Bear attacks: How your dog might get you killed

[@GR-cf4qh]

You know the old saying, "I don't need to outrun the bear. I just need to outrun you." Well, how many of us can outrun our dogs?

[@Lando62]

You are totally correct in this video. Every bit is correct. To those people who say the dog will alert them to a nearby bear. You are better off walking past a bear and not knowing it is there than being alerted and then having to deal with a bear enraged by your dog.

[@onealjones9039]

I've put several bears in trees with dogs... I don't hunt bears, just use my bear dogs to haze them away from bee hives and fruit trees. Some breeds will tree and work the bear away from you. However, most dogs will run directly to their owners if they aren't said breeds. That's when dogs get their owners killed/mauled.. Karelian bear dogs are used to haze bears away from humans regularly, even in many national parks. Bear dogs are the safest way to keep bears from interacting with livestock as well. My best bear dog was a Catahoula Labrador mix. Hunting dogs won't run back to their human... might be several days before the dog comes back if it isn't trained well though.

[@mattc6015]

@@onealjones9039treeing bears only works on black bears though grizzlies can’t climb

[@bradbradford8576]

​@@onealjones9039that's not useful to any of this, though. No one is going backcountry hiking with a pack of bear dogs, and if it's a large griz, there is no dog in the world that will stand up to it if it gets angered. Even grizzly bears have a hard time injuring grizzly bears. Dogs can't bite through the fur/skin/fat. There is literally nothing they can do except hope to distract

[@ojutay8375]

​@@mattc6015Grizzlies can climb but not well

[@mikefrost1312]

You can have a dog alert without barking & freaking out. All depends on the dog & how you train it. For example, you could have a malinois or regular GSD and train them to sit or give another silent signal when they smell certain things. Just like a drug or bomb/trap dog would do. If the dog quietly sits, you know there's a bear close by & can turn around or continue cautiously without surprising it.

[@roshanchachane142]

Dog owners often overestimate the capability of their dogs. Wild animals are called wild for a reason.

[@iamagooddog21]

i saw a video the other day of a man allowing his off leash dog to approach elk in a national park. when a bystander warned him of the danger of it the owner replied with “its okay, he’s a boss” - referring to his dog. as if fido had any chance against a 700 pound elk if it got pissed off.. i dont understand how people so dumb have survived to the modern day

[@spinozilla2421]

Yeah and no domestic dog can’t even match their Wild cousin the Wolf, even Dogs bred for defending flocks of sheep and fighting against Wolf are reported by Farmers losing 1v1 fights with the Wolf with odds only going for the Dog if they have special anti wolf Collar which is Collar with metal spikes to help defend the dog’s throat and back up from another Dog.

[@spinozilla2421]

@@iamagooddog21i mean we live society away from the horrors of nature and everyday survival, darwinism is thrown out the widow when our species lives in controlled and safe environment safe, it like housing a groups of Rats, the weak and not so bright one are allowed to survives since someone is making sure they are fed and protected

[@Moe_Posting_Chad]

@@iamagooddog21 Because the modern world is designed to create dumb people and encourage dumb decisions. We already conquered the planet. So now all the adults are just chilling in a playground that was built centuries before they were born. Its a crisis of values. All according to plan.

[@eternallylearning2811]

​@@iamagooddog21honestly I am definitely teaching my future dog to not attack random wildlife cause one lots of endangered species around here two that is fucking stupid

[@sophieseverson8465]

Dog owners who let their dogs roam off-leash are putting other people in danger as well.

[@jessespencer6330]

Only idiots who dont train there dog, or have dogs they cant handle

[@JackieOwl94]

Yes. I had to protect my class from a roaming dog that tried to attack them at recess. The owner got upset that we, an elementary school, called the cops. Most dog attacks start with “The dog is friendly, they won’t attack.” just before they hurt or kill someone.

[@APoxyR8]

I remember reading at least in Banff, all dogs must be leashed and leashes can only be max. 6ft long. Yet I still do see people being stupid.

[@TJ-hg6op]

Really depends on the dog. It has to be very trained before you keep it off leash, and you have to know WHERE is a good place for off leash. A hiking trail? Probably not. Especially with dangerous animals about.

[@AnonningAnon]

My neigbbours let their dogs offleash into our yard many times. We had to call the city on them. Now their dogs are leashed, but shit got scary a few times and they bit our cat while our cat was in the yard chilling on our deck. I hate irresponsible dog owners. My cat is still alive, but the wound was deep.

[@robertfindley921]

Thank you! I see dogs on the trails all the time and it concerns me. As a runner and biker, I've been threatened by vicious dogs many times. People overestimate their control over their dogs. Birdshot and a bear? Are you kidding me?!?!?

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

We are very much in agreement. People need to step up and be more responsible for their pets, and bird shot is a pretty bad choice for taking on a mother grizzly. The thing that really kills me, is his shotgun only carried two shots. He had already expelled the first into the air, and only had the one shot left. He was very lucky that day. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!

[@zawlinmaung9604]

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[@marthlink5015]

Glad someone else has the same concern. I've run into bears hiking alone many times, I usually try to talk aloud to myself to let any animals know I'm around as to not accidentally spook animals in the brush like i have a few times. I've run into coyote(s) packs on pure accident just walking past a treeline, seen bears and bearcubs with their mom, and even stepped on snakes that just LOVE warming themselves on trails since the trails are devoid of brush and give clear access to the sun--- luckily no poisonous ones live here in NY as far as im concerned. But the real problem is people running around with their dogs off leashes, even someone with a dog on a leash and mildly not paying attention or having good command of the dog is inhospitable to be around. I've had cops training their canines and lose total control of their dogs around me, or people with a pack of dogs taking them out. Incidents like that sadly has completely killed my inner-Hiker and i'd been hiking since i was literally a kid, now as much as I'd like to am just not into getting into a scenario where I'm not as fast or quick as I used to be so someone with an out of control dog could prove almost as dangerous or more than most wildlife that just wanna be left alone.

[@richjageman3976]

@@marthlink5015 New York has at least 2 or 3 venomous snakes that are native. Timber rattlesnake, the so called pygmy rattler (massasauga rattlesnake) and the copperhead.

[@marthlink5015]

@@richjageman3976 Holy HELL well im glad i haven't encountered them. Guess i learned i was wrong about snakes round here... now they will creep me out even more XD

[@renorailfanning5465]

Just because he's a veteran doesn't mean he's above ridicule. Everybody needs to be called out for stupidity. Sometimes for their own safety.

[@appa609]

He's not stupid he's misinformed.

[@renorailfanning5465]

@@appa609 Maybe stupidity is too harsh 🤔

[@joydutta8934]

@@renorailfanning5465too kind p, he is a dumb dumb

[@ressljs]

Well, whatever you call it, I know so many people who are completely detached from reality when it comes to dogs. It's hard to say which is worse, the amount of intelligence and self control they believe their dogs to have, or their inability to see how their precious "furbaby" is a huge nuisance to everyone around them.

[@hunterg.1300]

@@renorailfanning5465 He made a common-misinformed judgement, no need to shame the guy.

[@joejames4231]

Great video! I just had this happen in Kodiak last month. My friend and I were photographing a very chill mother brown Bear and her two yearling cubs while they fished. Everything changed when a yellow lab came out of nowhere and decided to go after the mother brown Bear. She went from relaxed to aggressive in an instant and the dog then retreated to the closest humans he saw which happened to be us. This brought an agitated mother brown Bear within 50-feet of us. Luckily, this Bear family is well known and used to navigating people and she moved off after making her point to the dog. About a half hour later the owners showed up looking for their escaped pooch and said he dog had been pinned by another brown Bear before and clearly hadn’t learned it’s lesson. What was so interesting is how this Bear family’s demeanor changed so quickly from quite relaxed around people as they are roadside bears who get photographed nearly every day once the salmon run starts to highly agitated the instant they noticed the dog.

[@marilynwillett804]

Exactly. My German shepherd [pure bred] was told no barking in Alaska ONLY when we went walking through the woods. We came upon a huge mother moose and her calf peacefully eating in a clearing, she just eye balled us. We stopped to say hello and then continued on the path it would have been different if a German shepherd began barking. Train your dog.

