We all love having a companion with us while we are experiencing the outdoors, and for a lot of people, a great companion is their dog. In bear country, dogs can be the perfect sidekick since they can be useful in helping bears steer clear of human interaction. We want bears to stay clear, but at times, they can run into each other causing what can be a very intense situation.

2. Bears are very fast animals! No one can outrun a bear, and if you are caught in a situation with a bear you want to be able to control the situation as much as possible. This is another reason to have your dog as close to you as possible.

3. If your dog is not responsive to voice-control, it is best to leave them at home when hiking or camping in bear country.

4. If a bear is not threatened by a dog, a bears’ curiosity may still be piqued resulting in what could have been preventable conflict.

5. When a dog is being chased by a bear, the dog often runs back to its owner, potentially a very dangerous situation for you and your dog.

We all love our dog companions and want them to be able to run around, but just make sure before they are off leash that you both are in a safe environment. In bear country, what’s best for bears and for dogs is to minimize bear-dog encounters and prevent needless conflicts.