[svtruth]

We have some land in Vermont and have seen bear tracks. We also have two dogs, a lab who thinks everyone is a playmate and an Australian cattle dog who thinks every thing needs to be herded. Are they likely to get into trouble with a bear? Or are dogs smart enough to stay away?

[countertop]

where in Vermont???

My experience with dogs is that even the friendliest dog will chase after a neat new animal (my lab about went nuts over a turtle this weekend, and he took off running after some sika we stumbled on. Luckily he is trained to obey my whistle cause he was too far away in seconds to hear my voice.

So, I would worry about it slightly. but not too much. The bear knows your there (usually) before you know he's there. And most bears are scardy cats (especially black bears). They will avoid you like the plague if they can. The danger would be a sow and her cubs, or even worse your puppy running up to play with the cubs.

So when cubs are about, might be best to keep the dogs on a leash, or better yet get them trained (or train them on an electronic collar - I use a tritronics)

But i really wouldn't worry too much

[buck460XVR]

The dogs will be fine. Don't take much of a dog to tree a black bear and those Australian Shepherds can handle their own quite nicely.

[Birdmang]

Countertop, where did you encounter a sika?!

[jim in Anchorage]

Anchorage is infested with bears, black and brown, and I have never heard of
a dog being taken. Wolves and dogs, however are a completely different matter.

[countertop]

Birdmang,

Was looking at some leased property about 30 miles south of Cambridge Maryland, on the south side of the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge. I was actually more interested in this property for the waterfowling potential (its runs up to the Refuge and has a blind about 50 yards from its southern tip), but there was a ton of Sika trails throughout it (and we ended up seeing 6 - 1 stag and 5 hinds)