Canines as Guard Dogs

Dogs evolved from a line of wolves that are now extinct. There is some debate about exactly when and where this happened but it was probably in northern Eurasia and was between 14,000 and 29,000 years ago. So, dogs were the first animals to be domesticated by man and this was done by cavemen! It is also thought that dogs kind of domesticated themselves by following nomadic tribes of early humans and feeding off scraps of food that they offered. Nothing much has changed there! Once it became obvious that dogs could be useful to human society, they were bred to fulfil specific roles. Individual dogs that had the attributes that were useful to the specific role were bred together. Dogs were, and still are, used for hunting, herding, catching rodents, companionship and guarding. It is this final role that we see at play here. Dogs were used to guard property, humans and livestock from human and animal intruders but guarding a property from a polar bear is above and beyond most job descriptions!

Polar Bear Intruders

Polar bears are one of the biggest species of bear in the world. They can weigh up to 1,300 pounds and grow to over eight feet. They live around the Artic Ocean but are so endangered that they could be extinct within decades. Adult polar bears are apex predators and do not have any natural predators which may explain why this one seems so bemused by the dog’s behavior. However, the dog is taking a big risk. As well as being large and powerful, polar bears have 42 teeth that are longer and sharper than those of the brown bear. They could cause a nasty injury to a dog. Polar bears usually eat seals which provide them with plenty of energy and fat. However, their natural habitat is being eroded due to climate change and they now find it hard to source enough food. Brown and black bears have already worked out that human settlements are a source of food so perhaps polar bears are now doing the same!

Next Up:

Watch the World’s Bravest Dog Chase Away a Polar BearWatch a Submarine Dog Win Fetch Forever With Underwater RetrievalWatch a Fearless Dog Defend His Family’s Home From a Stray Bear