When Bear first came into our household, he bore more of a resemblance to a gazelle than to a Keeshond.  He was given to rescue by his former owners because they had grown tired of his barking.  Of course, they didn't care that he barked because he wanted to be inside with his people; instead, they kept him chained up outside, with no shelter whatsoever, for at least two of his three years.

The people who first got Bear had to have his coat shaved down because it was so excessively matted.  All that was left was the fur around his head.

Bear was only supposed to be with us for a week while Dina Zinnes in Champaign juggled around her foster dogs.  That week stretched into several weeks, and then a month.  By the time it came to send Bear along, we had grown too attached to him to let him go.  So, Bear became our fourth permanent dog.

This is my favorite early photo of Bear,
shown cuddling here with Eileen.

In 1999, the Keeshond Sunshine Rescue Fund solicited entries for the 2000 Rescue Calendar and we submitted Bear's biography and a candid photo.  Bear received the highest number of votes for inclusing in the calendar, which earned for him the coveted title of "Kees of the New Millennium," complete with placement on the January, 2001 page of the calendar.

This is the winning shot of Bear that was
featured in the 2000 Rescue Calendar.

A few more shots of Bear follow.  He is such a great dog; I'm glad that we chose to adopt him!