Like most mushers, sharing the great outdoors with our family and dogs is the main draw to this profession/lifestyle.
Along with all the rewards Mother Nature provides, also comes a great responsibility...to co-exist with the local wildlife. Here in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, we share our back yard with a variety of wild animals, including grizzly and black bears. Keeping the bears 'uninterested' in our kennel and home is key to both of our survival.
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Here at KanaBear Enterprises, we have a real commitment to 'keeping the bears at bay.' Along with some of the basic precautions such as: Keeping dog food and all other animal food in a bear proof building; cleaning up any un-eaten dog food in the lot after feeding; keeping the property free from garbage, compost, or any other foul smelling remnants a bear may find appealing; we have taken this task one step further. About two years ago, we teamed up with Carrie Hunt, owner/director of 'Wind River Bear Institute',[WRBI] and joined her 'Partners-In-Life' program. Carrie has dedicated most of her life to 'teaching' bears and humans how to co-exist. Fourteen years ago, she introduced the use of Karelian Bear Dogs [KBDs] into her program. Using these Finnish hunting dogs, along with other aversive conditioning tools, she successfully 'herds' bears out of human occupied sites, in a humane fashion she calls 'Bear Shepherding.' In her Partners-In-Life program, Carrie places KBD puppies with individuals working directly with bears, and also with families like ours, who are taking all steps necessary to 'bear proof' their homes or business's. Carrie placed 'Vlad' with us in July of 2007. Besides being an awesome bear deterrent and protector, Vlad is Oksana's best friend, and an integral part of our family.
We are honored and excited to be the first sled dog kennel that WRBI has placed a KBD with. We hope to encourage other kennel owners who are committed to bear proofing their homes to contact Carrie and look into the possibilities of acquiring their own KBD.
To learn more about Carrie Hunt, and her Partners-In-Life program, visit her web site at: www.beardogs.org
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| Harmony, Carrie Hunt and Oksana with their Karelian bear dogs, 'Wind River Vlad' and'Wind River Akela'. |
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BEAR DOG PHOTO ALBUM
'WIND RIVER VLADIMIR AMANI'
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