How long does a Karelian Bear Dog live?

The listed lifespan for a Karelian Bear Dog is 11–13 years.

How tall is a Karelian Bear Dog?

The listed height for a Karelian Bear Dog is 19–23.5 in.

Is a Karelian Bear Dog good with children?

The AKC good-with-children score for a Karelian Bear Dog is 1 out of 5.

What is the energy level of a Karelian Bear Dog?

The AKC energy score for a Karelian Bear Dog is 3 out of 5.

Foundation Stock Service

Karelian Bear Dog

Karelian Bear Dog is a medium dog in the Foundation Stock Service. Adult weight is 44–49 lb, height is 19–23.5 in, and the listed lifespan is 11–13 years. AKC describes the temperament as Independent, Loyal, Courageous.

Last reviewed November 1, 2026.

Karelian Bear Dog dog — Photo: Jurriaan Schulman · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lifespan11–13 years

Weight44–49 lb

SizeMedium

GroupFoundation Stock Service

Height

19–23.5 in

Energy

3 / 5

Shedding

3 / 5

Grooming

3 / 5

Trainability

4 / 5

Good with kids

1 / 5

The breed record

Across 59 single-size medium breeds, a lifespan midpoint of 12 years is about 1.3 years shorter than the 13.3-year average. A midpoint adult weight of 46.5 lb is about 12.4 lb heavier than the 34.1 lb average for those medium breeds.

The listed origin is Finland. The coat is described as double, medium. The AKC energy score is 3 out of 5, 0.6 points below the group average of 3.6 for the Foundation Stock Service. Shedding scores 3 out of 5. Grooming scores 3 out of 5. Trainability scores 4 out of 5, which is a biddable score. Good with children scores 1 out of 5. That score is a reason to supervise young children. Good with other dogs scores 3 out of 5.

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