RIP Bear

We had to say goodbye to the best dog in the world last week. He had been battling chronic bronchitis for a couple years now, but the damage caused by the disease was finally more than he could take.

We acquired Bear as a 9 week old pup just a couple months shy of 11 years ago. He was a Pyrenees/farm shepherd cross. and our first LGD. Purists continually put none LGD mixes down, but in my limited (3 dogs) experience, they are the best. We did have a bit of an issue with chickens for a bit when he was young, but we had a chat and got past that. In fact, there was one time that I had a weird rooster that was raised by himself and was afraid of chickens so he was always hard to get in the coop at night. One night he'd been left out and we had a terrific thunderstorm. As it was easing off, I was laying in bed and heard this weird squawking sound that kept coming from under my window. I got up and poked my head out the window. There, on the sidewalk, was Bear and this rooster. The rooster was a wet mess! Bear had brought him up to the house and kept poking him with his nose to make him squawk and then the dog would look up at the window to see if I'd showed up yet. Naturally, I went downstairs and rescued the chicken and told Bear what a good dog he was.

He was the most perfect dog we've ever had. He was friendly and welcoming with strangers until and unless they proved to be untrustworthy. He was perfectly well behaved with all livestock and would stay and protect whatever animals I put him in with but he preferred to be free to wander the place at will. Since he was sooo protective of the kids, and we have always lived in bear and cougar country, we tended to accommodate that desire. He was well behaved indoor and out. He was a BIG dog but was always so careful when indoors to not knock stuff over.

Even as he aged, his desire to be out and about protecting his family and territory was never lacking. Although he had hip dysplasia and arthritis, we really couldn't get him to come inside out of the cold until last winter. Even then I sometimes had to put my foot down. Even in his last extremity as we were waiting here at home for the vet to show up for euthanasia, he wanted to go help the other dogs chase off a skunk down by the driveway. He just couldn't do it, though.

We laid him to rest up on the hill next to our son so he could continue his favorite duty, protecting his family.

RIP Bear, best dog in the world. You've left a big hole in our world.