[@BriannaRubino-xy7mc]

This also reflects the sensitivity of wildlife to environmental changes. Wild animals tend to adapt and respond to changes in their surrounding environment, especially those related to daily life and survival needs. What happened to the dog in the end?

[@joejames4231]

@@BriannaRubino-xy7mc Hi Brianna - all was OK in the end, the bears moved off into the woods and the dog's owner came by a few minutes later to collect him up. Our photoshoot in perfect evening light was ruined but the everyone got away safe which is what is most important. Truly would have been an amazing photo shoot though as the bears were moving into a great area to chase salmon in perfect light which is a rare, rare thing in Kodiak....mayb next time.

[@joejames4231]

@@vincentromano187 Haha not really, was too focused on getting the dog to settle down to pay much attention plus that particular bear is very relaxed around people I just wasn't sure how she'd react to the yellow lab barking at her. All ended well though.

[@RobotDCLXVI]

​@marilynwillett804 German Shepards are such great and trainable dogs. God have mercy on you if you tried to get through that exact same situation with a shitbull.

[@haggaisimon7748]

That is what happened a few weeks ago in Banff when a couple was killed by a bear. They had a dog who also was killed. 95% of attacks are defensive and having an agitated dog around doesn't help for sure. But I do not expect this case will make sense for most people. People don't learn and don't listen.

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

I'm actually currently working on an in depth analysis of that attack. Such a terrible tragedy, but a precious opportunity to learn.

[@Shaz-gq7pv]

In Banff it was likely predatory because of the time of year. Winter bears are in hyperphagia were they eat as much high protein food as possible to prepare for hibernation and can be very dangerous and they will and have preyed on humans. The berry crop had also failed and the bear in question was old with bad teeth and underweight for time of year. The dog likely did attract bears attention very sad situation for the couple and their dog

[@T410ce]

The bear involved was an old sow with worn out teeth that was in poor condition… I do believe that the dog attracted the bear in the first place.

[@glory5918]

@@Shaz-gq7pv - from nps gov - usa ~ quote: Why Are Dogs prohibited on National Park Trails? ~ Large national parks that have extensive backcountry areas do not allow dogs on trails. These include parks such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier, Rocky Mountain, and several others. Great Smoky Mountains National Park has prohibited dogs in the backcountry since the park was first established in the 1930s for several reasons: Dogs can carry disease into the park's wildlife populations. Dogs can chase and threaten wildlife. The scent a dog leaves behind can signal the presence of a predator, disrupting or altering the behavior of park wildlife. Birds and other animals can be scared away from nesting, feeding, and resting sites. Small animals may hide in their burrow the entire day after smelling a dog and may not venture out to feed. Dogs bark and disturb the quiet of the wilderness. Unfamiliar sights, sounds, and smells can disturb even the calmest, friendliest, and best-trained dog, causing them to behave unpredictably or bark excessively. Pets may become prey for larger predators such as coyotes and bears. In addition, if your dog disturbs and enrages a bear, it may lead the angry bear directly to you. Dogs can also encounter biting insects that transmit disease and plants that are poisonous or full of painful thorns and burrs. Many people, especially children, are frightened by dogs, even small ones. Uncontrolled dogs can present a danger to other visitors.. ~

[@charliewhite2625]

It depends on the dog breed and the number of dogs you have with you. No one dog alone can defeat a bear in a fight, but in other parts of the world, groups or teams of the listed dog breeds below, are used to hunt black, brown and polar bears. These powerful guardian dog breeds will not back down from any bear and are known to harrass and chase bears away. Also, these types of dog breeds are used to protect livestock from wolves, mountain lions, black bears, and brown bears. Kangals, Caucasian Shepherds, Cane Corso, Alabai, Tibetan Mastiffs, Presa Canario, Dogo Argentino, Karelian Bear Dogs of Finland, Chinese Bear Hunting Dogs, and the Alaskan Malamute.

[@alemirdikson]

I've been going around the internet dispelling myths about bear attacks for a while, but I NEVER thought to bring up dogs. If a bear is unaggressive and approaches you calmly, your survival hinges on how calm you can remain in response. Dogs complicate that heavily.

[@Tom-xn8nn]

Bears shouldn't approach people calm or not calm . If I see a bear and the bear sees me and I don't see a fearful attitude in the bear upon realizing my presence ,then I need to make that bear fear me. otherwise the bear will be a danger when it becomes complacent with humans

[@aurelian2668]

​@@Tom-xn8nn not with a dog. A dog is not a human, it sees it as a competitor.

[@anniereaves2861]

@@aurelian2668I also see the bear as a competitor, that why a carry bear spay AND a gun that will put a bear down. If a bear has approached me in the first place we have already gotten off on the wrong foot. If a bear is not fearful of my pack of four dogs barking while on leash, I am assuming the bear already has bad ideas. And I will have to match the bears ideas.

[@davidhimmelsbach557]

@@anniereaves2861 Four dogs = a wolf pack in the nose of any bear. They hate 'em.

[@shannonkohl68]

Two people encounter an angry grizzly. The first starts putting on running shoes. The second tells him, "you can't outrun a bear". The first says, "I only have to outrun you". Of course a dog can easily outrun a human, which is probably a big part of why the bear turns from the dog to the human. The other part is that most dogs will not go toe-to-toe with something larger than they are. And if they do that with a bear, they will be quickly mortally wounded, and then the bear will be free to attack the dog's owner.

[@rosomak8244]

Even that may turn out to be wrong: bears are quite quick and can chase down a dog or single wolf.

[@jedisith3864]

Depends on the breed but you aren't wrong. There is a few mountain dog mastiff breeds that will instinctively protect the family. Good watchdogs that will run away with you when you need them to. Trust a mastiff and you'll always trust mastiffs 😂

[@priestesslucy]

​@@jedisith3864yep. The only dogs you can trust to fight a bear for you is a breed that's been bred to fight them. I shake my head at the dumb people who think something like a Kangal or an Alibai would beat a bear or drive it off when it already initiated an attack though. These dogs work best as a repellent letting the bear know it's more trouble than it wants to deal with to go after livestock, and a really big black bear or a grizzly wouldn't really care about just one. If you only have one guardian dog, it's basically just there to buy you time to draw your firearm and get off a few good shots. Hopefully you manage to save the dog, but if you don't you know they died with honor protecting you.

[@rientsdijkstra4266]

@@priestesslucy No breed of dog can fight an angry grizzly.

[@priestesslucy]

@@rientsdijkstra4266 any breed can 'fight.' No breed can win solo, but a pack of the right breeds can successfully drive one off

[@roberthill7458]

As a Marine, thank you for the educating video. Safety before pride.

[@JackieOwl94]

As someone married to a veteran, we don’t often believe a lot of what other veterans say, unless it has something to do with war. What most people don’t understand is that those who are brought into the military aren’t often the best and brightest, so it’s better to listen to subject matter experts instead.

[@NathanTarantlawriter]

This is so correct. Whenever I have seen people with dogs hiking or camping with them, THAT DOG causes problems almost every time with the local wildlife. It's just a matter of time before they do it. They naturally irritate and harass animals in the environment, and they are hardwired to perform like that. My rule is to always stay FAR AWAY from any hiker or camper with a dog. Don't believe it when the owner says they can control their dog. They can't when another animal is involved.

[@s.a.t419]

Some can, 90 percent of dogs arent properly trained

[@nightowl7261]

For once... someone finally gets venomous vs poisonous right..

[@josephshields2922]

But what if you ate the venomous snake? would it become poisonous?

[@mikenagy938]

I just re-looked at the grizzly attack which killed two hikers in Banff in Canada. Sure enough, they had a dog with them.

[@anniereaves2861]

That was a predatory attack, go ahead and read the reports. They would have died regardless if they had their dog or not. If only they had a weapon to back up their bear spray 😢

[@AlanPattinson-z9c]

It is not only with wild animals, most domestic cattle attacks are where people take dogs into a field on a lead.

