Our Little Bear

Little Bear Allen was born in Alaska.  I saw his sweet face while walking down the row of barking dogs.  Our sweet yellow labrador, Sugar had just died a month earlier.  We were both heartsick and cried.  Tears would drop down my eyes at work occasionally thinking of Sugar.  When Sugar died, I remember walking out of the room and I almost walked right into a lady holding a tiny yellow lab puppy.  Very interesting timing.  She told me while I was petting her baby that they had put down their labrador six months ago. 

Anyway, I had gotten off work and was at Anchorage's well run and well funded Animal Control Center (which contained a Humane Society office there.  I walked around looking at the dogs and I happened to walk back by and take a good look at this six month old black labrador puppy.  It licked my hand.  I asked to see him in the handling room and the little cutie ran with a ball in its mouth and as it ran past me, it licked me.  I was ~ okay, that's the one.

Little Bear loved Alaska.  He'd dive in and play and frolic as the snow came down.  When the leaves would drop, he was always snapping at them.  He was just the funniest pup.  He would look up when a plane would pass overhead (and in Anchorage there were many pilots).  He has always looked at animals out of the car window too ~ if there were cows, he would just stare transfixed.  He is the softest black baby bear.  I have stopped to look at his undercoat and the hair is very fine, curly and soft.  I love to cuddle and hug him and he has always been our baby.  Years in Alaska,  Greg took him for many walks per day out half the year in snow and ice (and dark) as well.  

He has been loved so much, he is kind of spoiled.  After Greg and I eat dinner watching tv, he'll stand in front of the television and stare at us.  That's the message that he wants a walk.  If he doesn't immediately get the response that he's going for a walk, then he'll whine and continue to stand in front of the television.   He's something else again.  I have fed him organic dogfood from when he was little to the present time.  If  we have some extra of the healthy foods we eat, then he gets some of it.    Surprisingly, he's not a chow hound.  He is quite lean which makes it better for his knees and hips.  

When we moved to New Mexico, he started having problems with his knees.  We knew about the problem in Anchorage.  There were no surgeons up there.  There was an excellent surgeon in Albuquerque so we took him in and had his knee fixed.  That totally solved the problem.  He has been running and playing ever since.  Thank goodness for good veterinarians!

When Greg takes a nap, Little Bear is right next to him in bed.  Greg takes him for two-three walks a day which is great for both of them.  He continues to be fun and a joy to have.  He is 9 now but just as energetic as can be.  He's a great pup.