Dogs...good or bad idea?

Dogs can be good in a survival situation,they are good for protection and hunting,using there keen smell , hearing and canines,they can run down prey at short distances,providing food and give you early warning of danger.
Warmth and companionship can get you through the cold nights and keep you mentally stable,and if need be they can provide a good food source of last resort(sorry, but it's true).
On the other hand dogs can be loud,smelly and taxing on your food stores and emotions.
If not well suited to the outdoors,they quickly become sick and/or injured,they can become a substantial emotional,physical burden.If you want to venture into a survival situation with your house pets, you best be mentally prepared to shoot it




[edit on 1-12-2008 by all2human]

[edit on 1-12-2008 by all2human]

Great thread. I had a Border Collie since she was around 8 months old. She was being trained to be a show dog but injured her hip so we took her on. She was a really smart loving dog and could do many tricks but she was also a big softie! She was scared of squirrels, so I dont think she would have been a good choice for survival purposes but she sure would have boosted my morale a whole lot.

Check this video I found today of a dog dragging another dog from a motorway to save him, its really touching.

You see a dog being hit by a car in this video, just a heads up.

uk.youtube.com...

Although he dragged the dog to safety I think he may already be dead.

[edit on 3-12-2008 by StrangeVision]

Definitely one of the working livestock guardian breeds, but I think specifically Anatolian Sheperd dogs would be best here in the Southwest - large, but have a low metabolism. Currently I have a Polish Tatra - who would be ok, but she's a bit too friendly, and a Leonberger, who would stick with the family at least and is fairly protective, but doesn't have the same kind of guardian spirit. I've had 4 of Anatolians over the last 20 yrs and every one of them would have died for my family. Most supplimented their diets with small game and songbirds and they know which are "your" animals and which aren't. They are devastating to other canines. They aren't really "scrappy" but are the ones who will "end" a fight. I've heard stories of them killing a bear and mtn lions. Many stories of them defending flocks by killing a pack of pit bulls.

But they aren't a dog for the average person. But they are tough and can also be protective against people. Many are escape artists because they historically come from a place with no fences.

Very primitive. Very independent. Very serious and the smartest dogs I've ever worked with, moreso than any of the typical "trainable" breeds. One of the reasons they are difficult to deal with is that they are independent thinkers and problem solvers. Unfortunately most of the best survival dogs aren't the best urban pets.

However talk to a Kurd living in primitive conditions (who might call the dog gemel) and they use them for guarding their sheep and towns and little kids and feed them almost nothing.

reply to post by BlackOps719


My dog of choice would be the Black Mouth Cur. These dogs are very versatile and loyal. Not too big, not too small and great hunters. They have been known to climb trees.

BMC Wiki

Wild Boar

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I am a long time dog owner, and lover. I have had various types. The German Shepard is my favorite. I also like a Malamute...however, they are more difficult to work with. But, they are tough...That black mask and those piercing blue eyes at terrific.

Any K-9 that looks like a Wolf...is a good bet. Stay away from Wolf-Shepard hybrids. They tend to get NUTS as they age...for the Wolf genes come out, and the animal is longer domesticated.

My brother in law bought a Wolf-Shepard male hybrid that was 75% wolf...it became totally uncontrollable by the age of 2 years old. It was one fearsome looking animal though. Holy Crap! It was huge. The paws were unbelievable.

He turned it over to a guy who could manage it barely.

A Doberman Pincher is a great protector, and is undying loyal...they can be quirky...very high strung.

Another dog that is often over looked is the giant Schnauzer. That dog is one mean ass and relentless thug. My uncle had one protecting his bar in N.Y.

Several times he open up in the morning and found chunks of human buttocks lying on the floor...never once did anyone file a complaint! He was never robbed.

But for all intents and purposes...go with the faithful German Shepard. They are good with kids if respected. A male will protect your wife like nothing else. Especially if she shows him lots of attention and love. You'll need his permission to get near her!

Good Dog...

Look for massive paws on the puppy along with the slight hook in the snout.
Make sure their are no hip problems in his lineage...and no venereal disease history in the mother. ( it affect their brain development) If all is OK, then you should end up with one super dog!

Name it FANG! Tha'tll get attention! lol

Malinois would be good, but I would pick a Malamute over a Husky since they are stronger. Huskies are built for speed, Malamutes are built for strength otherwise they are much the same. I don't know how huskies fair in duck hunting, but I know from experience Malamutes are champs.

Bull Terrier.
They are not the smartest dogs but if trained well, they are very loyal, Highly aggressive toward strangers and they dont bark at every little thing.
They can kill birds suprisingly well too.

