How To Respond If You Come Across A Bear While Walking Your Dog

Bears roam freely in more than 20 U.S. states, including parts of Florida, California, Utah, and beyond. While they typically spend most of their time in forested areas, they have been known to wander into suburban areas in search of food. The question is: How should you respond if you encounter a bear while walking your dog? First and foremost, remain calm and try to keep your dog calm. Speak gently while holding your ground, and resort to defensive measures, if necessary, by waving your arms or using a bear spray such as the Aimseize Compact Pepper Spray for Hiking.

You and your dog might come across a bear during an afternoon stroll in your neighborhood or during a day hike deep in the woods. If you're visiting or recently moved to a new area, check online to see if there's a bear threat nearby. If a threat exists, purchase a can of bear spray, and take it with you on every walk, especially if you'll be going through bear country. Be sure to leash train your dog and keep it leashed during the walk.

It's also important to be mindful of the behavioral differences between black bears and grizzly bears when they feel threatened. Grizzly, aka brown, bears are more likely to behave defensively and less likely to retreat than black bears. Moreover, both types of bears can climb trees, but black bears can climb better than grizzlies.

Some bears run away the moment they see a person with a dog. However, if you face one that doesn't appear fearful and is 15 or more feet away, stay calm and ensure you have a firm grip on your dog's leash. Shorten it if necessary to keep your dog close by your side. Speak calmly to your pup to keep it calm, and prepare to create distance between yourself and the bear.

While your first thought may be to run away from the bear, this will only trigger its predatory drive and make it think you're prey. Plus, if there's no safe place close by for you and your dog to escape to, you won't be able to outrun a bear. Wondering how fast dogs can run compared to bears? Some of the fastest dog breeds can easily hit 40 mph, while bears can reach 35 mph. However, most dogs can't run anything close to these speeds, so it's best to stay where you are, stand your ground, and avoid any quick or big movements.

Watch the bear's movements and behavior as you slowly recede in the opposite direction. If the bear seems to lose interest or makes no attempt to approach you, continue to steadily walk away with your dog until you reach safety. If the bear gets less than 15 feet from you, however, you may need to take resort to defensive action.

Unfortunately, having a dog at your side while crossing paths with a bear can make matters worse if Max or Luna decides to start barking or attempts to lunge at the animal. This could cause an otherwise calm, curious carnivore to become angry and aggressive. In fact, in a 2019 study done at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 25% of conflicts involving a black bear also had a dog in the mix.

Continue to use a gentle voice to try to calm your dog down until the bear retreats. If the bear moves toward you instead and gets within 15 feet (barking dog or not), grab your bear spray. If it's a black bear, wave your arms above your head to make yourself appear larger and send a message to the bear to back off. Try shouting while looking the bear in its eyes as well in an attempt to intimidate it.

If the bear is a grizzly bear (brown), or if a black bear refuses to back down, unlatch the safety clip on your bear spray. Aim it directly at the bear's face, and spray a quick burst of about 2 seconds. Spray the bear again if it continues to approach you. Bear spray has been proven to be effective at preventing undesirable bear behavior in 90% of close-range episodes, according to a 2008 Alaskan study published in The Journal of Wildlife Management, so it's a great defensive tool to have while walking your dog.