This month's pet of the month is Bear.  Bear is a neutered 9-year-old chow mix.  He received the name Bear because when his owners found him he looked just like a baby black bear.
 
His owners found him when he was just a pup at Ellis Lake in Marysville. His now owners stopped simply to feed the ducks, but came back with much more.
 
Bear being older for his breed is in fairly good shape. His only big ailments are from arthritis and old age itself.  While Bear lives a fairly simply life, his owners fondly call him the "Minimalist" for his minimal needs. He loves his normal doggie activates of sleeping, eating, and going on his daily walk.
 
One of Bear's owners' favorite experiences with him is that he made a wonderful "foster father" to all of the puppies they have fostered throughout the years. His owners have raised over a dozen puppies from the Paradise Animal Shelter. The puppies were too young to be in the shelter and needed a little time to grow up in a home. Bear had been a big help to them in the puppies being raised.
 
As a puppy himself, Bear was a pretty good dog bit did love to chew and try to escape from his play areas.  When his owners first brought him home they placed him in an old baby pen thinking that would be a good safe place for him to stay, but Bear had other plans. Within one week he learned how to climb out and the baby pen could no longer hold him in. He then learned he had a love for chewing. He began chewing everything including window ceils.
 
Though Bear is very loving, and is very affectionate to his owners, he likes to bark at a strangers, especially if they get too close.