[@notmyname1038]

A bear will sense a dog way before the dog senses the bear

[@josephshields2922]

Yeah, but your dog will tell you a bear is around before you know it. The key is "Keep him on a leash"

[@Hardcastle83]

Maybe your dog.

[@desertratz307]

I love when some ex marine acts like they know everything because they're a veteran.

[@cigaweed88]

Especially annoying when they speak with a mouthful of crayons

[@amusedBYfools]

You LOVE that?

[@jessespencer6330]

Not just marines, navy way worse. Find most marines are actually pretty down to earth. My brother in the navy, hes an egotstical, narcissistic a$$hole i cant stand

[@alphaomega1173]

He just got lost on the way to college

[@walkingwolf8072]

They are not just a veteran, they ARE a Marine! And yes when it comes to combat they probably know more than you.

[@eksbocks9438]

Personal space is important to bears. In fact, this is common for a lot of animals out in the forest. Especially if you're around a mother bear with cubs. Some humans just don't have a sense of it. Because they've done it to other humans a lot. But bears don't follow the same laws we do.

[@leegrass6954]

This is the best video I have encountered about bears. It verifies my own experience when I was camping at Houston Mesa campgrounds in Payson Arizona a few weeks ago. I have a Jack Russell and we were returning to our camp after visiting with people across from us. I spotted something on the other side of our little camper -it was very dark colored and furry -it was rummaging through our chairs and knocking them over and my dog started barking-the bear was on the other side of the camper so I quickly opened the camper door and pushed my dog inside. I became aware that the window was open and he was barking in front of the screen. The bear or the dog could’ve gone through the screen easily. I pulled the dog out of the camper and rushed him into the truck. I also got into the truck where I quieted the dog down and we stayed there for several hours praying that the bear did not return. The dog aggravated the bear to the point that the bear was growling back at the dog. It wasn’t a case of the bear not finding what he was looking for and running off -he was ready to go after my dog and my dog was ready to kill the bear. Fat chance for the dog. The video is telling the truth. Other wildlife are afraid of dogs and will come after them. In Arizona we have lots of trouble with Javelina that become aggressive when there is a dog with you. It’s very dangerous.

[@joshuaderstine4133]

While walking in an abandoned coal mine in Pennsylvania 2 bear cubs ran across the trail right in front of me. My dog chased after the Cubs. I never did see the mother Bear. We got lucky and I learned a valuable lesson.

[@123goldenlily]

Small note for 0:41, there are two things called "daddy long legs", the real ones pictured here and spiders that are actually called cellar spiders. They are also not venomous or poisonous

[@soko4710]

where I live, "daddy long legs" is the correct term for cellar spiders and the incorrect term for harvestmen.

[@dalesplitstone6276]

There is a third, bug known as a daddy longlegs, that is not an arachnid. For the record, the cellar spider is venomous, but its venom is so weak that, if you were to be injected with it, it would be no worse than a mosquito bite.

[@markp6621]

Here in Australia the common name for "cellar spiders" is "daddy long legs", and as far as I know harvestmen are simply called harvestmen here. Also, it is possible the urban legend of deadly daddy-long-legs spiders might come from here. Daddy-long-legs are well known and tolerated because they kill our deadly redback spider, so perhaps that's how they got their undeserved reputation. An amusing story: A friends father was collecting sheet iron stored in a donkey pen, and the donkey could be aggressive when he wasn't faced down. My friends father was careful to face the donkey, but while collecting the iron he put his hand in a redback nest (there can be several individuals in a single nest) and got three bites in quick succession. While dealing with the intense pain he turned his back and the donkey took its opportunity, charged, and bit him between his neck and shoulder, lifted and shook him. This required a trip to the hospital, some anti-septic wound care and some antivenom.

[@dalesplitstone6276]

@@markp6621 In the US they kill Black Widows and Brown Recluses. It was thought that any spider that preyed upon these highly venomous spiders had to be even more venomous. Cellar Spiders are venomous, but the venom is about as strong as a mosquito bite, if they can successfully get it in you, and about the only way for them to do this is through an open wound.

[@stephenbrand5661]

I was walking my dog at a park last summer when an unleashed dog ran up to us and tried to attack my dog. Fortunately, I was able to keep my dog from getting bit, but it sent me into a blind rage, and I ended up chasing the dog and its owner away while loudly cursing at them. Our park has plenty of signs posted about keeping dogs leashed, but so many people just disregard them. A 500+ pound black bear was just killed by a car 2 counties over, so those idiots might have more to worry about!

[@loquat44-40]

You acted like a bear lol 😁

[@Hi_Im_Akward]

​@K.C-2049 I have literally only seen service dogs and police dogs be trained well enough to trust off leash. I cannot stand when people think their dog is so well trained the rules don't apply to them. It doesn't matter, there are reasons for the rules and the training only works until it doesn't. I've also had people let their unleashed dogs run up to mine. I even had to kick one one time because it was otherwise going to die (my dog literally would have killed it). I shouldn't have to keep my dog in isolation or keep it muzzled at all times because someone else thinks the rules don't apply to them. It is nothing but their fault if their unleashed dog gets bit my a leashed dog. Honestly people are so stupid.

[@marquisdelafayette1929]

I have a Saint Bernard who’s just the chillest and docile dog. She doesn’t react to other animals.. only been to the dog park a handful of times since she just will slowly walk along the fence alone or come to the bench’s and cuddle up to humans who interact with her. Even off leash in our yard she doesn’t react to people and other dogs (which don’t even notice her). I had a GSD who was the complete opposite and went berserk anytime someone walked by. While napping outside a few years ago a woman’s chihuahua ran into the yard and ran up to her and bit her face. She was just as in shock as I was. Of course the owner is giggling and finds it “cute”. I was pissed. If it was reversed she’d be on to 911 immediately. But another reason we don’t do the dog park is people bringing untrained dogs there to”be trained” and by “trained” let loose their aggressive pit bulls while they go off on their phones somewhere. Saw one attack an old lab and the owner stood there like “what do you want me to do about it?”.🤦‍♀️

[@affordabledesertliving3487]

One huge problem is this one. When I was growing up in the 50s and 60s dog ownership was a part of our area but mostly the dogs were kept at home or on the farm etc. Hiking and exploring the outdoors was generally just people enjoying the outdoors. Dogs were not that common on the trail etc. Now we have no end to people that a dog is now a "fur child" and HAS to be part of the action for the family. I believe this has led to more and more dogs on trails and in outdoor spaces. So its bound to happen that the bear/dog/human scenario will be fulfilled. Sometimes in exasperation I almost feel that in our troubled rough world people need more people (even therapists) rather than a 4-legged psuedo therapist/child. I am not trying to be mean here just truthful and realistic.

[@Moe_Posting_Chad]

If you wanted to be realistic, you'd mention that the women need to stop getting big dogs. And some of the women need to stop getting big dogs they then get mounted by. Its not being mean. Its fucking disgusting and unacceptable behavior. Its well past time to stop being polite when the other party in question is as offensive, obnoxious, and as aggressive as possible. Respect is earned, not given.

[@walkingwolf8072]

As a child I spent my summers on my uncle's farm, he and every farmer in the county had one or more farm dogs. In the city almost every child grew up with a dog, most people kept them inside, or in a fenced yard, or on a leash. I was mauled by a dog when very young, so I understand the fears. But never would be without one, or two, or more. At the age of 69 I am well aware of the 60's and dogs. If you don't like dogs, then don't have one, otherwise pound sand. As for the poster of this video he has some issues, most cases a dog and a firearm are wayyyyyyyy better than bear spray. As evidence by the dead people with empty pepper spray cannisters. The facts are in firearms stop bears in over 90% of the cases, and dogs give that precious time to get that firearm on target, just like hunters use dogs to take dangerous game including bears. We hunted the whole time growing up with dogs.

