'The Education of Bear'

For 14 years, I had the pleasure of a wonderful friend named Brooks, an energetic and happy golden retriever who loved hikes, car rides and his human sisters. About 3 1/2 years after losing my good friend, I took the plunge to adopt another golden, a rescued 2-year-old named Bear. Neither one of us really knew what we were getting into ... a steep learning curve that -- at times -- seemed almost too steep. But after several months, both of us have learned a lot. My story on "The Education of Bear" for UT San Diego: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/mar/29/educating-bear/