Karelian Bear Dogs

Originating from Scandinavia and formalized as a breed in 1946,

Karelian Bear Dogs are known for being calm with humans while being courageous in hunting or dealing with large prey such as bears and moose.

Section:Gallery

Sat., May 14, 2016

Jax, a 1-year-old Karelian bear dog prepares for a black bear release operation in Pend Oreille County to his handler, Washington Fish and Wildlife Department officer Keith Kirsch.

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Karelian bear dogs are led to the back of a culvert trap holding orphaned black bears by Washington Depratment of Fish and Wildlif staff. The dogs are allowed to bark and scare the bears to create a negative experience that will help persuade the bears to avoid contacts with humans after being released into the wild.

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A black bear awaits release from a culvert trap by Washington Fish and Wildlife Department officers who will use Karelian bear dogs to scare the bear in hopes that it will avoid human activity.

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Karelian bear dogs are led to the back of a culvert trap holding orphaned black bears by Washington Depratment of Fish and Wildlif staff. The dogs are allowed to bark and scare the bears to create a negative experience that will help persuade the bears to avoid contacts with humans after being released into the wild.

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A black bear flees after being released from a culvert trap in the Colville National Forest. After getting a head start, the bear was chased by Karelian bear dogs released by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife staff to scare the bear and inflict a wariness of humans.

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Rich Beausoleil, Washington Fish and Wildlife Department wildlife biologist, chases after his Karelian bear dog, which is running ahead and barking to scare a bear that was just released from a relocation trap. The conditioning helps deter the bear from further conflicts with humans.

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Colter, one of six Karelian bear dogs employed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, searches for black bear scent in the Colville National Forest.

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A black bear hangs out in a tree after being released from a culvert trap by Washington Fish and Wildlife Department staff and chased by Karelian bear dogs.

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Rich Beausoleil, Washington Fish and Wildlife Department wildlife biologist, retrieves his Karelian bear dog, which was allowed to run ahead through the national forest and bark to scare a bear that was just released from a relocation trap. The conditioning helps deter the bear from further conflicts with humans.

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Jax, a 1-year-old Karelian bear dog, left, bares teeth in a play game with Colter, a veteran among the six dogs used by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife staff to haze problem bears. The dogs bark and chase the bears to help conditions the bruins so they avoid encounters with humans.

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Two Karelian bear dogs cool off -- and clean up -- naturally in the Pend Oreille River after helping Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife staff release two orphaned bears on nearby national forest land. Colter, on left, had been splattered with bear pooh as it scared one of the black bears up a tree.

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Jax, a 1-year-old Karelian bear dog rides with his handler, Washington Fish and Wildlife Department officer Keith Kirsch.

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