on and share with our beloved Habibi Bear tribe. To make the most of our continued dedication to troubleshooting puppy questions and issues, here’s some tips to help you get the most effective advice.

When you send us emails asking for help, it is so helpful for us to get the most complete idea of what led up to the issue so that we can help you in the most effective way to make a positive change for you and puppy.

For example, we received an email saying that puppy is using a carpet runner all of a sudden instead of the litter box, which caused us to ask what had changed in the household to provoke this sudden behavior. When asked, it turns out that two major things have happened, a major home remodel and a vacation are the most likely stressors that instigated the doggy behavior. Happily, as soon as the behavior was noticed, course correction measures could take place without a lot of drama.

Restrict puppy area: Back to basics and constant surveillance right before and right after eating to set puppy up for success. We recommended puppy be put next to litter box immediately during those crucial times.
Praise and Reward: Once back in the potty area, when puppy did use litter box, puppy was rewarded with high value treats and lots of happy praise.
Consistent surveillance: Vigilance, vigilance, vigilance! Puppy wasn’t allowed in any area unsupervised.
We don't recommend potty pads for this reason :). Dogs do not understand the difference between a rug and a pee pad. So please start out ahead of the game if you will be offering an indoor potty- use a litter box, indoor grass or Bark Potty to avoid confusion.
After one day of course correction, puppy was back on track. However, restrictive puppy area is maintained for at least a few weeks to guarantee puppy truly understands where the appropriate area is to avoid any further accidents.

We sincerely appreciate all of your communications with us, your happy stories and your challenges. Remember to check out our Pup Start program to make the most of your puppy bond and increase trust. Have any questions? Reach out and ask. We are always here for you, cheering you on!

If you need copies of the training trackers, click below to download:

Concept Training Tracker Bathroom History Socialization Tracker

Daily Habits Tracker Kennel Tracker

If you have a doggy issue, make sure you include these important details:

First Name

Last Name

Phone Number I would like to receive text notifications.

Please list your Habibi Bear's name/Litter/Client details to help us locate you in our system. This service is exclusive to our Habibi Bear clients.

Environment: Have there been any changes in circumstances or major routine changes in your household? Has the dog had any health issues, or injuries? Have you had a vet check to make sure?

Context (Antecedent-what happened before the event): What was going on before the issue came up? Was puppy tired, hungry, or stressed? Any new experiences.

Behavior: Explain what is happening that you are struggling with in detail.

Consequence: What happened afterwards? Crate time? Scolding? Ignoring, etc:

Response: What was your response to the issue? Ex: Were you feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, impatient, or perhaps missed it all together or were inconsistent in your response to the issue?

Duration: Was it a one time occurrence or an on-going behavior? How long has it been going on?

Please email us a copy of your weekly house training, crate training, alone time trackers for house training, crate training or puppy crying questions.