Karelian Bear Dog Information & Dog Breed Facts

Introduction

The Karelian Bear Dog prefers to be alone and can be a little grumpy. It’s alert, restless, brave, and fearless. Some people have a big ego and are eager to defend their turf. The Karelian Bear Dog enjoys standing watch and has an excellent hunting instinct.

History

The Karelian Bear Dog is said to have migrated west from the Urals approximately 900 A.D, along with the migration of the Komi, or Zyrian people. After 1100 B.C., the Komi people, who lived along the Northern Dvina River, traded with the Karelians, and the breed expanded to the area around the Lake Ladoga, particularly among the Olonets.

Over the years, it has also been seen in a territory that stretches from the Karelian Isthmus to White Karelia and as far north as Lake Kemi. According to knowledge passed down through generations, the breed was employed to hunt many sorts of wildlife, including bear, lynx, elk, deer, hare, forest bird, and waterfowl. Moreover, in 1936 the systematic breeding of the Karelian Spitz-type dog began. The idea was to create a large, powerful dog that would bark at a large game.

In Finland, it was mainly used to hunt moose. The task of the dog was to find the moose and bay it. The Karelian Bear Dog also kept frequent contact with the hunter and did not run away too far while chasing the game. They were also considered aggressive towards other dogs and often became engaged in fights, but not against humans. They were devoted and affectionate with their owners.

In May 1936, the Karelian Bear Dog made its “debut” at the first dog show of the newly formed Suomen Kennelliitto, a forerunner of today’s Finnish Kennel Club. In that same year, the breed name was approved as well. Furthermore, in 1945, the first breed characteristics were established, and a year later the first individuals were registered.

However, the outbreak of the Winter War in 1939 resulted in the near-total annihilation of the breed population. The damage was repaired during the Continuation War, however, with a substantial addition to the Karelian Bear Dog population extracted from the war zone. In total, 60 dogs were returned from Russian Karelia, with 43 of them taking part in the breeding program. For the first time in 1951, the number of registered Karelian Bear Dogs exceeded a hundred. The year 1963 was the most popular with 1021 dogs registered.

Following this, the number of registrations rapidly decreased to less than half, reaching a low point in the early 1970s. In 1992, the thousand-dog limit was again exceeded. Every year, between 700 and 1000 Karelian Bear Dogs have been recorded in the last few decades.

Appearance

The Karelian Bear Dog is a mid-sized, sturdily built, but a not heavy, dog that is powerful and only a little longer than it is tall. It has a thick coat, that is black and white with clearly defined markings. Its coat might at times, have a slight of brown. It has dark-brown eyes that are small, oval, and dark brown in color. It has a keen and alert expression. Ears are erect, medium in size, and slightly rounded at the tip. Males should be 57cm tall at the withers. Bitches have a similar figure of 52cm.

Recognition

In 1936, Finnish and Scandinavian kennel clubs recognized the Karelian Bear Dog. In appearance, the breed was very similar to the Russo-European Laika. This similarity is not accidental. Original breeding used for the development of the Karelian Bear Dog was dogged from Karelia. Laikas from Arkhangelsk Province were undoubtedly involved, as hunters brought them into Karelia on numerous occasions. As a result of their common ancestors, the Karelian Bear Dog and the Russo-European Laika are remarkably similar in look, genetics, and can be considered one breed to some extent.

Perhaps, it would not be a big mistake to consider the breed a peculiar and well-developed type of the Russo-European Laika. Today the breed is one of the top 10 most common breeds in Finland. The Karelian Bear Dog is primarily a hunting breed but can be trained for and compete in obedience trials, search and rescue trials, and sled dog trials in its native country.

However, the Karelian Bear Dog is also bred in North America and countries in Europe. The American Kennel Club does not fully recognize the breed, though it is included in their Foundation Stock Service which helps keep records of the breed’s lineage and allows them to compete in some competitions.