Bear

Attention: This is a courtesy posting only! This pet is NOT available through Mountain Pet Rescue. Please do NOT contact MPR for information about the pet or apply to adopt this pet on the MPR website. Call me at 803-230-3349 or email me at [email protected] for more information or to adopt the pet.Meet Bear, an irresistibly cute, impossible not to love, eleven-month-old, male Plott Hound. Bear is excited about life - he has a big energetic and vocal personality. He is curious, playful and quick to learn. He loves to be outside - running, sniffing, soaking up the sun rolling in the grass, chewing on a stick or bone, or going on a good walk. Bear adores playing with other dogs once he takes a few moments to meet them. He has been working on socialization a couple of times a week at training and is making great strides building his confidence to calmy greet other dogs and quickly settle in to play. We have had Bear since he was 10 weeks old, when we acquired him a little unexpectedly, and he has grown up with our other dog (also a Plott Hound) and our cat. He wishes they would both play with him more. Sometimes, in true sibling fashion, he gets protective of his favorite things when he decides they are getting a little too close for his comfort, but it is much more common to find them all having a lazy doze on the couch or the porch or ripping apart a toy in a great game of tug. Though he is gentle with our cat, it would be best to keep a close eye on Bear when introducing him to new feline friends. Bear is in great health, neutered, chipped and up to date on all his vaccinations. All of Bear's medical records are available.Bear was bred to be a hunting dog but has no training or experience hunting, but he is very alert and boldly inquisitive. He began training as a young puppy and continues with regular weekly sessions that focus on positive reinforcement to sooth anxiety and encourage calming behavior. He responds great to treat-based reinforcement and is great with "place", "sit", "down", "crate", "look", "easy", and "off". He understands very well "leave it", "settle down", "out", and "stay", and continues to improve on these with consistent practice - sometimes life just smells too interesting and is too exciting! In those times, vibration with an e-collar helps reinforce commands.We learned through error and training that his crate is essential in providing a structure that helps Bear thrive by giving him a safe, quiet space to rest and recharge that is all his own. While he will occasionally whine with fomo if there are things happening around him that he wants to be a part of, his crate is where he prefers to eat, where he takes his treats, toys and "discoveries". He sleeps overnight in his crate and is at his best when he has a few rest periods in there over the course of the day. He has increasingly begun to show a preference for who lets him out of his crate at our house which is part of the reason we need to rehome him.As a hound, Bear's personality includes a vocal side. He is quick to bark and though steadily improving with continued training, Bear can display reactivity to other dogs when on a leash. He also has an incredible nose - and cannot wait to investigate interesting smells. In a well fenced-in area, he can entertain himself for a while learning all the details. On a leash, his exuberance means he can pull quite hard. Walking independently from other dogs with solid shoes, treats and 100% attention are essential for having successful walks with Bear in an urban/public setting with many distractions. He does best with multiple, short walks a day followed by periods of down-time in his crate.Bear is sweet and affectionate with a streak of independence. He wants to be where his people are but likes to receive love and pets on his own terms. He loves to give lots of licks, lean into you or rest close by. He enjoys a few rounds of short scratches, pets, and quick belly rubs throughout the day and will stop by to encourage them and then be on his way. He has a good attitude and accepts grooming, except for towel drying!Bear has been a part of our home for almost a year, and we have very reluctantly come to accept the fact that we need to rehome him. As Bear's needs have changed, we are simply not equipped to provide the structure, supervision and room to run that he needs to thrive.Bear's ideal home includes a large, fenced yard where he can run and explore to his heart's content. Bear would do best in a home that continues to use his crate and can invest the time to continue working with a trainer or reinforcing his training skills to build confidence and calmness. Bear needs an experienced dog owner who understands resource guarding behavior and can provide a calm and structured environment, ideally with multiple short walks and plenty of time to sniff and play. He tends to bond closely with his primary caretaker and may growl to protect his space with others in the house. Bear has limited experience with children and should always be closely supervised around children until he has well established relationships with his owners and the children. A single owner household, or household with only one other easy-going dog, may be best.Bear is a loveable, playful pup that would be a fantastic companion for someone who can provide the right environment for him. We can share reports from our trainer or a direct contact to them to get their opinions on Bear's training, behavior and potential, as well as share any other details that would be helpful.If you would like more information about Bear you can call me at 803-230-3349 or email me at [email protected] All Mountain Pet Rescue (Asheville) animals are up-to-date on vaccinations, spayed/neutered and micro-chipped before adoption. Contact the foster parent or Mountain Pet Rescue at [email protected] for more information. Please note that visual breed identification of companion animals has been proven to be unreliable, so for most of our animals we provide a best guess at predominant breed or breed mix. We get to know each of our animals as an individual and do our best to describe and place pets based on personality not breed label. Mountain Pet Rescue is a 501(c)(3) non-profit tax deductible charity (EIN 82-3039637) located in Asheville, NC.