Schindler's Dog

Dog saves man from charging bear

Jason was at his rural Cataract, Wisconsin home last Thursday night when he heard Dude barking off in the distance. Jason walked into the woods to see what the fuss was about. He quickly found out. "As I leaned over I saw this black thing coming straight for me."

As Jason fell backward, Dude growled and pounced at the bear. It was no contest. "He grabbed my dog, and kind of rolled him right back down in the den with him," says Jason.

When Jason returned with his brother, a friend, a lantern and firearms, the bear charged again. They fired and the bear ran off. They then found Dude bleeding in the bear's den. The vet would count 28 puncture wounds. Dude died a few hours later.

Dude the hound sacrifices life by intervening when black bear rushes owner

Jason Schindler says he wouldn't be alive if it were not for his dog, Dude. The 27-year-old rural Cataract man said the 8-year-old mixed-breed hound jumped between him and an attacking black bear Thursday night, saving his life but giving up his own. The animal sustained at least 28 puncture wounds to his chest and neck, he said.

"I'd hate for someone else's dog to go through what mine did," he said.

Schindler and his wife, Kimberly, buried the dog with a blanket and pillow the next day, using a rented jackhammer to dig the grave in the frozen soil.

Comment: a heart-warming story from Cataract, WI