[@victory8928]

@@walkingwolf8072Again, what is the point in having a firearm if the bear charges at you because of the dog? Prevention is the best form of protection. Having something that will agitate bears and cause them to attack will increase your chances of death by missing a shoot especially if the bear is angry enough to kill you on the spot. When you are weighing the odds, better to not engage with the life-risking situation for no reward than to engage with it too full of confidence in your skill. This is why you don’t bring a dog, the dog is now increasing the risk of you getting into that situation and will not help you detect a bear. If a bear wants to be known it will be in most cases. It can choose when to make itself known cause it is adapted to live in that environment. Your dog isn’t. It is adapted to live in human settlements and will not help you when the bear just beelines for you, unless the bear is smaller and skittish which are bears that are less likely to attack you.

[@RobotDCLXVI]

More realistic take: if they weren't propagandized so heavily to be antinatalist, they would have children instead, thereby reducing the chance they would be putting their lives or anyone else in danger by bringing their child-replacement dogs into the wilderness.

[@victory8928]

@@RobotDCLXVI do you have any idea how little that will affect things? People will still have dogs even if they have children one doesn’t necessarily stop the other and at the end of the day, if they lack this knowledge or care for others they will bring their dogs along. Blaming antinatalism isn’t some common thing either. It can just not be feasible or desirable for someone on certain situations where having children is not an option. Just blaming one minor ideology just brushes the main factors under the rug

[@appa609]

That's why I only ever travel in bear country with a full wolfpack

[@erikbrush]

This is a great video! Very cogent, sober, well thought out, and great advice. I am a biologist as well as someone who used to train dogs and have worked with many for years. I would list breed exceptions to the rule and numeric exceptions that can aid in possibly dissuading bear attacks, but as the narrator rightly points out, most dogs are not only comparatively poorly equipped to deal with a bear, the likelihood of getting any meaningful aid or protection from a canine companion is extremely low. So traditionally, in Europe, the dog breed of choice used for bear hunting isn't a hound breed at all. It's the standard poodle. You heard that correctly. They are not only an intelligent breed, but the fastest side stepping and back jumping dog breed in the world for large dogs. That said, bear hunters using the breed will usually employ six or more dogs to mob the bear, similarly to the way that wolves mob bears. Numbers are important in such cases. It's why indigenous peoples in the polar regions keep large numbers of sled dogs to help dissuade the interest of polar bears. (Not always successfully, for that matter). Very large breeds such as Tibetan Mastiffs, Kuvas, Saint Bernards, Newfoundlands, Cane Corso, Old English Mastiffs, Akitas, Tosa Inu, Fila Brasileiro, or Anatoli Shepherds if in numbers of 3 or more might serve as a sufficient deterrent provided that they were to react in time and in concert. But again, you can not count on that being a successful strategy to hike through bear country. Unless you have a pet wolverine or two, I wouldn't count on an animal companion dissuading an attacking bear. An interesting footnote, I am a shark conservation advocate and have specialized in sharks for years. One thing about dogs that stands out is that domesticated dogs swim with an irregular gait that produces the same low frequency sounds as a wounded or struggling fish. Swimming in salt water with a dog is a great way to attract sharks. I have seen sharks prey on dogs in water and have studied the reports. Dogs in marine environments greatly increase the potential to draw in sharks that are in a feeding mindset. Most sharks are uninclined to prey on terrestrial species, other than turtles, pinnipeds, and birds. The majority of species are fish and crustacean hunters. That said, large sharks, especially great hammerheads, are very attracted to dogs. So this is something that they share with bears. Dogs can draw conflict.

[@HusbandnWifeDuo]

Great share! I would like to share a reply to another poster that kind of endorses your view point. In my opinion livestock guardian dogs are the best bet for protection of livestock against bear attacks. We are owners of livestock guardian dogs and know from experience that these dogs protect their charges, including humans, very well against non-predatory bear attacks on humans and opportunistic attack against livestock. These dogs intimidate bears who then leave for easier opportunities. However, even these big dogs are a no match for a bear who is set on making a kill.

[@jamesalles139]

And never forget that any mammal can contract rabies. That would mean all bets are off when it comes to 'normal' behavior.

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

Very good point. Thanks!

[@skaldlouiscyphre2453]

The most terrifying 10 characters I can think of: rabid bear

[@mihaipascal3423]

I LOVE the clip, man! And you were just spot on! As a cyclist that used to frequent rural areas in Eastern Europe (I live here), I should know all too well this stupid harassing behavior of dogs. Things get even more interesting if you consider stray dogs (of which there are plenty around), which, kind of like wolves, form tighter and more aggressive packs after mid-fall. But even more annoying than the said packs are the folks that view every dog like an angel that will NEVER attack unprovoked. And yeah, as stated previously in the comment section, people will generally greatly overestimate the human side of dogs and their control of them. Even in cities, you can see numerous dogs walking their owners (pulling ahead on the leash and taking charge of the walk), instead of the other way around. So yes, it completely makes sense that getting out with a dog in the bear country, especially with one you have little or no control over, will put you in serious danger.

[@ariw9405]

I hate when I’m hiking and people have their dogs running off leash. It’s so inconsiderate.

[@mrkus-nc7od]

Off leash ! And out of control of owner 😮 how many Fawns get mauled by Dogs ?

[@solideomusical]

Would it make a difference to you if they were both off-leashed and under the owner's control?

[@johnarndt1501]

I hate when there's people that hate dogs being off leash in an area where no free man should have to worry about a dog being on a leash. Lol. Hike in the city if dogs worry u or your dog

[@devincook3278]

​@johnarndt1501 haha, couldn't agree more with this guy!

[@frankblanco9369]

Yeah dude it's nature be free.

[@argonianale5716]

Thank you! Am living in rural Alaska (Lake Iliamna) and we have dogs of no specific breeds that help and often do deter bears from our property, especially during our subsistance fishing of sockeye salmon. Have seen many of our bear dogs chase bears off but not have the bears return back with the dog, although I do hope that is due to the dogs knowing their guard duties instead of that being relied upon sheer luck haha. I'm not saying this by any means to be defiant! More so I appreciate this being pointed out because almost everyone I know, especially the city folk, believe their dogs are the absolute best deterent to bears (and I was under this impression as well) and I commonly see them unleashed on the frequented trails. Often leads to dog scuffles and unsolicited sniffs -_- By far my favorite thing from the bear dogs, other than the protecting, is seeing the older ones teach the greenhorn pups on the guarding behaviors, it's cute!

[@peterbogart4531]

Your reply is one of the best comments on this subject that I have seen.

[@jothegreek]

​@K.C-2049 city dogs think their human is their pack and often they are the pack leaders also a pack of working guard dogs are enough to counter a bear like wolves do

[@johnarndt1501]

I was reading some article listing all the bear attacks in alaska and a good majority of them were halted by dogs. I personally don't want mine to jump in unless I'm actually being mauled because I love him. Lol. And I don't hike with him to detere or warn me of bears but I suuuuure sleep better knowing he will wake me up if a bear comes into camp.

[@anniereaves2861]

@@johnarndt1501same. My dogs will recall off of large predatory animals and have proved it on multiple occasions. I’m aware that the scent draws animals in. But when I’m sleeping in a tent in grizzly county I sleep better knowing I will absolutely have a couple seconds of more time to react if necessary.

[@mtngrammy6953]

Thanks for this very informative video and well-explained reasons (with scientific and statistical backup) for the aggressive change in bear attacks when dogs are around! Hope everyone listens.

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

My pleasure! Thanks for taking the time to watch!

[@johnmackenzie5136]

Hello and thanks for a great informative video. I agree 100% with its content. I am a dog person and strongly believe as you have attested to, that the great majority of dogs should remain out of the back country. There are very few dogs and I mean large dogs which will defend you from a bear attack. Some breeds with defensive training will take this defensive stance and may provide some help in a bad situation, but even in these situations there should be at least 3 dogs involved to keep the bear occupied. Bottom line as you have stated, leave you mutt at home and if it is a well trained large dog it should also be leashed and not free to roam. Your videos provide very good, accurate and informative content.

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

Thanks! It's long been a frustration of mine that finding quality information online can be a very difficult undertaking. I'm glad to finally be able to provide what I struggled to find myself and am very touched by the response. Best wishes! Hope to hear from you again! lots of great stuff to come.

