The brilliance of Bear is that he not only makes people smile, he makes everyone he meets fall in love with him.
Adopted by a single dad, living alone in a dog-friendly neighborhood, he and his dad bonded immediately, and Bear has been his constant companion ever since. Astoundingly affectionate, he absolutely LOVES to touch him, lying at his feet with one leg flopped over his dad’s foot. If he’s lying next to him on the couch, he’ll have one paw on his leg or arm. While he may not lick faces, he loves meeting his dad nose to nose, and sleeping on his office recliner, often for two or three hours.
Rarely interested in other dogs or cats, Bear relishes going for several, long walks a day. He especially enjoys the route that takes them to where the school bus stops to pick up the neighborhood children, allowing him the chance to say “hi” to all of his young friends. He also enjoys having four or five of his favorite toys around him when he naps, although his absolute favorite is is a floppy squirrel with three separate squeakers inside which he flips around and paws until he’s crushed the squeak out of them. Fortunately for Bear, his dad’s learned to purchase them in packs of three.
Surprisingly quiet, Bear never barks, but he has three distinctly different ways he talks to his dad. When he comes inside from the backyard and wants a treat, he uses a very deep WOOF, repeating it all the way from the patio door to the treat closet. He makes a growling sound when he craves his dad’s attention and an eerie crying sound when he encounters someone he assumes wants to be his friend.
Diagnosed with Addison’s disease by a vet whose specialty is Alternative Medicine, he’s healthy and happy thanks to a careful diet, Asian herbal medicine, acupuncture and B12 injections. And while Bear is wonderfully well behaved, he and his dad went through training with a registered trainer who trains Therapy dogs for special needs children.
