[Southpaw]

Dang Bill, tell me you didn't cry when Ol Yellar got shot.

Reality may be different though and it may or may not of happened just as they say it did, none of us were there and it sounds like only they could see part of it themselves. Don't know if Ol' Pete had any noble intentions are not and I am leery about putting human emotions and morality into animals, but dogs are something different. They do have protective instincts that can be engaged without much trigger. If there is a perceived threat and they can sense it, it is either fight, flight or submissiveness. I mean I have heard of polar bears befriending huskies and eating huskies.

Ask most highly regarded heros that are still alive what they were thinking at the time and most say, I wasn't thinking, I was just functioning. Maybe Ol Pete just reacted and obviously just bit off more than he could chew when bear false/bluff charged, or it could have been a real charge. Hard to say what a grouchy hungry bear will do that feels cornered or threatened. All we know is the result and it appears Ol Pete did not back down from a wild animal that was way better equipped and probably grossly outweighed him. Regardless of his intentions or function that old dog apparently did not tuck tail and run. Who knows that old bear might have even wanted to make a meal of one of those dogs, its rare but it has happened.

Anyway got soft spot for old hunting dogs since that is first dog that ever remember having, which was one of my dad's retired brittanies. Ol Ranger got too old to go and became a yard dog. I was about 3 or 4 and whenever I went to run around outside that old dog followed me like a shadow. I still remember that old dog hobbling around after me.