An addendum to yesterday's STANDOFF:  8:00am - Monday.

I let Bernie out back for his normal routine of chillin' on the back porch, watching for squirrel, rabbits or such to chase after til he's ready to sniff out the grass for a spot to go and was coming upstairs after heating up a cup of coffee, when I heard Bernie bark with a heavy vicious growl jumping off the porch and running towards the woods (about 75 feet behind the house). Just as I got out the door I saw Bernie get to the fence and squeeze between the fence post and the barn, I noticed bushes rustling and could see the black bear running away with Bernie at his heels.

The bear, yesterday, when honked at to get out of the road, must have turned and ran into the woods right by my house trying to find a place to hunker down and stay the night and out of trouble. WHY MY HOUSE! ?

I'm screaming at the top of my lungs with my heart racing for Bernie not to chase after it because if the bear had decided to turn and attack I wouldn't have been able to help Bernie if he had gotten hurt because it's too overgrown and would be afraid of getting hurt myself once the bear got angry.

As I continue to yell at Bernie to come back, I could still see big black spots moving through the the bushes and could hear Bernie growling. Then SILENCE!! After what seemed like !FOREVER!, but probably just about 2 minutes, which can be like watching water til it boils, when all you can do is wait and see if your dog walks back out of the woods in one piece or is laying injuried in a pool of blood in the woods and you can't help him. I finally saw some movement in the bushes as I'm still yelling for Bernie. As I wait to see who may be moving the tall grass/bushes, I see Bernie slowly coming out between the blades of grass.

One good thing was I hadn't heard the bear growling as if actually attacking or didn't hear Bernie yelping as if He got hurt. He looked in one piece and a little scared. But I think he knew I was upset and he has that look of "I'm sorry mom, I didn't mean to scare you".