Bears and Dogs

[hikeswithcatahoulas]

Anyone know if Dogs serve as a deterrent? or add to aggression/protection instinct?

My two are very protective, I never worry about being harmed by a person when they are with me....but I dunno how bears see them? Threat/Fear/Curiosity? Any experiences or tips?

My lab (could've been a 46'r) would smell them out and howl before we knew what was going on. Few times we'd see a black bear running down a bluff or through the trees to get away from her.

We've got Defend spray and an Air horn just in case but...what do y'all think

They are trail hounds but this will be the first overnight trip for Nougat and Marble.

[Judgeh]

There is a theory that dogs will attract bear. I believe that just applies to brown bear.

You're over-worrying the issue in the Daks. If you store your smellies in a cannister, you probably don't have too much to worry about as far as the dogs are concerned.

[Judgeh]

Your bigger concern is that they don't bother other campers, especially non-dog lovers.

[hikeswithcatahoulas]

I'm not worried, just curious. Never had a problem before...but I know when you aren't prepared, that's when you have a problem.

They aren't barkers, and they will be leashed - so I think I've got the bothering other people under control.

[AdkWiley]

I have heard and read from rangers and various other sources that if there is a bear problem and want to keep them away from your house keep your dog outside. The bears hate the loud noisy guys and will take off as soon as they hear dogs barking. Bears will most often flee from dogs and climb up into a tree to get rid of them. The dec uses a certain breed of dog which looks like a jacked up beagle for locating and treeing bears. You have nothing to worry about brining your pal along with ya, if anything it will keep you and food food safer from the bears!

[dog]

dogs-bears theories

I'm totally agree with AdkWiley .
I remember , fvrwld (?) suggested , bears think , dogs are wolves .
Maybe also they think , a person with a dog is a mother with a child ?
And it is better , as we know , to stay away .

Where is fvrwld , by the way ? Long time no see , I mean , no read .

[fvrwld]

Where is fvrwld , by the way ? Long time no see , I mean , no read .

I'm here!

[poconoron]

I believe also, that a dog will generally tend to "scare off" black bears- my experience over the years indicates this is the case. HOWEVER, a roaming off-leash dog can sometimes create an incident which might not otherwise happen. Case in point:

Several years back, my son and his German Shepherd were hiking with me and my Springer Spaniel here in the Poconos. The Shepherd suddenly darted off-trail and chased a black bear cub up a tree about 25 yards away. Out of nowhere, we were suddenly confronted by the mother, also about 25 yards away- and she was not happy, standing upright, making popping noises, and generally acting quite aggressive. The mother than charged toward us, getting to within maybe 50 ft.- as we backed up slowly, calling the dog off. The shepherd circled around back to us, and after some more tense moments of not knowing what Mom might do, she decided to go back to her cubs (there was another which had run off a little further). A very tense moment to say the least......

A word to the wise- especially in spring and early summer when mother may be with small cubs, it is important to keep your canine buddy closer to you and under greater control than you might otherwise need to.....

[Rik]

I believe also, that a dog will generally tend to "scare off" black bears- my experience over the years indicates this is the case. HOWEVER, a roaming off-leash dog can sometimes create an incident which might not otherwise happen. Case in point:

Several years back, my son and his German Shepherd were hiking with me and my Springer Spaniel here in the Poconos. The Shepherd suddenly darted off-trail and chased a black bear cub up a tree about 25 yards away. Out of nowhere, we were suddenly confronted by the mother, also about 25 yards away- and she was not happy, standing upright, making popping noises, and generally acting quite aggressive. The mother than charged toward us, getting to within maybe 50 ft.- as we backed up slowly, calling the dog off. The shepherd circled around back to us, and after some more tense moments of not knowing what Mom might do, she decided to go back to her cubs (there was another which had run off a little further). A very tense moment to say the least......

A word to the wise- especially in spring and early summer when mother may be with small cubs, it is important to keep your canine buddy closer to you and under greater control than you might otherwise need to.....

Interesting story. Could you tell if the bear was more focused on you or the dog? Once the dog was back with you I imagine you wouldn't be able to tell but when you and the dog were separated? Just curious.

[AdkWiley]

I'm sure the bear was focused on both. As soon as they hear the little cubs crying they will become very proective and anything that is near or around them or their cub is seen as a potiential threat. Glad u were able to get the shepard back to you instead of it going twords momma bear! oh and the poping sound is the bear snaping his or her jaws together. They will do this as a sign of agression twords others, jsut a useful tid bit of info!

[Judgeh]

Heard a grizzley snap its jaws from 50 feet away. Very unforgettable.

Made the mistake of locking eyes with the beast as well. Another unforgettable moment.

[Wldrns]

Out of nowhere, we were suddenly confronted by the mother, also about 25 yards away- and she was not happy, standing upright, making popping noises, and generally acting quite aggressive. The mother than charged toward us, getting to within maybe 50 ft.- as we backed up slowly, calling the dog off. The shepherd circled around back to us, and after some more tense moments of not knowing what Mom might do, she decided to go back to her cubs (there was another which had run off a little further). A very tense moment to say the least......

Black bears are known to be big bluffers.... to a point. If you don't challenge their bluff and slowly back away, you (in theory) should be ok. Don't act frightened either, just calmly give in to the bluff as to who is master of the woods. I've heard that technique doesn't work with grizzlies.

There's an old wives tale about black bears and grizzly bears. For one you are supposed to play dead, for the other you should never play dead. I can never remember which is which.

[AdkWiley]

There's an old wives tale about black bears and grizzly bears. For one you are supposed to play dead, for the other you should never play dead. I can never remember which is which.

I'm pretty sure it was if a brown bear attacks you just fall down , play dead and they will losse interest in you. If a bleack bears attacks, fight like heck because if you play dead they'll eat you anyways becasue they will eat dead things found while scavaging. Never has really made sence to me seeing that brown bears will eat carrion too. Oh well i guess brown bears want the thrill of a the kill where as our black bears are lazy and will more than happy with a free meal. Im deffinitly a black bear! speaking of which, the little woman just finshed dinner!

[poconoron]

Interesting story. Could you tell if the bear was more focused on you or the dog? Once the dog was back with you I imagine you wouldn't be able to tell but when you and the dog were separated? Just curious.

My sense of it was that the bear was more focused on us once her cubs climbed the trees, and because we were closest to her at the time, since the shepherd was on the move circling around once the cubs treed. We (and the shepherd) were indeed fortunate, I think, that he must have sensed that he did not want to mess around with Momma.

The theory behind fighting back at a black bear attack (but not a grizzly attack) has to do with 2 things:

1. You may have a fighting chance fighting off a black bear (hard smack across the snout, etc.), but a grizzly is just too damned strong and ill-tempered, and

2. Black bear attacks are so rare (comparatively, taking into account populations of both), that any attack by a black bear has a good chance of being about "he is hungry and wants to eat you". Normally, black bears are pretty timid vs. humans. But a grizzly is just more ornery and super-aggressive and wants to show you who's boss. Once you are no threat (lying limp, etc.), the theory goes, he will lose interest and leave you alone.

I'm not sure how valid those theories are, but I believe they have developed as a consensus of what has worked and didn't work in previous black and grizzly bear attacks.

[Gray Ghost]

If black bears attack you their only priority is to feed on you. Unlike Grizzlies, they won't attack you for defense. They may bluff charge, but if they attack they view you as lunch, dead or alive. From what I understand, a black bear will not attack to defend their young....though I wouldn't hang around to find out if this is true.