Akitas, Chow Chows, and Pomeranians get a lot of love and attention for being popular dog bear breeds since they make such great pets. Yet, there are more adorable man’s best friends of dogs that look like bears! Here are ten exotic dog breeds that look like bears with information and pictures.

Alaskan Malamute

With a life expectancy of 10 to 14 years, any dog parent can enjoy the companionship of any mild-mannered Alaskan Malamute. Females typically weigh 75 pounds, while healthy males weigh about 85 pounds. These medium-length double-coat pets that shed moderately make great cuddle buddies. Usually, Alaskan Malamutes are multi-colored with more significant white portions. Still, they also can be or have agouti, black, blue, gray, red, sable, seal, and silver markings. These charismatic yet vigilant dogs rank 68 among the most popular dog breeds.

Day blindness and dwarfism are common occurrences for Alaskan Malamutes, among other health concerns. Therefore, anyone with an Alaskan Malamute should get a polyneuropathy DNA test and have eye and hip evaluations scheduled regularly. Otherwise, Alaskan Malamutes should only be fed high-quality dog food or fresh meal preparations.

Eurasier

Calm, confident, and family-oriented characteristics of Eurasiers are either black, fawn, red, sable, or wolf gray in color. Interestingly, Eurasiers can have pink, purple, or spotted tongues! With a life expectancy of 12 to 16 years, healthy Eurasiers are usually 40-70 pounds with a height of 19-24 inches. Eurasiers also have a medium-length double coat with moderate energy levels. However, Eurasiers strive for mental stimulation, as having a preference for being highly engaged with children, pet parents, and other dogs. Despite their high-spiritedness, they are not the most open to strangers, which makes Eurasiers an excellent guard dog!

Those who choose a Eurasier should be mindful that yearly vet visits should be done to ensure their eye, elbows, hips, patella, and thyroid health. Although Eurasiers are picky eaters, they enjoy a variety of food, so it is best to switch up high-quality dry dog food often.

The Great Pyrenees

Coming in as the 66th most popular that is also a dog that looks like a big bear – well, more so a polar bear – is the Great Pyrenees. Typically, Great Pyrenees are all white, but they can come with badger, gray, reddish brown, and tan markings. These dogs are one of the most affectionate pals to have to snuggle up to their medium-length double coats. However, these dogs are very protective of their owners.

Some health concerns surrounding Great Pyrenees are constant check-ups on their hips and patella. Also, these dogs are known to bloat easily, so multiple small meals of high-quality dry food throughout the day can help prevent stomach distends and twists.

Keeshond

For Keeshonds, family life, personality, and social traits are positively off the charts! Like Pomeranians, Keeshonds can come in various colors and combinations, such as black, gray, gray, cream, silver, tawny, white, and wolf gray. With a current popularity ranking of 95, their long double-coat requires pet parents to lint-roll and vacuum more often. Equally friendly with family, friends, kids, other dogs, and strangers, Keeshonds need to be constantly active but are easily trainable.

Since Keeshonds are a highly reputable breed, most diseases have been minimized. However, pet owners should still be mindful and moderately schedule elbow, eyes, hip, and patella check-ups. Additionally, as a northern dog breed, pet parents should feed their Keeshond a high-quality fish-based diet, whether homemade or commercially manufactured.

Leonberger

Looking for a German Shepard that is also dogs that look like a bear? Consider the affectionate, loyal companion and beloved family dog that is the Leonberger! These grooming-intense dogs require much attention to their long double coats, which helps them to be very loveable and social creatures. On the one hand, they are very open to strangers and can tend to drool moderately. On the other hand, Leonbergers are adaptive and protective of their environments, allowing them to be around unattended children without a second thought. Even young pet parents can efficiently train a Leonberger, making Leonbergers a tremendous first pet! However, extensive health tests should be conducted beforehand, including LEMP, LPN1, and LPN2 DNA tests. They also require moderate evaluations of their elbows, eyes, hips, and thyroids.

