Ever since the first wolf-packs starting living on the outskirts of human settlements more than 15 000 years ago, man and dog have shared the struggle for survival. The reason the relationship endures to this day is that it’s highly mutually beneficial.
A man alone is vulnerable, exposed and lonely. Add a dog, and the man is in a better position.
This article will explore the reason why you should get a dog for when SHTF. I will mention the criteria against which you should judge breeds and suggest a few solutions depending on your circumstances.
Many medieval castles had stables and also kennels. Estate owners would employ kennel masters to oversee the dogs and their training. They were used for hunting, pest control and protection.
This tells you all you need to know about why dogs are great. But also, that training and leadership are important.
It’s A Dog’s Life
The right breed could help you in your mission to survive. Dogs provide the following benefits for survival scenarios:
• Early warning system – Highly developed sense of hearing and smell
• Companionship – Dogs are loyal and love their owners
• Danger Detection and Elimination – Snakes and other threats;
• Pest Control – Rats, monkeys, bucks and even other humans that may be raiding your vegetable patch or food stores;
• Defence and Guarding – When you are attacked, dogs will help fight and protect the pack;
• Hunting and Herding – These are specialized uses, but dogs are better at this than most humans will ever be;
• Heat – On a really cold night, snuggling with a dog could keep you from freezing;
• Threat Evaluation – If your dog doesn’t trust someone, you shouldn’t either.
Hear No Evil, Smell No Evil
No human can hear or smell as good as a dog can. It’s physiologically impossible.
If you take your dog for a walk down the street, what you don’t realise is that she can hear the conversations inside houses AND smell what the family is having for dinner. In vivid detail!
You can harness their heightened awareness of their surroundings to your benefit. Dogs become agitated when they hear or smell something out of the ordinary. When patrolling your surroundings or when you are scouting, keep an eye on your dog.
Related: How To Understand The Signals From Animals Just Before A Natural Disaster Strikes
Your dog’s body language will alert you to possible threats or points of interest and generally help you to avoid stumbling across other humans when you are trying to keep a low profile.
Guarding versus Protection
The fact that dogs can hear people approaching, even on foot, long before you can, is part of what makes them great “animal alarms”.
This, in combination with a breed that has a strong guarding instinct, gives the human owner a very powerful early warning system. Not just against other humans, but also animals that may want to eat your supplies.
Be aware that there is a difference between guarding and protection.
Some breeds will warn owners, but retreat at the first sign of a serious threat.
Other breeds may attack on sight, without giving a lot of warning upfront.
I once had a bulldog that would charge anything strange, but never barked, even while she was on the attack.
She scored really high on protection and courage but was useless as a guard dog. I would only become aware of the danger when she launched her offensive.
The objective of guard dogs is to eliminate the element of surprise.
Intelligence
Many conversations about dogs turn to how intelligent a specific breed is. I always make fun of this saying that I don’t need a dog to do my thinking for me. Or, I point out that even the smartest breeds have trouble with calculus.
So when it comes to family pets and just generally having fun with dogs, intelligence need not supersede temperament. Dogs that are fun, obedient and like spending time with the family are more important than math geniuses.
But, in an SHTF scenario, a dumb dog will not only hold you back but would be a potential danger to you and your family. Intelligence, when combined with courage, protective instinct and physical ability, will be a life-saving combination.
Temperament
This is a strange word, as it refers to character and personality, but also to other mental and emotional characteristics that are often difficult to quantify.
Characteristics that I would all class under temperament include such things as aggression, obedience, sense of humor, willingness to cooperate, courage in the face of extreme danger and willingness to die for the pack. Also, independence, initiative, patience and restraint.
These characteristics are not that rare, and many breeds exhibit them amply. But, there are even more breeds that do not. Keep in mind, that in SHTF, the mathematics of survival will be unforgiving. Second place means death. If you are overly emotional about animals, it could kill you and your family.
Related: Livestock Animals You Should Start Raising For The Upcoming Economic Crisis
For instance, I like Boxers. I think they are whacky, funny and have a well-developed sense of humor. But a Boxer will be one of the worst choices for an SHTF dog.
Selecting for temperament should be done according to the same brutal math that all other choices are made when survival is at stake. Being overly sentimental and thinking that your faith in an unsuitable animal will magically change the animal, is naive and quite frankly, could be deadly. If she’s not “almost perfect”, walk away.
Dogs should be viewed as survival tools. I am not saying they are disposable. We love them very much, for their companionship and as valuable and contributing members of our group. But dogs are frontline defence, and when fielded, we must be able to depend on them to do their jobs.
Temperament and ability will carry the day. Nothing else. Your choice of dog needs to reflect this understanding.
Control
This has nothing to do with a dog sitting when you give the command or faithfully waiting before he eats his food.
Can your dog keep quiet when the garbage truck is doing its rounds? Can your male dog ignore the musky scent of a bitch in heat if commanded to? Will your dog sit patiently and wait while the neighborhood cat is walking right in front of it?
If not, your animal is a liability.
During one discussion on SHTF dogs, someone asked about a Pitbull. Which, I must add, is one of my favorite breeds. But let me ask you this.
