Family's shock after realising true identity of adopted dog

There’s always a slight risk that the item you buy isn’t quite as advertised and after two years one unsuspecting family has learnt they probably should have double checked their purchase.

While on vacation two years ago, Su Yun, bought something she understood to be a puppy before bringing it home to her family in Kunming in the Yunnan province of China.

The family was immediately impressed with their new pet’s appetite, watching on in awe as what they believed to be a Tibetan Mastiff devoured a box of fruit and two buckets of noodles every day.

While there probably should have been a few earlier warning signs, it wasn’t until their 113kg dog started walking on its hind legs that they suspected something wasn’t quite right.

As their beloved pet “dog” failed to stop growing, Ms Yun realised her family had actually been living with and nurturing an Asiatic black bear.

“The more he grew, the more like a bear he looked,” Ms Yun explained.

Despite living with one for two years, Ms Yun added “I’m a little scared of bears”.

Wildlife experts came in and confirmed the family’s fears – their dog was a bear.

The endangered animal was sedated and transported from the family’s home and is now being looked after by the Yunnan Wildlife Rescue Centre.