[@amusedBYfools]

​@@HomeInWildSpacesit's so nice to see you active in the comment section. Enjoy your YT success.

[@walkingwolf8072]

I love my dogs, and believe in responsible dog ownership, BUT a feral dog saved my life when I was an early teenager. A large feral St Bernard mix used to follow me on my paper route. A police GS escaped it's pen and cornered me against a fence ready to pounce. The feral SB attacked and broke the neck of the GS killing it. When the police officer showed up he tried to shoot the SB, which resulted in me kicking him, in the long run he got fired, and the SB got a new home.

[@dhand34]

They won’t let you bring dogs into the Smoky Mountains National park because of black bears killing them

[@solideomusical]

How does a black bear (or any bear) catch a dog?

[@Shaz-gq7pv]

Bears can charge 40 miles per hours and are also very quiet they'll stalk you for miles before charging you. Also dogs could get themselves caught because likely they'll keep running back to owner so caught early and then bear kills owners too

[@solideomusical]

@@Shaz-gq7pv I don't deny that, but dogs are also extremely agile and fast.

[@dhand34]

@@solideomusical they do it quite often if off leash. That’s why they banned dogs there.

[@SpaceX30]

​@@solideomusicalif they get close it's over, probably for like 50-100 yards they can run as fast as a horse

[@Hellgrinde]

Birdshot for a bear?! Seriously? Thats like using a q-tip to wipe your butt, it just aint gonna get the job done.

[@sharroon7574]

We live in black bear country. We walk our dog in the city and city parks in bc and we see bears semi-regularly. We avoid prime bear areas during the summer. We had a scare this summer and ended up very close to a bear. We did not see it but our dog was barking so I was working on calming him, I heard what I thought was a dog breathing heavy but it was a big bear. We walked away and the bear ignored us thankfully but we were very close. I would love more advice about avoiding black bear attacks. I don't see my dog as bear protection but rather I see him as a liabilty and myself as his protection. We leash him always if we think bears are around.

[@marilynwillett804]

Well perhaps if he is leashed he is helpless in an attack.

[@antifazisbonifaz6964]

​@@marilynwillett804On the contrary in that case he can't run. His natural instinct in this encounters is no dout to run. They perfectly know they haven't a chance. Is not the same as fighting one human. There they would find courage no doubt. But not against any kind of bear

[@jessespencer6330]

Ya'll realise their are dogs bred to hunt bears right? Mastiff etc would go at the bear n hold its own, especially in a pack.

[@princetchalla2441]

In the same way a 10 year old would "hold his own" against Mike Tyson, I'm sure 10 10 year Olds could take him down, but they'd have to be well trained and work together. It's also easier when you have someone with a gun backing you up. If you think a single dog of any breed or size is gonna fight off a bear without any help you're nuts.

[@aljo8200]

​@@jessespencer6330 i'm pretty sure people get dogs because they're cute and not because "durr you can fight a bear you're coming home with me"

[@mustysmells817]

Saying your dog alarmed you of a bear is like saying your Burglar Alarm works after leaving all your doors unlocked and letting the robber inside.

[@Etch406]

Great video and a super refreshing take. This subject has been on my mind for a while of what to do while I’m bird hunting in MT this time of year and gave me more to think about.

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

Glad you found value in the video. It's the kind of stuff I wish I had know 20 years ago, but glad I've spent the time learning regardless of how long I've been exploring the backcountry. Thanks for watching! Stay safe out there.

[@bitswapper]

Encountered a black sow and her cubs in the woods on guard training once. We saw here when one of the our group stopped for apparently no reason, then turned abound. We looked and saw a black bear about 10 feet away, and two cubs snuck out of the brush behind her. She made no sound we could hear and to this day we couldn't figure out how Sven (nickname for the guy who stopped and turned) knew something was there. There were 4 of us and we shouted and the bear, who just glanced at us and went back into the bush. We were on our way to chow, and later than night a bear ran into one of the cooks' tents, got tangled in camo netting with the cook, and animal control had to come sedate the bear and cut both out of the camo netting. They relocated the sow and her cubs noting that she had been hanging around chow tents where food is cooked. Bears in that area are a little used to people because soldiers on camp exercised are known to feed them in spite of being ordered not to.

[@BriannaRubino-xy7mc]

Wild animals often adopt strategies to protect their young, allowing them to learn to adapt to the risks of their surroundings. What happened to the black sow and her cubs in the back?

[@mercenary991]

Unless you have dogs capable of scaring off the bear like 2 Malinos or 2 big akitas you have no business bringing your golden retriever to bear country

[@boobalooba5786]

There actually is all the reason to bring your dog. It's not just "bear" country, it is our country too and we can use it how we like. No reason to let a few wild animals, or other people, ruin your enjoyment of nature with you dog. My dog goes everywhere with me off leash, doesn't matter who or what is around, I'd rather deal with the consequences then not have my dog.

[@cpruns4501]

When I first watched that video (the cell phone video) I went back and watched it a few times and noted how HORRIBLE the dog was in that situation. The dog pissed off the bear and then sure didn't stand in between the bear and the owner afterwards.....that dog was GONE! Then you circled back and showed/said the exact same thing. And those are crazy odds - 93% of bear attacks have dogs involved. WOW.

[@martinep6293]

Is this data from Herrero's group?

[@lindsaycarlson6403]

I was shocked to learn that dogs are allowed in Canadian National Parks. I think this should be reevaluated on a park by park basis…

[@glos7569]

I was even more shocked to learn that people are allowed in

[@lindsaycarlson6403]

@@glos7569 Most asinine, irrelevant comment award goes to you, well done.

[@jturtle5318]

When the mountain goat "attacks" were in the news, people couldn't understand why the dogs weren't being protected. Keeping them on the leash and away from cliffs and wildlife is what protects the dogs.

[@NextToToddliness]

I live in Southern Arizona, and the number of dogs I see on the trails, especially off leash, is frustrating and horrible for the local ecology. Don't get me started on wearing sunscreen into local water sources, or the number of people who let their cats run free in my neighborhood. People think it's "natural", but our pets exist outside the indigenous ecology. Even their poop is toxic.

[@Snartfoodler]

Aethic Sôvée. Best suncreen on the market. You can coexist if you're intelligent. Offleash dogs obviously don't factor into this equation.

[@ohsweetmystery]

When people are allowed to crap in the streets, you have zero chance of stopping people's pets from crapping outside. Most people don't care about other people's property.

[@anniereaves2861]

Majority of national forests and public/state land are off leash legal areas. Take it up with the government.

[@CurrentYearAnalog-hp7kb]

It's like slapstick comedy. 😂 Dog finds bear. Dog makes bear mad. Dog runs back to owner. Bear chases dog. Charging angry bear comes to you.

[@huitzilinf_art]

Often, my family tells me i exercise too much caution taking my dog out with a leash on at all times and it frustrates me. I rather be safe than sorry

[@willstuart4504]

These videos are so important for the general public, especially those entertaining taking their dog with them into bear country. Love the videos friend, keep them up. 👍👍

[@BriannaRubino-xy7mc]

Indeed, taking your dog into bear habitat is an act that requires extreme caution. Dogs may be viewed as a potential threat by wildlife, especially if the mother bear has cubs. I think dogs should be banned from entering, what do you think?

[@willstuart4504]

@@BriannaRubino-xy7mc Agreed. Tho it would be hard to enforce such a law. Educating the public is likely the best way to go about it.... I mean, at some point common sense has got to kick in.?? Lol

[@BriannaRubino-xy7mc]

@@willstuart4504 Yes, laws can be difficult to fully enforce, and educating and raising public awareness can be a more effective approach. But what should you do if you encounter that kind of stubborn person?

[@lorefreak94]

How would this go while horseback riding? At one point a person got lost in the woods near my house. Took the dog and rode a horse out there to try to help. The dog was so distracted and did nothing but tag along. The horse went "what Dat" and helped find the person. Other than some false alarms the horse was much better about noticing things than the dog. Wonder how that would go in bear country.