Could you control him if an opposing dog acted confrontationally? And if a fight did break out, would he let go on command?
Pitbulls are like large calibre firearms that can shoot a single deadly shot. Employ them accordingly. If this suits your SHTF strategy, go for it.
If however, you want an animal that can face a foe or retreat upon command, maybe you should opt for something else. Reality folks.
I live in South Africa, at the foot of the Magaliesberg Mountain Range. I have often taken dogs for long hikes in the mountain. Certain breeds will bravely attack a troop of baboons. Even if you yell at them to come back. They are like missiles that have locked onto a target without an “abort” button.
I have lost one dog in such a situation, and have friends who have similarly lost dogs. As the owner, you are ultimately responsible for your dog. Using the wrong breed for the wrong job is a hard-learned lesson.
If you don’t have control, you are placing yourself and your dog in danger. You have been warned.
Body Language and Pheromones
Dogs don’t overthink situations.
If they see a stranger whose body language looks suspicious or if they smell fear or anxiety on a stranger that may indicate ill-intent.
Dogs don’t think, “Ah, he’s probably just nervous and I need to trust others, etc.”
If your dog doesn’t approve of someone, you shouldn’t either. I am not saying shoot that person on sight. I am saying, don’t let them near you.
Keep the dog around, and between you and the person or situation. Don’t turn your back. Don’t let them feed your dog any treats.
Breeds for SHTF
I will briefly mention a breed and just a few pros and cons of that breed.
Belgian Malinois
There is a reason the Navy Seals use these dogs. But they need a strong owner and are highly energetic, so you will need to spend some time with them, burning off that energy. You will need to train them. If you are not familiar with dogs, you will need to get professional advice on this.
Similar breeds are German Shepherds and Dobermans. Fast, agile, intelligent, loyal. They are precision instruments and should be handled as such.
I would include Rhodesian Ridgebacks here as they are great homestead dogs and fearless hunters.
Bull Mastiff
Their loyalty and guarding prowess are well known. They were used to guard diamond mines in South Africa.
If you know anything about the crime situation in SA, including the vast area’s some of the open cast mine’s cover, you will appreciate the fact even more.
They are very loving and loyal family members. They are on the large side and may require a bit more food than some of the other breeds mentioned.
Related: Why People Will Happily Line Up to be Microchipped Like Dogs
Similar breeds are Rottweilers, Boerboel, American Bulldog. These are not precision instruments like those mentioned above but can be trained to a high level of obedience. Especially the Rottweiler. In this category, I would opt for the Cane Corso, they are awesome dogs.
Australian Cattle Dog
They are highly intelligent, extremely loyal and make excellent companions. You will need to train them.
They do not pack as hard a punch as the other breeds but make excellent herding dogs. Similar breeds include Collies, Border Collies and Poodles.
I am going to include Labradors here, although they maybe deserve their own category. I am not a fan of Labradors as they become food-obsessed. Go and read on this, it’s genetic and can become unpleasant around mealtime.
Siberian Husky
All sled dogs are highly suited as SHTF dogs. They have been selected for generations to run all day, guard the camp, and assist with hunting, taking down large animals.
They are not well suited to hot climates, so don’t keep one if you live in a hot and humid climate.
Similar breeds include Alaskan Malmute’s, Finish Spitz and quite a few others.
Honorable Mention
Small lapdogs like miniature poodles and small terriers and Chihuahuas could be good to have for pest control and as noisemakers.
Their smaller stature has them feeling vulnerable, and as such, they are very alert. This could be to your advantage.
But they also tend to bark at everything, so you could up at all hours, for no good reason at all. They eat very little.
Man’s Best Friend
There you have it, folks. I would set up my team in the following way. My dream scenario would be having a pack of Cane Corse for heavy-duty homestead defence. Every child would have an Australian Cattle Dog following them around.
I would have a Belgian Malinois sleeping next to my bed, and that would be the dog I take ranging, scouting and hunting.
Everybody’s selection would and should differ. Dogs need to fit your temperament and that of your family. Happy training!
You may also like:
How To Identify Animals By Their Tracks (With Pictures)
The Best Way To Train Your Dog For Hunting And Security (Video)
The Best Foods You Need When Bugging Out
A dog will be there for you. When no human will be.
That’s why I have six dogs, because I can’t depend on any human to be there. Except my wife.
A dog will love you for you. They don’t hate, discriminate, or worry about skin color and they won’t stab you in the back.
That’s why I love dogs and animals more then humans, at leased 99.99999% of humans.
As on here. We talk and give info to each other but we will not help each other when a troll attacks someone. O, maybe one person might say something but that’s it. There is no or bearly any spiritual help at all on any site. You are scared to say the truth.
All this that we have or will survive dose not mean anything with out GOD…
If you survive all this that is to come, for what, just to be sent to HELL by GOD. Just because you did not except his son JESUS or even belive. Better care more about your eternal life then all this that we have.
If you think dogs are man’s best friend, you should know Jesus.
Remember it’s for ever and ever. AMEN…
John 3:16
HELL IS on its way better get right with GOD. He will be the only one that can destroy the mind and the soul.
