New Study Shows Dogs Can Trigger Bear Attacks

New Study Finds Dogs Might Provoke Bear Attacks

Dogs and bears shouldn’t mingle according to a new study.

There have been numerous stories in the headlines lately involving bear attacks and dogs. Just today it’s been reported that a bear killed a dog in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Earlier this month a heroic 8 year old dog gave his life protecting his owner from a bear attack in Minnesota. In Alaska there was a close encounter with a bear that appears to have been triggered by dogs running lose. So many stories about bears and dogs might not be a coincidence. There is a new study suggesting that dogs might actually be prompting more bear attacks.

Research shows that dogs seem to be a contributing factor in bears attacks. In many of the incidences the dogs were running lose and drew the bear to their owners. When researchers looked at black bear attacks they found 92 total, 49 of which involved a dog. In the 49 incidents involving dogs the canine was injured half the time, and in 7 of the incidents the bear killed the dog. The study suggests that the dogs might be prompting the bears to react as if they were threatening competitors. The bear might be viewing your loyal companion as his age old enemy the wolf.

If you’re going to be in bear country you might want to consider keeping your dog on a tight leash. The research appears in the spring edition of International Bear News.