[@SuperAversion]

As a prey animal horses are hyper aware of their surroundings. A horse plus human is a formidable undertaking for a bear. You are pretty safe on a horse. Unless it spooks and throws you.

[@patriciamercer9960]

Never hurts to control your dogs at all times

[@ralphbernieri3362]

Good stuff--use documented proof since some people do indeed survive bear attacks! Can't wait to see more of your videos!👍

[@gnarwhal7562]

A year ago I took my golden doodle on a trail that we used to use all the time, until one day we ran into a Mama bear and her cubs. Literally a few metres away from us. Luckily my dog was lagging behind me sniffing something, but 100% if she had saw them, she would have barked and alerted the bears to our prescence. So because that didn't happen and I immediately turned around with her, the bears didn't notice us. Boy, was that a terrifying experience though. Pure luck that we left unscathed

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

Glad to hear everything turned out ok. Two questions: Was it a black or grizzly? Did you have bear spray?

[@gnarwhal7562]

@@HomeInWildSpaces For sure a Grizzly, and I did not have bear spray on me as I didn't know that particular trail had roaming bears. Sufficed to say, I learnt my lesson with that encounter

[@WhistlesToAnimals]

I always knew that the dogs were the instigators in the bear attacks, but thanks for spelling out for people in the way you did. And from my readings, black bears are more peaceful than people.

[@josephshields2922]

Yep, they are all in a panic over 67 house break ins in Conneticut while the almost 5,000 human burglaries are heralded as a "drop in the crime rate".

[@dylanlebo6442]

whats better, a perfectly trained dog off leash, or a extremely untrained aggressive dog on a leash?

[@karenm2669]

I’d thought it was common knowledge not to take a dog into bear country. I’ve known it since, as a new immigrant from the UK, I went on my first extremely civilized camping trip in a full service campsite 35 years ago. Even at that campsite, you didn’t let your dog run around. I’m absolutely gobsmacked that people would take a dog, leashed or not, into the back country. I remember the Parks Canada pamphlet saying that a dog is either going to bark furiously at the bear, annoy it, and get killed, or it’s going to come running back to you for protection with the bear in hot pursuit, & get you killed. I’m astonished you’ve had to make this video. (Clearly you did have to, though.)

[@rawoutdoors5377]

My dog barked a warned me of a grizzly sow and two cubs 20 yards off in the bush. She charged the dog and not me because the dog was making the noise and movement. The dog led her off onto the forest. Each scenario is totally different and dynamic.

[@Amadeus8484]

My dog's collar had all of his old licenses and tags so he always sounded like a jar of coins jingling, I think that might have kept a lot of animals away from us. We grew up in Canmore which is part of Banff National Park, so we were in bear country through and through.

[@jr2904]

There's a creek near me in the San Jacinto mountains called Hurkey Creek. It is named for a man who lived in the area who was killed by a bear in the late 1800s because his dogs provoked it.

[@valerieellison2483]

A lot of people who hike in the Adirondacks will put bells on themselves and their dogs so that animals like black bears will have advanced notice and leave the area. It seems to really help reduce dangerous encounters.

[@James-uk4xi]

"Hey you're a guard dog now." Dog: "I didn't know."

[@blazethealaskanmalamute4633]

I take my dogs hiking on leash & have had too many close calls with other peoples unleashed dogs then with bears…. I live in Alaska, I know the bears are out there! Leash your dog, I’ve seen/met very few dogs that can recall with such distractions as bears or especially other unleashed/untrained dogs.

[@OanhSchlesinger]

I have 2 lap dogs who barks & lunges at unfamiliar dogs which prevents me from taking them most places. Additionally I like to watch bear videos routinely which causes a frantic reaction from my dogs every time. Immediately I realized that a dog barking at a bear could cause a very bad reaction. I would never take a dog anywhere near a bear- unless I didn’t care if they were eaten.

[@Steve-ng6jf]

This is my story I was a cook on Deer creek near Cody wyoming for 12days We saw grizzlies every day. At night our 3 bear dogs chased a bear or bears around camp barking their heads off. The bears then took off. Did they stop then from snooping around all night? Or trying to enter tents? I don't know I do know the 3 bear dogs got into a cooler and ate 21 Tbone steaks.

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

Thanks for sharing your experience! It's true. Well-trained bear dogs are used to harass and condition bears to avoid certain areas. The right dogs (plural) when appropriately trained and in the right circumstances are absolutely a useful tool. This is typically in developed areas like the area you described where bears are typically more uneasy. But I've personally watched one grizzly go head to head with 20+ wolves. If grizzlies think there are significant resources, they'll kill the dogs and do what they want. Hikers and hunters who are traveling with their dogs in the backcountry should not expect their dogs to deter aggression by bears. The backcountry is their domain, and grizzlies in particular are very well-suited to taking on multiple k9s at once.

[@ahill4642]

😂 Maybe the dogs shared the steaks with the bears.

[@johnwest545]

Baiting bears with T-bones doesn't seem like a good idea.

[@Ирина-и8щ3м]

Key words are "3 dogs".

[@Nova-cb3fv]

I have a friend who has a very well trained great Pyrenees. She walks with him all the time & he never leaves her side leash or no. She told me they came upon a young, lone black bear once. She stopped, the dog stopped. The bear walked tward them, head down, ears back meaning business. Her dog rolled his lips up, opened his mouth to show his arsenal, gave a low, deep growl but didn't move from her side. She said she never saw a bear turn & run so fast. Her dog is a protection dog that takes his job *very* seriously. That is the only type og dog I would take into the woods.

[@Soul_Biscuit]

I have encounter black bears a hand full of times in my life. Once I spotted a cub about 100 yards away sitting on the slope of the mountain side off to the side of the trail we were on. My head was on a swivel for the mama bear! Lucky for us we got away before anything happened.

[@hatuletoh]

I almost got killed on a volcano, and I've had my right ear surgically reattached. What do either of those have to do with bear safety? Not a damn thing. But neither does being a retired Marine.

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

Love your comment. Thanks!

[@michaelmunoz8014]

The only time dogs are useful against bears is when you have a lot of them. More than 5 large dogs is the minimum you need to potentially chase a bear away from you. What this video says about dogs is exactly true and will just anger the bear and lure it closer to you.

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

Even then, things do go wrong. A few years ago there was a bear hunter in New Mexico who went out with his pack of five bear dogs. They encountered an aggressive black bear. The dogs helped for a time, but it didn't last and he suffered terrible injuries. Dogs can be of benefit if a bear attacks, but the fact remains that just the presence of one or more dogs is likely to cause an attack where an attack would have otherwise been avoided.

[@stunytsuR]

I watched a video of 2 bears fighting eachother for 15 min straight. Then both walk off, bloody, but walk off. And they were going at it 100 percent the entire time. There is no human on earth that can fight off a bear

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

You nailed it. While people, even grandmothers have scared off black bears, going one on one with a grizzly is a recipe for disaster. Best to avoid conflicts because grizzlies are not in the habit of losing fist fights with people.

[@Hi_Im_Akward]

I am an avid dog person (and a retired professional in the pet industry), I love taking my dogs places. I also did not know about this behavior with bears. Admittedly I have never been in bear country in a significant way so its not something I've ever thought about. What I will say is, there have been several trips I've taken where I knew taking my dogs would be a bad idea. Dogs are very disruptive to the environment. They disturbe and frighten the natural wildlife, they can get into and destroy natural habits and they are a liability if you come across something venomous like a rattle snake. These issues are amplified a lot by a dog running off leash regardless of "obedience level". I pride myself on being a responsible dog owner and try to only bring them places they are welcome. I'm also well aware my dogs are idiots. One of my dogs would literally run full speed off a cliff because he gets in a mode where he doesn't think, only runs. If he faced up against a bear, he'd be bold (and stupid) enough to try and take it on. My other dog would happily try to make friends with a rattle snake (literally tries to be friends with everything, he is a shih tzu and used to cuddle my pet rats). Every breed is different of course but still, facing up against a bear even before this new found knowledge I would assume would be a liability before it was an asset. I have worked in the pet industry and honestly it doesn't surprise me that some people are overly confident in their dog's abilities. Also wouldn't surprise me if some people would completely ignore sound advice like this. There are a lot of people who are intentionally ignorant about dog behavior. I can't speak on their thoughts about mother nature but typically someone who is unwilling to learn about dogs is unwilling to learn about other animals behavior as well. Honestly I don't care how well trained a dog is or how much fun the adventure is. There are situations where your dog just shouldn't go. There are places where your dog has to be on a leash. It's for everyones safety, it's not some dumb rule that some people and dogs are exempt from. If your dog is so well behaved off leash, well then it can be just as behaved on one. And anyone who lets their dog off leash in an undesignated area (exceptions to this, like some hunting situations or a working dog on a farm of course) or takes their dog into a place they aren't allowed... well they honestly do not respect nature, they don't respect the other people in the area using it and they don't respect their dog because they are putting them in unsafe situations- regardless of training level/obedience.

