Karelian Bear Dog Puppies

'Coulter' the Karelian Bear dog helps capture 200-pound Bear!
Coulter is one of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's specially trained Karelian Bear Dogs. Coulter was with Officer Bruce Richards ...
http://www.nwcn.com/news/environment/How-dogs-save-bears-270244541.html

Karelian Bear Dog Puppies

Because of our economy, rare breeds like the Karelian Bear Dogs are becoming harder to find.
If there is any breeders of Karelians out there we would appreciate if you would contact us. We are
not only interested in the dogs, but also the stories about the Karelian Bear Dog.  There is a lot of
interest in this wonderful breed that will protect the ones he loves. Please, we would love to hear
from you.
golddust2011@yahoo.com

Socialization of Your Puppy

You will want to be able to take your puppy for walks and for rides. You need to get him used to meeting people and other animals. There are many ways to acclimate him to the new surroundings. You must take your time and not push the pup into a situation where he is uncomfortable. Puppies don't come into the world knowing all the right things to do, so be patient and have fun with him.
The first few months of the puppy's life is the best time to introduce him to all the wonders in the world. Expose the pups to everyday chores in the household. The mother will also teach them some social skills.
As soon as you bring the new pup home, introduce him to the family in a quiet setting. This gives him time to get to know the person without the noise of many people in the background. That can cause undue stress on the new puppy.
As soon as the puppy is vaccinated and the vet says it is alright, start taking the puppy on walks and outings so he can begin to get used to his surroundings.
Make sure your puppy meets people of every age. He might become frightened later if you only introduce him to elderly people and he runs into some children. This can also lead to aggressive behaviors in some dogs.
Give the person you are introducing a small treat to give to the puppy. This will help build trust between the two. They can even get down on the dog's level and play on the floor with him after a couple of meetings.
If you don't have time to invest in the adventure of raising a puppy, please don't bring one home. They do need lots of patience and caring their first months with you. They need to follow a schedule to learn what is expected and what is wrong behavior.

Karelian Bear Dog Film on Animal Planet

I watched a film on Animal Planet about Karelian Bear Dogs, but this is my experience with the dogs and in these points I disagree.

Karelian Bear Dogs have always been wonderful with kids and that is why
we had them for our children especially when we were hiking in the mountains of Montana where there is a lot of mountain lions and bears.

One of our dogs (named Twinkles) also was a wonderful search dog in that the kids could never lose her no matter how hard they tried. She just smelled their trail and found them right off, every single time.

Also the film said Karelian Bear Dogs are like slimmer Akitas, not so, as Akitas are 80 to 120 lbs, while KBDs are 40 to 65 lbs.

They said Karelians are hard to train, but I found the exact opposite to be true. KBDs have a strong will power, but they
can learn obedience training so much faster then most all the other breeds.

A trainer friend of mine said he could teach the Karelian Bear Dog in one hour what it took a week to teach most the other breeds. They are very smart and also trainable.

Train Your Dog To Heel Off The Leash

Important - When you take the leash off, remember the following:
Your dog should not run off, with you chasing vainly behind, yelling for Fido to come back.

Yes, if you want Fido to free heal, you must have your dog trained to heal on the leash first.

This is how you need to start;

Take your dog off it's leash

Walk in a straight line. (Angling into your dog will cause her to heel wide.)

Walk briskly! Don't walk at the pace of your dog.

Don't wave your hands about - hold your LEFT hand close to your body!

Make sure you always give the first command in a happy tone of voice.(Your dog needs to know that you are happy – don't try to teach your dog anything if you are in a bad mood.)

Change your voice to a commanding tone or call your dog's name sharply if they don't keep up to your walking pace or if they amble away.

AFTER the second command, gently pat your side and give praise.(Give praise at every opportunity)

If forging (Fido tries to get ahead of you) is your problem, or if your dog attempts to dart off, you must stand still! Signal back with your left hand and repeat the heel command forcefully, then pat your side coaxingly.

Remember, training your dog is not unlike training your child to behave in a way society expects. Give them rules and bounderies. Be firm about what is right and what is not. Praise whenever you have an opportunity, That is, whenever you dog performs as asked.

When your dog is doing a good job of learning, give it the commendation it deserves! Praise it while it is actually learning and performing well.

If the dog you are training is large, make sure you carry the leash folded twice, with the snap end in your RIGHT hand. If the dog fails to pay attention, call her name loudly or reach out and "spank" her playfully on the hindquarters with the end of the leash. You should then coax your dog close by patting your side. (Never hit hard or in such a way that you cause you dog pain. Just the LIGHT spank is all that's needed)

If all attempts to keep your dog at heel position fail, it's time to put the leash back on, give it ONE good jerk to bring the dog in close, and try again. The change in voice, followed by flattery, with the occa­sional use of the leash, should eventually teach your dog to stay at your side at all times. Especially if you make the heeling fun!