Too Close for Comfort!

This afternoon I let four of the dogs out into our fenced dog yard that is right off the side of our house. They love to lay on the covered deck and relax or bark at the birds. Suddenly I heard frantic barking...not their usual bark. I looked out to see them running the fence line toward our back pasture and the woods. Opened the door and a big black bear was 10 feet from the fence, just standing there!

Apparently, Sheltie Power did its job and the dogs spooked him. (It certainly wasn't me....last year when he was at our back deck I went out with an air horn and he was unimpressed.) He turned and ran for the woods. Still, it was VERY scary! He could knock our fence down with one paw. Clearly, no more unsupervised dog time outside. This bear has been spotted in the neighborhood far too often lately. Here he is on the outside of our dog fence.

 

I reported it to the state last year when we had two different bears hanging around here and got nowhere. This bear is tagged which means it's already been picked up at least once and probably relocated. I am going to call them again on Monday and complain. We had a bear kill a mini horse a mile from my house this summer. These guys are not to be messed with.

 

The wildlife people tell us that they will run from loud noises like shouting, etc. I got an air horn last year but it just looked at me and then ambled away. The bear yesterday did run from the dogs' barking and I don't know about them attacking dogs, but I'm sure if one ran at it barking it would attack. In any event, I don't want to find out!