How to Tame a Polar Bear In Minecraft

By Binh TranApr 23, 2022Updated:May 6, 2022

Polar bears are some of the most powerful creatures in Minecraft. They’re also one of the most intimidating and deadly, as they can take you down with just a swipe or two.

So how do you tame this beast? Well, there’s no real way to do it in-game (without mods) despite what other guides may have led you to believe.

Although, in Vanilla Minecraft, you can ‘forcefully’ make it your friend by sticking it on a lead and dragging it all the way back to your base!

Then it can act as some sort of exotic guard dog to protect your base from the creatures of the night. Below is everything you need to know about how to tame a Polar bear in Minecraft.

What You Need to Tame A Polar Bear

1x Nametag – Used to name your Polar Bear, preventing it from despawning.
1x Anvil – Used to rename your nametag.
1x Level of Experience – Required to use the Anvil.
1x Lead – Used to lead your Polar Bear back to your home.
1x a Boat – Makes traveling across water with your Polar Bear easier.

How to Tame a Polar Bear In Minecraft

Step 1. Get your supplies

Nametags and Leads can only be looted from chests from Dungeons, Mineshafts, and Buried Treasure.

Treasure Chests found in Dungeons Mineshafts

Anvils are made from 3 blocks of Iron + 3 iron ingots

Experience levels are gained from killing mobs and mining/smelting.

Experience levels gained from slaying creatures

A boat can be made from 5 blocks of wooden planks

Step 2. Rename the nametag

Place your anvil on the floor, and then right-click it to access its menu.

Add the nametag in the top left slot and give it a new name – choose whatever name you would like your polar bear to have.

Step 3. Find a polar bear

Now you’ve got everything you need, it’s time to find a polar bear – they’re typically found near the icy biomes; Snowy Plains, Ice Spikes, Regular and Deep Frozen Ocean biomes.

They will spawn in groups of up to two, the second polar bear always being a cub.

Tip: Be careful about approaching the Polar bear if there is a cub nearby, get too close and they will turn hostile.

Step 4. Tag the polar bear with the nametag

Walk up to the polar bear you want to keep and right-click it with the nametag in your hand.

Now it will not despawn no matter where you travel to in your world.

Step 5. Lead the polar bear home

It’s time to take your polar bear home. Right-click the lead on the polar bear to attach it, now you should be able to pull it along with you wherever you go.

Step 5.5. Get across the ocean

If you need to travel across the ocean to get home, you can push your polar bear in the boat by first placing your boat in the water, and gently nudging it in.