Ranked as 93 in popularity, Leonbergers coats come in color combinations of red, reddish brown, sandy, and yellow. Leonbergers require exceptionally high-quality dog food, as they tend to bloat, gas, and stomach twists.

Maremma Sheepdog

The full name for this breed is Maremma-Abruzzese Sheepdog and has been with humanity as early as 100 BC during the time of the Romans! Few negative remarks are associated with Maremma Sheepdogs, as they only face hip difficulties with age and only come in white. Otherwise, Maremma Sheepdogs are nicknamed “gentle giants” as an actual bear dog breed for their alertness, determination, friendliness, intelligence, and loyalty. Their longstanding diligence allows them to enjoy any dog feed, so pet parents do not need to fear that their pet may get a stomach ache. Male Maremma Sheepdogs can have a height of upwards of 29 inches and weigh up to 100 pounds, whereas their female counterparts are slightly smaller.

Newfoundland Dog

A real dog that looks like a bear is the Newfoundland Dog, which can have a medium double coat colored black, brown, gray, or white. Ranked 40th on the popularity rating, the Newfoundland Dog has been a recognized breed since 1886! It is not farfetched to say that these dogs have idealist mindsets. They are sociable on all occasions and in situations with moderate shedding. Still, they do tend to droll a lot. Furthermore, Newfoundland Dogs are moderately trainable given their high adaptability skills. Moreover, they even make an excellent guard dog to be left alone with children!

A cystinuria DNA test should be done before adopting any Newfoundland Dog. Then, pet parents should expect to have their Newfoundland Dog be monitored for cardiac, elbow, and hip conditions. Unfortunately, Newfoundland Dogs are known to get overweight and fast, so pet owners are encouraged to oversee their high-quality dog food amounts and choices.

Ovcharka

Also known as Caucasian Shepard Dogs, Ovcharkas are bold, fearless, and kind creatures that get up to 30 inches in height and weigh up to 170 pounds. With a life expectancy of 10-12 years, Ovcharkas are moderately trainable and are well with children, family, and other dogs. However, their medium-length double coat is known to get everywhere, so get the lint rollers and vacuums ready! Also, grab some towels, as Ovcharkas are known to droll.

Ovcharkas can come in every color imaginable: agouti, black, cream, fawn, gray, grizzle (an actual dog breed that looks like bears!), red, rust, sable, and white. Plus, Ovcharkas have few, if none, associated health problems! Yet, pet parents should feed their Ovcharkas a dog food suitable for extra-large breeds.

Samoyed

Out of breed popularity, Samoyeds are ranked 59th. After all, they get high marks for being larger Pomeranians with a personality of a Siberian Husky. However, Samoyeds are known to have limited long double coat colors: biscuit, cream, and white. Their high energy levels accompany much barking as they constantly seek attention from children, other dogs, pet parents, and strangers. Yet, Samoyeds tend to shed moderately and are not known to droll.

Samoyeds require routine teeth brushing and examinations for eye, heart, and hip conditions. Those who wish to adopt a Samoyed should get an RD/OSD and PRA Optigen DNA test. Unfortunately, Samoyeds tend to get obese; therefore, pet owners should moderate the quantities of high-quality dog food.

Tibetan Mastiff

Calm, excellent, independent, intelligent, and reserved: are all characteristics of a Tibetan Mastiff! Despite their looks, Tibetan Mastiffs have a medium-length double coat that can be colored black, blue gray, brown, cream, cream sable, red gold, red gold sable, tan, and white. These vigilant dogs that look like big bears are the first choice for any guard dog selection that is not fond of strangers. They are also moderately friendly with children, family, and other dogs.

In 131st place in dog breed popularity, Tibetan Mastiffs require high stimulation, so a good pet parent will make sure that their dogs are constantly occupied with activities and tasks. DNA tests are not necessarily required to adopt Tibetan Mastiffs. Still, they should have vet visits to prevent eye, elbow, hip, and thyroid complications. Pet owners of Tibetan Mastiffs should be highly informed of their diet intakes, as they often skip a meal and only eat when hungry. Males may even lose as much as 15% of their body weight during mating season, granted they are not fixed.