If a bear is near your pet, stay calm, do not run, and keep your distance. If the bear is in your yard, calmly bring your pet indoors. If you meet one outdoors, keep your dog under control and leave without letting it approach, bark at, chase, or corner the bear. Do not try to pull a dog away from a bear that is already fighting it.
If a bear is in your yard
Bring children and pets inside calmly, without running or approaching the bear. The Government of Alberta’s guidance is: “Do not panic. Do not run. Quickly and calmly collect your children and pets and go indoors.” Keep your pet inside until the bear has left.
Notify your local wildlife authority using the reporting procedure for your area. Once the bear is gone, remove food and other attractants from the yard; Alberta also recommends encouraging neighbours to do the same. See the Government of Alberta’s guidance on bears and residents for its jurisdiction-specific instructions.
If you encounter a bear while walking your dog
Keep your dog close and controlled. If you see a bear, BearWise advises turning around and leaving. Do not let your dog bark at, chase, harass, or corner the bear. A leash helps prevent a dog from ranging ahead, sniffing out a bear, and provoking an encounter.
#1 Best Overall
- EPA REGISTERED TO PROTECT AGAINST 9 SPECIES: Approved by the EPA to deter Bears, Mountain Lions, Coyotes, Feral Dogs, Moose, Bison, Wild Boars, Possums & Raccoons. Maximum-strength formula with 2.0% Major Capsaicinoids and HPLC lab-tested performance
- PROTECTION FROM A SAFE DISTANCE: Powerful spray deploys a dense 6ft-wide fog with an effective range up to 40 feet (12 m), with 6-7 seconds of total spray time, giving you more time and space to react to a bear attack or deter a charging mountain lion
- FAST, RELIABLE ACCESS IN BEAR COUNTRY: Quiet quick‑draw elastic belt holster for a secure & accessible carry while hiking or camping, the glow‑in‑the‑dark safety clip helps locate the spray at night, the bell helps to warn bears that you’re in the area
- EVERY BATCH VERIFIED FOR PERFORMANCE: Manufactured in the USA and HPLC lab tested to verify strength and consistency in every batch. Features a glow-in-the-dark safety wedge for fast identification in low-light conditions
- FIELD-TESTED & ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE: Federal EPA and Health Canada approved. Features eco-friendly 1234ze propellant and proven bear deterrent performance, delivering trusted protection without long-term environmental impact
New Mexico wildlife guidance advises staying calm, giving the bear space and a route to escape, and slowly backing away while facing it; do not run. The appropriate response can depend on the bear’s species, behavior, distance, and your location, so follow the wildlife agency’s advice for the area rather than treating one movement as right for every encounter. See the New Mexico Department of Wildlife’s wildlife encounter guidance and BearWise’s outdoor safety tips.
If your dog is already fighting with a bear
Do not approach the animals or try to rescue your dog. BearWise says that, if it can be done from a safe distance, a person may use bear spray or a high-powered garden hose. This is not a guarantee that intervening is safe; do not move closer to deploy either. Follow local emergency and wildlife-authority guidance as soon as you can do so safely.
Rank #2
- EPA REGISTERED TO PROTECT AGAINST 9 SPECIES: Approved by the EPA to deter Bears, Mountain Lions, Coyotes, Feral Dogs, Moose, Bison, Wild Boars, Possums & Raccoons. Maximum-strength formula with 2.0% Major Capsaicinoids and HPLC lab-tested performance
- PROTECTION FROM A SAFE DISTANCE: Powerful spray deploys a dense 6ft-wide fog with an effective range up to 40 feet (12 m), with 6-7 seconds of total spray time, giving you more time and space to react to a bear attack or deter a charging mountain lion
- FAST, RELIABLE ACCESS IN BEAR COUNTRY: Quiet quick‑draw elastic belt holster for a secure & accessible carry while hiking or camping, the glow‑in‑the‑dark safety clip helps locate the spray at night, the bell helps to warn bears that you’re in the area
- EVERY BATCH VERIFIED FOR PERFORMANCE: Manufactured in the USA and HPLC lab tested to verify strength and consistency in every batch. Features a glow-in-the-dark safety wedge for fast identification in low-light conditions
- FIELD-TESTED & ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE: Federal EPA and Health Canada approved. Features eco-friendly 1234ze propellant and proven bear deterrent performance, delivering trusted protection without long-term environmental impact
Close encounters and attacks: follow species-specific guidance
Bear encounter advice is not universal. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) instructions below are specifically for black bears; they should not be applied to grizzlies, polar bears, or other species as if the advice were interchangeable.