They would have some serious drawbacks in a SHTF situation though because they are always hungry and eat ANYTHING. Also, they are not the kind of dog you 'cuddle' up to.

Actually after rethinking this i would say a belgium shepherd would be quite useful because they are as smart as a german shepherd but they are not so prone to hip displacement.

reply to post by sicklecell


I used to own a Bully and they are a mixed bag when it comes to SitX. They are probably the strongest dog pound for pound but they do not have endurance. They are quiet agile and quick but only for short distances. They have an incredibly strong bite but are actually not very good guard dogs because they seem to love everyone.

And you are also right about them wanting to eat all the time. While I do very much like the Bull Terrier, I dont think they would be the best SitX dog.

I currently have a Black Mouth Cur and i'm clearly a little biased but these dogs are amazing. Crazy fast and agile, endurance for miles, great nose, bred for hunting and working. They are a very durable and consistent dog. Very few health problems and are known to live up 15 years.

Border Collie , i love em especially my maggy, Border collies are the smartest dog over all other breeds. Most of them dont need to be taught how to fetch they just do it. Plus they are super affectionate and loyal. I make the joke all the time that Maggy thinks of us as her pups cuz she herds me and my wife around while we are outside and snuggles with us at night.

Screw the boirder collie get yourself a Maggy =p

I second the shetland, mine is 12 years old and her mother lived to be 16, and we have one pup from her that I will keep the tradition going.
Very smart, very loyal, and very protective of anyone in our house hold.
We have 7 grand kids, from 3 sisters, and if they bring a stanger over they get sniffed, and looked over, real good.. more often than not the dog picks good ppl and stays away from the friends that are, well, just not real friends.
She catchs squirrells, goes coon hunting with me, and helps the nieghbor heard his calves..
I could go on and on but you get the idea, as far as a well rounded proven canine, I would have a hard time picking any other animal.

reply to post by iamcamouflage


I have honestly never had a bull terrier that was friendly toward..well.. anyone except me.. LOL My bully wont let anyone through the front gate let alone pat him. (Unless you give him food then hes your best friend... until theres no more food)

Cheers for mentioning the 'black mouth cur' i didnt know what it was so i googled it, looks exactly like a dog my mate found a few years back but we could never determine what breed it was. If it is the breed of dog my friend has then yes they are excellent dogs, loyal, compassionate and intelligent.

reply to post by sicklecell


I have noticed that there are a lot of dogs that are not BMCs that look very similar. It is probably because Cur is defined as: "Cur-refers to a mutt, a dog of mixed ancestry, typically characterized as one who tends to growl frequently rather than maintain calm." Just last week, I was in the park and saw a dog that looked like my cur and I asked them what kind it was and they said it was a Boxer/Lab mix. So it seems that some mixed breeds end up looking like a Cur. Very interesting.

But there are also Cur varieties that have been selectively bred in America to produce specialized traits.(mostly hunting and working) There is the Black Mouth Cur, Mountain Cur(Old Yeller), Catahoula Cur and Stephens Cur.

I think these dogs make excellent pets for a SitX because their lineage is based on many different breeds, think of it as a specialized or selectively bred mutt. They are very muscular, fast, agile, and can hunt like no other. Because they have such good muscle mass they tend to be heavier than they appear.(much like a Bull Terrier but not to that degree) My brothers BMC is about 80lbs and wouldnt consider him a huge dog. But he is fast and incredibly athletic.


Here is an expert from the Wiki page, notice that they are sometimes used to hunt mountain lions!!! And that the climbing/jumping ability, I kid you not these dogs will climb a fence if they cant jump over it.

Blackmouth Curs are used for herding cattle, baying hogs, hunting squirrel, raccoon, bear and mountain lion. Certain lines are used more for one activity than others, such as Wetherford Ben for herding, Red Alabama for hog baying, and Ladner for treeing ability. However, they are a multipurpose breed, and one dog, if quite talented, may be used for hunting, herding, and baying. Blackmouth Cur have excellent jumping and climbing ability, making them great in the field of treeing and hunting other game; however, this can also mean a fence of six feet high or higher is required to enclose this athletic breed. They have also been noted to be successful deer tracking dogs in the South.

BMC Wiki

reply to post by angryamerican

Angry, about pigs not traveling in packs?

I've had my ass chased and treed for a few hours by a pack of pigs, and take it from me, you better get up high enough, or they'll literally chew the ass off you.

Generally, this is true, but I've seen packs in swampy areas with as many as forty hogs.

They can have a really bad disposition, and one good swipe and your leg is laid open to the bone.

And as we all know, a hog will eat all of anything. A pack will eat all of anything fast.