The Karelian Bear Dog has a great sense of humor. It’s sensitive, independent, intelligent, skillful, willing to work and energetic. A robust, persistent and powerful dog, it’s willing to take on virtually any game animal or chew toy you throw at it. This dog is very loyal to its owner's family and makes a great household companion when properly trained.

That said, this is not a breed for the casual pet owner; the Karelian Bear Dog is a hunter of unyielding bravery and determination and has been known to attack and fight bears. The true outdoors enthusiast and dedicated hunter can look to this hard working breed with delight and utter satisfaction. Meanwhile, casual owners must be capable of handling this very forceful canine. Proper training and socialization are absolute musts.

The Karelian Bear Dog has small ears that are cocked and point outward slightly. They are lined with dense fur, designed to reduce the risk of frostbite. The short, all-weather coat consists of straight, stiff hair, while the under-layer is soft and dense. Robustly built, well boned and of moderate size, the Karelian Bear Dog is slightly longer than he is tall.

The all weather coat is easy to care for, requiring little attention. Use a metal comb when the dog is shedding for easy removal of the lose hair from the undercoat. Like other Arctic dogs, the Karelian Bear Dog doesn’t carry a strong odor. The Karelian Bear Dog is a very healthy breed and doesn’t have any known genetic defects or problems.

The Karelian Bear Dog closely resembles the Russo-European Laika and evolved as a breed in Finland. Elk hunters throughout Finland, Sweden and Norway use the Karelian Bear Dog as a hunting companion. Its numbers declined in the 1960's, but its popularity has been on the rise and it is now being bred in North America and many European countries. Among this avid hunter's game are the buck, wild boar, hare and moose. He is also fearless enough to fight the wolf and bear and therefore functioned as a protector for hunters spending nights out alone in the woods.

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Karelian Bear - Dogs for Sale