Raccoons are actually closer to weasels and ferrets than to bears. Procyonidae, the family that includes raccoons, is a member of the superfamily Musteloidea, which also includes weasels and ferrets. Bears are members of another superfamily, Ursoidea.
Here's the family tree (scroll down for the diagram):
Can racoon be trained to pee / defecate outside ?
What do they smell like ?
Sure, these issues can likely be bred out of the current animal, but still.