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

Really appreciate your thoughts and experience. I agree with you.

[@tommyobama7811]

Once I was hiking through the wood in the upper peninsula of Michigan with my German shepherd. and out of no where my dog charges into the woods head first, I called him and walked towards where he went in, and out of nowhere my dog comes flying by me and continues running and when I looked back there is a giant bear charging down the hill towards me I immediately panicked and tried to run but tripped over my own feet and basically excepted my fate and for reasons I cant explain the bear stopped about 20 yeards away from me turned around and just ran back over the hill. So I hiked back to my cabin to find my dog alseep on the porch. Needless to say he didn't see a doggy treat for long time

[@James-zg2nl]

Well dang… this hit me like a humble sandwich straight to the face from a potatogun. Ouch! I am an avid outdoorsman, I grew up in the grizzly country of B.C., army veteran and a dog owner. What you have highlighted here, with supporting evidence/facts, is just simply something I never thought of. Totally overlooked, taken for granted. I always felt more comfortable with my dog with me than without. I have even consciously chosen to leave my Marlin 1895 at home, going with my trusty dog over a firearm, many times. That being said, bearstray is a must, even if you have a firearm: in my opinion. I really appreciate how you explained this, presented with supporting facts and added your own perspective/experiences. This just goes to show you, learning never ends. Cheers 🍻

[@leslie6938]

Your attitude is so refreshing! I wish there were more thoughtful, secure people like you in YT comment sections who aren't the least bit threatened by learning something new, even appreciative. Learning new things and adapting your beliefs and practices based upon the gained knowledge is smart.

[@James-zg2nl]

@@leslie6938 I appreciate your kind reply. I am like this because my adult life has been dedicated to working in life or death fields where if you aren’t humble enough to admit mistakes or gaps in knowledge people die. It’s a sobering reality that humbles people very quickly or they washout as failures in the field. I wish this kind of character was more common but society values other things over the simplicity of being right or being wrong. Personally, I learn better from being wrong, cuz I remember mistakes better than remembering being right.

[@leslie6938]

@@James-zg2nl Well you have quite a strong incentive to ensure you get your facts straight! Life and death on the line is a lot of responsibility, must be stressful at times but rewarding at others.

[@James-zg2nl]

@@leslie6938 rewarding is always the best word for it. If it didn’t provide a rewarding feeling over the high prices involved no one would do it.

[@APoxyR8]

Also people think their dogs are trained and are "good dogs", but in reality, unless you dedicate to the highest level of training (ex. working dogs) and specifically trained for encounters, your dog is more of a liability, and even then it's always riskier than without your dog. Just because your dog can sit, recall, shake paw (basic pet stuff) in a controlled environment, does not mean it will do in a bear encounter. Even police dog handlers have trouble controlling their dogs in high stress situations so why do people think their chocolate lab will do better?

[@DiGiTaLdAzEDM]

I have hiked in black bear country for almost 40 years. I have always been accompanied by two kuvasz livestock guardian dogs. I have never been attacked by a bear. I have encountered a bear twice. I make lots of noise to alert any bears that I am in the vicinity. My feeling is my dogs which are quite large are a deterrent. Bears are opportunists looking for an easy meal. They do not wish to risk injury. I keep my dogs near me by means of electric collars. I also carry bear spray. To expect dog owners to not take their dogs while hiking near their home is not realistic. I do not allow my dogs to harass wildlife.

[@onealjones9039]

​​@daryleferguson89The fact is this person hikes with livestock guardian dogs... wtf do you think the dogs guard the livestock from? This person is probably safer than you will ever be in bear country.

[@antifazisbonifaz6964]

Your dogs are clearly in another league. Not the case of the mostly urban or suburban dogs of the world

[@beezelsub]

1 in 1000.

[@appa609]

​@daryleferguson89 you hope? That the guy gets eaten by a bear? That's really fucked up.

[@DiGiTaLdAzEDM]

Looks like he/she removed their mean spirited comment--lol. @@appa609

[@stormytooman1947]

Years ago I was bitten by a harvestman. I felt slight pain at my little finger and looked to see a harvestman biting the thin web between the ring and little finger.

[@PaperMario64]

Thank you for the video. I don’t hike and don’t want to ever be near a bear, but this is valuable information. My mother used to tell me to be careful around people who let their child walk a big dog because they cannot control it. She made a lot of sense. I wish dog owners would stop projecting their thoughts and feelings onto their pets.

[@zandemen]

Bear spray is only a deterrent, and bears will sometimes return after you've depleted it. You should carry it, but also be prepared to defend yourself with lethal force.

[@zandemen]

Stop carrying on this false dichotomy, it isn't a choice between guns and spray; you can carry both and use each when it is appropriate.

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

You’ll definitely want to watch my upcoming video on the topic.

[@terriholman-adventuresonva4768]

Thank you for this video. I am a huge backpacker and live on Vancouver island. Lots and lots of bears and cougars. I’ve seen 13 cougars and stalked by 4 and had my dog (golden retriever) with me during 3/4 stalking cougars. I hiked the Sunshine Coast Trail and we brought our dogs. The only time we’ve seen grizzly bear signs around this neck of the woods

[@LaurenceDay-d2p]

You are indeed lucky in Socialist Canada, which bans self-protection. What gun did you have with you? A rifle? Shotgun? Bear Spray, which does not always work.

[@terriholman-adventuresonva4768]

@@LaurenceDay-d2p not allowed to carry guns in many parts here. We do carry a bear gun sometimes, but mostly just bear spray, bear bangers, and air horn.

[@alexanderusov6889]

It's probably one of the best and more detailed videos on what you SHOULD and SHOULDN'T DO when it comes to Bears. Amazing work and research! Thank you for doing it! ❤

[@stephaniesiddall3012]

Thank you for the video. It is a wealth of knowledge.

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it! It's a much neglected aspect of safety in the backcountry. Hope you've had a chance to watch my other bear and non bear videos.

[@dalesplitstone6276]

Harvestmen are one of three bugs known as daddy longlegs, and one of these isn't even an arachnid. The daddy longlegs that was rumored to be the most venomous spider in the world is a true spider, known also as a cellar spider, that like the brown recluse and black widow spins a disorganized web. It was thought to be more venomous than the black widow and brown recluse because it preys upon these spiders. Further study of cellar spiders revealed that their venom is so weak that, if it were successful at injecting you, the reaction would be no worse than a mosquito bite.

[@darksidegryphon5393]

I liked the bit about harvestmen, order Opiliones. Most arachnid orders are not medically significant, only Aranae(spiders), Acariformes(mites), Parasitiformes(ticks and mites) and Scorpiones(scorpions) are. And among these it's a select few that cause us problems. Arachnid taxonomy is some sort of fun.

[@RobotDCLXVI]

I had a bear encounter. I was sleeping in a makeshift tent (only a sleeping pad and a poncho thrown over a low branch) when a bear walked right by, appearantly smelled me, and walked off. I was with a group of around 5 people (no dogs) who witnessed this happen, none of which dared alert me for fear of startling the bear. It worked.

[@billsmith6397]

I grew up having this preached to me.None of the old-timers would ever think about taking a dog into the woods.

