He's definitely a mix of two breeds

So Bear...he's a BC/Lab mix and can you ever tell! When he runs with the dogs, he very clearly does this herding thing. He'll run real close to their sides and flanks and nip and bark at them, which from what I've seen before is what they do to sheep right?

As for the lab part of him, he loves to retrieve, and he's got a real thing for birds or anything that looks like it's flying in the wind. He's darn near killed me a few times chasing after leaves in the street. He's very intense about it too. I don't mind really, unless we're in a hurry and he stops every few feet to chase them but I do kinda mind the being drug into traffic part :P He knows how to walk great on lead, it's not that. He just LOVES leaves. So we're trying to work on that.

The barking thing. Dear GOD his voice is shrill! Luke does not like being barked at and when Bear plays with any dog, if they aren't doing what he wants them to do I guess, he really starts barking at them. So far Luke's tolerated it. Any other dog did that to him they'd be in trouble but he tolerates stuff from Bear he'd never let another dog do.

I can't get over how dissimilar they are, yet they get along so well. I'm glad Bear is not crazy intense in the house..that I don't think I'd cope with that well....but boy can he go for a long time outside! Luke is tired and worn out, ready to sleep after a half hour to an hour of play. Bear can go all day it seems with only short naps. God help me!
Luke never touches a thing. Bear you have to watch, especially if he's bored. I'm not used to having to put stuff up but I'm gonna have to try to remember, although to be fair he's gotten soooo much better since he's been here. He once stole and ate an entire bag of barely! Oh and he figured out how to open up the dog food bin and ate a bunch of that. Luke told me. He does that...rats dogs and my son out when they're doing something he knows they shouldn't lol.
Oh and I've declared Nov. 20th as Bear's birthday..which means he'll be ONE soon. He was supposedly 11 months when I first found him, which was a little over a month ago. In all the drama I forgot he'd turned one, so I'm making his birthday myself.

Sounds like you have you hands full Jenn!

I would try to nip the nipping in the bud tbh, as some dogs will retaliate (Rocky certainly didn't appreciate being herded and nipped )

Yes I agree, it`s definitely on our to do list, that and that awful barking! He does seem to be good at adjusting play styles with different dogs though. Kayla is much lower key and won`t tolerate too rough treatment, she puts him in his place and he`s pretty good about listening to her. When he plays with Fundy they play HARD. I have to break it up at times because they get going so much it upsets even Bear who`s pretty happy to wrestle but Fundy (the gsp I care for) is just over the top at times. Which is why Luke will never play with him again. Fundy needs to learn to calm down before we ever risk that again. The last episode didn`t go so well. But yeah, the barking must go like yesterday :P

Your duo sounds like my pair. My boxer/pit puppy turns 1 on 11/27 - so maybe they have that zodiac thing to answer for their similarities. Just like Bear, Raisin can't be trusted alone in the house, she's INSANE about leaves and things flying when we walk and she basically never stops going. My older pit Relic I've had for 5 years and the puppy makes me feel like I didn't really understand owning a dog before her lol. As I speak Raisin is walking circles around Relic, whimpering and growling at her trying to insist that she play when all Relic wants to do is lie down and not be bothered. I apologize to Relic everyday for bringing this tormentor into her life haha

lol yeah poor Luke has impressed me so much with his patience with Bear, which I may add Lukey is NOT known for generally :P But more so, I am just so impressed with how well he has taken to sharing me. Luke and I have a very intense, close relationship where it has always been just him and I against the world so to speak. To allow another dog, a male at that (he's always been more possessive with males of any species than females with me)) is a miracle in itself. It took a very special dog to make Luke this tolerant, so as much as I would have SWORN that a BC/Lab mix was the last dog on earth I'd choose, Bear chose us and we're glad he's here. Luke even let him snuggle with us in our bed for an hour a couple of nights :P That's a big concession for my boy to make