Florida FWC guidance for a close-range black bear encounter
FWC advises standing upright, speaking calmly and assertively, and slowly backing toward a secure area while leaving the bear an escape route. Avoid direct eye contact. If moving away appears to irritate the bear rather than calm it, stop. Consult Florida FWC’s black bear guidance for the full, location-specific instructions.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- Outdoor adventure self-defense: Having a sense of security in the wild, such as camping, hiking or fishing
- Regarding portability: Small in size, lightweight and easy to carry, it can be placed in the outer pocket of a backpack
- Regarding usage: Pull out the upper buckle and it will spray forward. After use, plug it back into the buckle and it can be carried
- Pepper Spray: Simple and compact, a safety spray that focuses on functionality. The designed system is easy to use, even for women
If a black bear attacks
Florida FWC says to fight back aggressively during a black bear attack. This is Florida agency guidance for black bears, not a universal rule for every bear species or region. Follow the instructions of the wildlife authority responsible for the place and species involved.
Reduce the chance of another encounter
- Keep your dog leashed in bear country. BearWise recommends a non-retractable leash; Alberta explains that close control helps prevent a dog from sniffing out and provoking a bear.
- Feed pets indoors when possible. If you feed outdoors, remove the bowl as soon as your pet finishes.
- Store pet food and other attractants securely. If a bear is visible, bring your dog inside; do not let it bark at or harass the bear, even from behind a fence.
- When travelling in bear country, consider carrying bear spray and learn how to use it before an encounter. BearWise and New Mexico wildlife guidance recommend preparation; follow local rules and the product instructions, and do not approach a bear to deploy it.
What the reported dog-and-bear figures mean
BearWise Bulletin #2, “Dogs + Bears = Problems” (copyright 2021), states that dogs were involved in more than half of incidents involving people and black bears between 2010 and 2015. It says 46% of those dogs were injured or killed and 62% of their human companions were injured. The bulletin does not identify a separate underlying study or dataset in the reviewed PDF, so treat these as historical figures reported by BearWise, not current rates or a forecast for an individual encounter. The bulletin is hosted by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- LONG RANGE PROTECTION: This Mace bear deterrent spray protects from a safe distance with a powerful fogger pattern, giving you more time to react to a charging bear with up to 9 seconds of total spray time.
- MAX STRENGTH FORMULA: Made with 20% OC wildlife safe formula for maximum heat and potency, helping deter attacks and giving you time to retreat to safety.
- ALWAYS BE PREPARED: Essential for hiking, camping, and hunting. Its potent formula and long range spray coverage offers reliable protection so you can always be prepared for wildlife encounters.
- EASY TO USE: Designed with a finger loop handle for easy carrying and quick deployment in critical moments. To use, pull off the orange safety wedge and press down on the actuator.
- INCLUDES HOLSTER: Durable, heavy-duty nylon spray holster keeps your bear deterrent canister secure and within reach. Hook-and-loop closure allows for quick and easy access.
Rank #4
- LONG RANGE PROTECTION: This Mace bear deterrent spray protects from a safe distance with a powerful fogger pattern, giving you more time to react to a charging bear with up to 9 seconds of total spray time.
- MAX STRENGTH FORMULA: Made with 20% OC wildlife safe formula for maximum heat and potency, helping deter attacks and giving you time to retreat to safety.
- ALWAYS BE PREPARED: Essential for hiking, camping, and hunting. Its potent formula and long range spray coverage offers reliable protection so you can always be prepared for wildlife encounters.
- EASY TO USE: Designed with a finger loop handle for easy carrying and quick deployment in critical moments. To use, pull off the orange safety wedge and press down on the actuator.
- INCLUDES HOLSTER: Durable, heavy-duty nylon spray holster keeps your bear deterrent canister secure and within reach. Hook-and-loop closure allows for quick and easy access.
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