Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard

From the moment Danny sees the beautiful Irish setter, he knows Red is the dog for him. Fast and smart, strong and noble, Red is the only dog Danny wants by his side. Soon, neither boy nor dog can stand to be apart. Together Danny and Red face many dangers in the harsh Wintapi wilderness that they call home. But the greatest test of their courage and friendship will come from an enemy more cunning than any they've known before--a bear who is the undisputed king of the wilderness, a savage killer called Old Majesty.

Stichley's Rating:
I went through a massive animal craze as a kid.  I think I read every single animal book that the librarian could find me at the county library.  Some of them were the books by Jim Kjelgaard.  These books are good for any animal lover.  Unfortunately they are not as easy to find as when I was a kid.  I looked online a bit trying to track down a copy in the local library and ultimately had to get it from amazon because they didn't have any books by Kjelgaard.  These books are almost all about Danny and his Irish setters.  Either Red himself or his pups.  The first in the series is this one.  They are fun, easy reads that all dog loving kids should love.

Instances of Swearing: 

• Bitch is used 6 times but it is in the proper context of a female dog.