Dwarf Bulbear

Dwarf Bulbears are enemies found in all four main. Unlike most Dwarf Bulborb species, which generally are members of the Breadbug family that mimic larger Bulborbs as a survival tactic, Dwarf Bulbears are true grub-dogs, being the offspring of Spotty Bulbears. Dwarf Bulbears are notably tougher and more alert than Dwarf Bulborbs, and are almost always found following Spotty Bulbears around on their patrol paths.

Pikmin
In, Dwarf Bulbears are essentially stronger versions of Dwarf Bulborbs. They are found sniffing the air instead of the ground, and can notice Pikmin from a greater distance. They have almost 40% more health and are able to stand more than one direct hit from a Pikmin. Dwarf Bulbears shriek when aggravated to alert any Spotty Bulbears in the vicinity. To shake off Pikmin, they swing their bodies first, and then perform a backflip. This shaking behavior is exclusive to this creature and this game. Exclusively seen in Challenge Mode, Dwarf Bulbears also wake up Spotty Bulborbs when shrieking.

Pikmin 2, Pikmin 3, and Pikmin 4
Starting from, lone Dwarf Bulbears now act almost identically to Dwarf Bulborbs, sniffing the ground and shaking off Pikmin with a regular headshake. While they are still more durable, a single stomp to the back will now instantly kill them in Pikmin 2 and, although they require multiple stomps to defeat in. They are slightly more alert and will almost instantly react if Pikmin or a Leader stray into their territory. When detecting potential prey, they will sniff the ground faster for a moment, before audibly "yipping" and beginning pursuit.

In these games, the behavior of a Dwarf Bulbear is largely dependent on if a Spotty Bulbear is present. While Dwarf Bulbears will idly sniff the ground and wait for prey to pass by if unattended, they will actively follow around Spotty Bulbears as soon as they notice them; if one hears Dwarf Bulbears "yipping" with no Pikmin nearby, take caution, as they have noticed and begun patrolling with their 'parent.' Dwarf Bulbears generally will not stray from their parent's side unless they detect Pikmin or a Leader, in which case they will break formation to attack their prey.

Biology
Like the Spotty Bulbear, Dwarf Bulbears have a mammalian appearance and a black backside with red spots. The Dwarf Bulbear also has the mouth texture and snout structure of the Bulbear, and they share eye colors in Pikmin and Pikmin 3. In Pikmin, Dwarf bulbears have glowing red eyes like the adult Bulbears do. Likewise, in Pikmin 3, Dwarf Bulbears share deep purple-colored eyes with Bulbears. However, in Pikmin 2, Dwarf Bulbears share the same blue eye textures with Dwarf Bulborbs and adult Bulbears share the same purple eye textures with the Red Bulborbs.

The Dwarf Bulbear is rather durable, which reflects the defensive strength of the Spotty Bulbear. When not following a parent Bulbear, they tend to be found in groups of two or three.

Dwarf Bulbears' habit of following a parent is similar to that of actual bears, although bears and most mammals do not define a route so much as a range of territory. Dwarf Bulbears are able to "switch parents" if their current "parent" is defeated or the Dwarf Bulbear becomes lost. It will follow the nearest Spotty Bulbear whenever this happens. This is most commonly seen in the Subterranean Lair in challenge mode.

Glitch
There's a glitch in the Piklopedia for Dwarf Bulbears while eating Pikpik carrots, in which they die instantly.

Pikmin
An isolated Dwarf Bulbear is never a large threat. Swarming the creature with a modest group of Pikmin will almost always kill it before it can react, although it may shake a few off before succumbing. If your army isn't large enough to swarm it, or you're in a hurry, throwing a Pikmin onto the Dwarf Bulbear's back will instantly kill it in and. Note, however, in and, the creature is durable enough to survive a direct stomp, so either call the Pikmin back before it can bite it or pelt it with multiple Pikmin to try and quickly kill it. It'll take two direct stomps to kill it in Pikmin and three to kill it in Pikmin 4, so plan accordingly.

A Dwarf Bulbear's true threat comes when they are following a Spotty Bulbear: They will both complicate ambushes on their parent and will attempt to eat Pikmin that are shaken off in battle. Even still, it is generally best to defeat the Spotty Bulbear first, as it poses the biggest threat of the family and can travel farther than the juveniles. In Pikmin 2, a well-timed ultra-bitter spray can petrify the entire group of Bulbears, including the parent. With a bit of luck, a barrage of Purple Pikmin can also stun all the creatures within a small radius, leaving them vulnerable to attack. In Pikmin 3, bomb rocks are the least costly method of taking out the family; normally enough bomb rocks are provided near the Bulbears' territory. If bomb rocks are not available, attack the Spotty Bulbear from the front, aiming for the eyes, and keep Pikmin from straying too far to avoid the dwarfs. After the parent is defeated, go for its offspring: throwing direct Pikmin hits on their backs is most effective, but with a large army swarming can most likely work faster with few losses.

Leaders
Punching the Dwarf Bulbear from behind is the most effective strategy. They have noticeably more health than Dwarf Bulborbs, but largely behave identically and have similarly easy to dodge attacks; it will not be a difficult fight at all.