# does anyone own a karelian bear dog?



## lorihd (Nov 30, 2011)

went to the dog park today with lexie (i know this is a very hot topic), now the dogpark never has any dogs in it, other then one person with a lab puppy, lexie and her play together very well. I usually go to work on obedience training off leash and to play with her and to have fun  well today someone brings a karelian bear dog, hackles up and barking like crazy, so naturally i just left, ive never seen one before, gosh, drop dead goregous! the owner said he is 8 mos old and plays well with other dogs, once he is in the park. anyway anyone ever come in contact with one before? just curious, lori


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## Shaina (Apr 2, 2011)

> KBD will hunt any kind of animal. Its quick reflexes and fearless nature have made it very popular for hunting aggressive game, including bear, moose, and wild boar.


hmmmm...



> *The Karelian Bear Dog has a good sense of humor. It is sensitive, independent, intelligent, skillful, tough on itself, and energetic. A robust, persistent, and powerful dog, it is willing to take on virtually any game animal. This dog is very loyal to its owner's family and makes a good household companion when it has owners who know how to display leadership and the dog is extensively trained. This is not a breed for the casual pet owner, the Karelian Bear Dog is a hunter of unyielding bravery and determination. It will put a bear to flight or attack it with great pugnacity. The true outdoors enthusiast and dedicated hunter can look to this hard-working breed with delight and utter satisfaction. Owners must be capable of handling this very forceful canine. An owner who understands canine behavior, how to communicate displaying authority over the dog, proper training and socialization are absolute musts. It may try to dominate other dogs and are perfectly willing to fight. Owners must communicate this is not an acceptable behavior. This dog needs a handler with natural authority. The training should be very consistent with both a firm hand and affection. This is not a breed for inexperienced dog owners. They are affectionate towards people and will announce both welcome and unwelcome visitors. Visitors the dogs knows well will get an enthusiastic welcome while strangers may be treated coldly. This breed is very protective. They will protect you with their life. The Karelian Bear Dog can live with other household animals if they know where their place is in their pack (blow all others) and if the training and socialization is properly handled. This breed has a small appetite for its size. *


Doesn't sound like a dog park kinda breed to me.. hopefully this pup has good temperament and a strong owner, just in case!


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Shaina - where is that information from?

Not questioning the information, but always good to include the link so that people can judge the website veracity, etc.


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## Shaina (Apr 2, 2011)

I grabbed it off the top two websites when I googled the name. Wasn't trying to state a strong case, just was curious and posted what I found. Not here to derail another thread on wiki credibility. 

Though this site is interesting as well: Karelian Bear Dogs, Should You Own One?

A Brief Introduction to the KBD Breed


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

All I know is the park rangers in alaska use them for scaring bears away from people and populated areas. I've never met one or seen one up close. They're starting to become pretty widely known for that use as well in areas where bears coming in contact with people is becoming more frequent.


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## Furricane (Feb 18, 2010)

I met someone with a Karelian Bear Dog before. It was a real cutie and sweetheart as a pup. Chatted with the owner about the breed for a bit. She said that the dog is an extremely high maintenance breed. The interesting thing she told me is that her breeder has NEVER placed a pup as a companion only dog until hers. She said that they went through quite a few interviews and a lengthy application process before the breeder even let them come and see the pups. Also the breeder picked the puppy with the least amount of "working drive" to be their dog. Cute pup.

I got a chance to see it as an adult later on and the dog looked VERY high strung, definitely reactive to other dogs, and simply would not focus when the owner gave a command. It was too interested in doing its own thing and was pulling the owner all over the place. A gorgeous but out of control dog. Not saying all of the breed are like that, very much could have been the owner didn't know how to handle such a high energy and smart dog. But it was an opportunity for me to actually see a dog from a breed that I had only researched briefly on. 

That being said, I also met one at a conformation show and chatted with the breeder of the dog. This one was much better behaved but still very interested in the other dogs around. Guess it depends on the owners in the end.


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

I used to see a few at the rare breed shows. Nice enough dogs, most that I dealt with were pretty friendly as I recall.
One of my good friends handled them at the shows so I would help her out ringside on occasion, I never noticed them as being particularly dog aggressive.
They were a lot easier to deal with than the Tibetan Mastiffs or any of the bully types I handled on occasion.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Shaina said:


> I grabbed it off the top two websites when I googled the name. Wasn't trying to state a strong case, just was curious and posted what I found. Not here to derail another thread on wiki credibility.
> 
> Though this site is interesting as well: Karelian Bear Dogs, Should You Own One?
> 
> A Brief Introduction to the KBD Breed


We always want people to include a link too, because it's not our words. 

I like that breeders' site - I like when they protect the dog from its beauty, for its utility. 

I know, how weird anyone would want to check the source of information, if it's on the internet, it must be true!


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