These dogs are in the elkhound/laika family and are still used for their original purpose.
Of course, in North America, the various native forms of Ursus arctos aren’t doing so well. (The grizzly bear is actually the same species as the Eurasian brown bear species.) When the dogs are worked on that species, they are leashed.
But when they are used against American black bears (as they are here), the dogs are released.
I’m surprised that no one in West Virginia has heard of this breed. Bear hunting (for black bears) is a major activity here. The majority of the dogs used here are scent hounds, including coonhound and Plott hounds. Occasionally, Airedales and cur-types are used.
Of course, I’m sure that the first thing someone would say about them is that they are some sort of black and white “Norwegian.” (The word “elkhound” is often dropped– not realizing that “Norwegian” can also refer to people. To me, it’s like calling the German shepherd a “German.”)
I think this will only work as a success up until one of those dogs gets a full on smack from a brown bear or is pinned by an angry momma bear. Perhaps using them on leash is a good idea.
Black bear, perhaps.
Black bears are very often hunted with dogs, as are European brown bears.
I don’t like we can hunt Kodiaks with them, though.
Black bear sows won’t defend their cubs with same ferocity of a grizzly.
However, the various Inuit and Yupik peoples have always hunted polar bears with dogs, and they are nothing more than a modified brown bear.