I'm surprised he didn't end up being eaten

An unusual friendship was captured on video in Canada recently.

They make an odd couple, but a big-bodied polar bear and diminutive dog threw caution to the tundra winds and cuddled up in northern Manitoba over the weekend.

"I had no idea what was going to happen, and then sure enough he started petting that dog, acted like he was a friend," David De Meulles said. "I just so happen to catch a video of a lifetime."

De Meulles recorded a video over the weekend that shows one of the Arctic predators towering over a dog, tenderly petting it while the two nuzzle in Churchill, Man.

. . .

The creature lumbered right up, raised its massive clawed forepaw and began patting the dog on its head.

"I've known the bears to have somewhat friendly behaviour with the dogs, but for a bear to pet like a human would pet a dog is just mind-blowing," De Meulles said.

"It was a beautiful sight to see, and I just can't believe an animal that big would show that kind of heart toward another animal."

There's more at the link.  Here's the video.  Watch it in full-screen mode for best results.

Cute!  I'm amazed the bear didn't eat the dog, particularly because it was chained and couldn't get away.  Perhaps they met when both were young, and played together?  If they established an early bond, I can see that carrying over into maturity.

Peter