[@ChillConservative2k15]

That Veteran got "If you ever see me fighting with a Grizzly Bear HELP THE BEAR!" energy 😂

[@tomb2289]

One very minor point, in UK, not sure about anywhere else, we also call a very spindly spider species daddy long legs. Still not dangerous but does have venom, though not able to bite a human, and no reason to think the venom is dangerous to us. This is what Ricky Gervais was referring to i think in that routine that drew a lot of attention to this false idea

[@trmon8890]

I've seen bears in the wild but only had two close encounters. One while a boy scout and we were following a a nice trail heading towards a ghost town we where hoping to find instead we found a bear walking the same trail. We backed out and left the area. The second encounter I was much older hiking alone, I crossed a creek and went around a large tree on the other side and surprise about 4 to 5 meters in front of me there was a black bear. The bear and I were both startled and the bear went off in one direction and I decided to to go back the way I came. I was LUCKY and hike armed from now on, not wanting to tempt fate a third time

[@tracigermano]

There is a video on KZbin 3 guys went walking with 5 small dogs They ignorantly cornered a mountain lion incessantly barking It was a horrendous scene to watch It grabbed one of them up in 2 seconds Unfortunately it's so heart breaking only 4 came back as the 3 grown 6 foot tall man watched 20 feet away with rifles it was just too fast Hearing it scream and cry was so disturbing And the most heart-wrenching thing ever

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

I've seen a video like that. Unfortunately, dogs often give people a false sense of security, especially when they are traveling with a pack of dogs. But just a few years ago there was a terrible attack involving a bear hunter and his pack of five or six dogs. He survived, but suffered some pretty bad injuries. I'm hoping my videos can help people understand the psychology of bears and hopefully understand them rather than fear them. Thanks for being part of the conversation. Hope to hear more from you!

[@pinklemon-m5v]

Is that the one where they were on an edge of a cliff or something. I thought the the cat fell off the cliff when it snatched the dog but i couldnt tell.

[@RafaelGarcia-jb3me]

​@@pinklemon-m5vthe dog ended up fine. They were actually saving the Mountain Lion by letting him know the boundary of their property. This is a common thing. It's better than killing the Mountain Lion.

[@rosomak8244]

It was just a dog. Get real.

[@victor9]

That video of a bear taking a hit to the face and immediately getting up is insane! She was gonna RIP HIM APART! OMG i dont even wanna imagine.

[@douglasdoty5664]

I absolutely agree. We were in Jasper Provincial park Last month. We were hiking up a trail where we had observed both wolf tracks and really fresh grizzly tracks the day before. We were going around a switch back when three young adults ran into us on the trail. Their Shih tzu gave us a little growl as we passed them on the trail. I told them about the tracks on the trail and reminded them about the sign posted at the trail head stating absolutely no pets allowed on trail. In Canmore, Banff and Jasper this is a common sight. There are so few bears and wolves left up there that their very existence is threatened. Then there are the hikers starting up trails in the dark or actually jogging at night up mountain trails. I love Canada, but they need to get their shit together and protect the animals or there wont be any left. Great video. When people post videos backpacking and hiking in bear country with their dogs they should be called out. Its just plain irresponsible!

[@sophieboisvert]

I agree animals are never protected humans are so invasive and destructive I am outraged animals deserve their place on this planet too

[@fullonsociopath]

That's why I only hike with my saltwater crocodile. Ole Scaly will hiss when the bears are close. That guy was also saved by the fact that she took a second to bite his abandoned croc. Don't know what he was trying to prove, but if she had unalived him, it would have been entirely his fault.

[@overwatchxrescue]

Interesting point that many people haven't considered!

[@sweeptalk]

2:14 Totally off subject but it's so refreshing to hear the "R" word used in its verbal, scientific form. I was going to use that very term in one of my videos but I was scared the algorithm would penalize me for it.

[@Darren51283]

I'm thinking that the only circumstance under which dogs might be of assistance is if you have at least three and they are of the right breed/temperament in that they won't attempt to hide behind you but will instead work together as a group to divert the bear's attention away from you and onto them and thus giving you an opportunity to escape.

[@BassGoThump]

I agree. Also, a pet dog won’t do anything useful. A hunting bull dog though? They were bred for bear hunting.

[@Autumn-Leafeon]

Although in that case you'd need to accept that you're probably going to lose a dog, or three. Also, depends on if the breed was used for BLACK bears, or GRIZZLY bears. It doesn't matter what happens if you end up with a Mama Grizzly in front of you, all of your dogs will die.

[@Darren51283]

@@Autumn-Leafeon It would depend on the breed/fitness/agility/intelligence of the dogs. I had imagined them to be of a type that would allow them to work as a group to harangue/frustrate the bear as it tried in vain to get a hold of one of them, plus dogs don't tire and can play the game forever whereas bears certainly do and would quickly suffer from overheating.

[@debbieparise9433]

I saw a video recently of 2 grizzlies fighting at full intensity for over 30 minutes. Neither of them tired or backed down.

[@rorysnow7937]

3:25 did you mean to say the word “trip” at the very moment the bear’s paw slips?

[@myk9arrr821]

Thank you for such a well researched and informative video. I’m sharing!

[@McChickenIsNotReal]

I don’t hike but I kinda figured taking any pet out would be a bad idea cause of not only alerting bears but also enraging them when you can simple walk by one without knowing it.

[@jeremywanner4526]

People taking their dog into bear country as a safety feature are basically saying they’re willing to sacrifice their dog for their own safety.To me that’s obsurd

[@tvvistedv3nom26]

A lot of people already do this with guard dogs to protect them from people so it’s not a surprise that people would sacrifice their dog for their safety

[@BriannaRubino-xy7mc]

Yes, bringing a dog into such an environment may indeed increase the potential danger to both humans and dogs. I think dogs should be banned from entering, what do you think?

[@shaunblevins3303]

My Great Pyrenees was born from a Working family out in Montana and they are use to Alerting the Presence of Bears and other Predators. So I’m fully Confident my Dog will Alert me if a Bear is Nearby. He already Alerts me if Coyotes, Strange people and other Animals are around.

[@alexandergodfrey8807]

There are some familiar looking dogs in that video! I do love the memories that I have of taking dogs camping and love the insight into how to enjoy nature with our hairy four legged friends.

[@HomeInWildSpaces]

Lots of good memories traveling with dogs in the backcountry. It can be done safely, but not everywhere and without precautions. Happy trails!

[@stewartbonner]

@@HomeInWildSpaces what precautions would those be? bear sees a dog as a competitor wolf, instant attack. barking and hyper movements of a dog angers a bear. get you killed right after the dog. Your dog does not know how fast a bear can be and it's fighting tactics.

[@beezelsub]

Friends?

[@guineanord]

You can train your dog to alert you in the presence of bears, but You're right dogs do tend to piss them off. Just always bring bear spray and a gun that can take down a bear. And ffs please use the spray first, and keep your dog on a leash. I do and my dog was trained to walk off leash.

[@msgottaneedtoknow]

Let me say that I held that belief- that daddy long legs were supposedly venomous. THEN while camping in Minnesota, one actually BIT me! Right on the tip of my big toe! Naturally I called poison control. Turns out, no, they aren’t venomous (at least not in North America). BUT IT WAS VERY PAINFUL!!! Make no mistake about that! You do not want to get bit by one. It is comparable to a nasty bee sting and lasted for a few minutes.

[@HeavyTF2real]

In theory, wouldn’t a tamed raven be the best possible animal companion in bear country? They point out and mob predators all the time, and because they’re birds, the predators don’t find them worth pursuing further than chasing them off whatever scraps they’re stealing. Plus they have amazing eyesight and hearing, good enough to pick out a zone-tailed hawk from a group of turkey vultures from great distance (zone-tails look very similar to vultures, and use that to blend in with circling vultures so they can catch unsuspecting prey). Obviously much easier said than done, ravens, even tame ones, like to go off by themselves a lot, and they are pretty hard to tame anyway. Just a fun hypothetical

[@skaldlouiscyphre2453]

What a delightfully odd tangent. I think you'd need a bunch of ravens for them to keep you safe, supposing keeping you safe is what they intend.