Today we meet Bear, a Wheaten Terrier-Poodle, who's quite the champion at howling and dreaming. He has the most vivid dreams, combined with a few howls here and there, manages to make a racket in the middle of the night. Ever heard of a dog afraid of the dark? Well now you have!

Pet's details

Name: Bear
Breed: Wheaten Terrier - Poodle
Age: 7 years
Owner: Cherisha

What's the significance of the name you've given him?

He looked like a bear when we first saw him, so that’s what we named him.

What is a typical day like for Bear?

Eating, sleeping, going on walks, barking at anyone and everything that passes our house, begging for treats, howling at the fire trucks when they pass by with their sirens blaring.

What are mealtimes and bathtimes like?

He’s always ready for mealtime. He’s kind of bossy and intimidates our other dog Cubbie, and if we don’t stop him, most times he pushes Cubbie away and eats Cubbie's food as well. He hates getting a bath. He starts growling if he has even a hint that he’s going to get a bath. But once he’s in the tub he’s okay.

Does he do anything out of the ordinary that fascinates you?

He dreams… a lot. Sometimes he howls in his sleep in the middle of the night. A couple times we had to wake him up because he was howling so loudly. When we did, he looked at us like we were crazy for waking him up!

What annoys him the most?

Babies who crawl. Especially when my children play near him or when my 8 month old crawls near him, he gets annoyed.

What is his most favourite fun time activity?

Going on walks, chasing squirrels, going in the car because he thinks we are going to the dog park.

What is the naughtiest thing he has done?

When he was a puppy he would go into the bathroom and start pawing at the toilet paper roll. When we come home we usually find toilet paper streamed all over the house. We used to go through a couple rolls of it a day. It was starting to get expensive. One time I was home and I caught him sitting in the bathroom staring up at the toilet paper. He looked back a couple times (maybe to check that no one was watching?!) and then proceeded to pull it out and start running with it. As soon as he ran out he saw me and knew that he was busted.

How did you find him?

August 17th, 2007 around 10pm he was on the corner of a residential street in Northridge rolling around in the grass in front of a house. We were driving home and saw this puppy. We took him to almost all the houses on that street but no one claimed him. By then I was already in love with him, so we adopted him.

What is he most afraid of?

He’s a “scaredy cat”. He’s afraid of the dark, so at night we have to leave a light on for him. He is also scared of any strange noises and the sound of wood creaking (the floor or closet doors).

How does he react when you return home after a long day?

He’s starts jumping and barking. Then he starts running around like a crazy person.

What's makes him the best?

He’s always ready to play or go out. The little things in life make him happy.

What was the most unforgettable moment and you shared with him?

When we first brought him home, he ran in like he had always been there and for me, just realizing that he was mine.

By Eshani Seneviratne