Hey get a dog it’s a better choice then some of the humans you have as friends.
One more thing.
A dog should NOT be used as a tool. Because a dog is a living and breathing animal. A tool is something that you don’t have to care about and can throw it away with out any regard for it.
what if you were just looked at, as just a tool.
I do NOT except that part in this article…
Think we have had a relationship with animals for a very long time. Don’t know if its for over 15,000 yrs now. But if you show love to a animal it will work hard and give as much or even more for you. No animal should be looked at as just a tool.
A tool is just something. An animal can become part of the living group…
I’ve heard civilization wouldn’t have happened without our interdependence with our canine friends. I think someone did a documentary about this a few years ago.
When I retired I downsized from Border Collies to Toy Fox Terriers. With those 10 lb. dogs, I haven’t had any rodent, squirrel, or rabbit problems on my property.
I too would rather spend a day with a pack of dogs than a bunch of people; dogs I can trust.
You really shouldn’t play the “Trolls” game. Ignore all Troll posts. After a while of nobody flipping their lid over what the Troll posted, they go away. On the subject of dogs, another thing to consider is if you are going to be traveling a lot you need a dog that loves going places. My last dog was great in most all respects except traveling. He went to pieces in a moving vehicle. I hoped he would grow out of it but he didn’t.
Thank you red ant. I agree with you. I also prefer the company of animals rather than most humans. Animals don’t back stab you, abuse you or kick you while you’re down.
The vast majority of people out there are terrible. Most lack any form of morals. In today’s modern society with all of its conveniences, with laws and police enforcing them, people STILL loot, steal, rape, murder and commit heinous crimes almost constantly!
Imagine in a severe SHTF setting, when the rules and punishments are gone, and police aren’t there to enforce them. It will become so much WORSE. Not just because people are faced with difficult choices, but because they will no longer fear getting caught and sent to prison, so they can now do whatever they want with no consequences These types of people will be embolded by it.
I’m NOT saying I hate every single human being on the face of the Earth, but I am pointing out there are plenty of despicable ones out there waiting to attack good folk. It’s a pattern of violent, predictable behavior through human history. They outnumber good people greatly and they will be looking to exploit them in every way possible.
Also wanted to note there is a large majority of articles on almost every prepper site preparing you for (drumroll please) fending off attackers or looters!
You’re more likely to get attacked, tortured and killed by another human being than an animal. Hell, even if a predatory animal does attempt to attack you, it’s because its HUNGRY, not because it wants to kill/torture you for the $20 in your wallet or the shoes on your feet or because you wore the wrong color hat in the wrong side of town.
Face it everyone, it’s the cold hard truth that the vast majority of people can’t be trusted. So weed through this jungle of asshats and find the good people, and stick with them. Don’t ever take good folk for granted. They are RARE.
I’ll trust a dog long before a person. With the exception of my kids I would trust no one with my life.
@ J
Very well said and so true.
I couldn’t agree more Red Ant. ?
Dogs give away your position. This is the big problem and trade off of having a dog with you. When they get scared, they may be unstoppable and bark, growl and run at a threat.
Strictly on pest control only, feral cats are your best option. Note youll want to make sure they have been neutered though, or they will mark everything.
When I worked animal control, instead of euthanasia, we did everything we could to get them placed as barn cats first. Alot of the local farmers wanted them for peat control as they will only eat what they catch and kill.
I have 5 mostly Ferrell cats. One is a pet. The rest aren’t. I enjoy watching them. I feed some dry food once a day and they catch the rest of what they want. Neighbors dogs caught a kitten in my yard skinned its tail. It wasn’t our kitten but was small enough I caught her in a bath towel. Petted and talked calmly and she stopped fighting. I doctored her tail. It healed over then dried up and dropped off short. She will meow for food but run if I’m close. As she grows up I’ll feed less.. she already plays at hunting with the older cats. Might be 5 or 6 weeks old now. There was what appeared to be a litter of kittens dead out on the road. I hate folks dropping off cats or dogs out here.
My little girl is just 10 lb of who knows what. Long blond hair a bit wavy. She was abandoned as a puppy locked in a city apartment. I saw the add on Craigslist, took my half toy poodle boy to meet her. Got them both fix at the same time. He was hit by a car several yearsago. Shes been a good companion. She’s been clingy while my husband has been in the hospital. Today’s he’s home and she’s asleep by his feet. All’s right with her world.
She barks whenever people and preditors come around. I laugh and call her my door bell. She doesn’t bark all the time just when someones around or other animals after my critters. We’ve had coyotes, dogs in a pack, and bears. She doesn’t engage but barks like crazy. A different bark for people or animals.
Back in Wisconsin on our dairy farm, we always had dozens of feral cats showing up, and bringing worms with them. So I would always put out a couple saucers of milk from the bulk tank, with a couple cups of milk and a teaspoon or two of baking soda mixed in the milk. A week or two of this and they were all worm free. This was the easiest way to worm feral cats. The baking soda is alkaline and changes the PH in the animals body and made it hostile to worms and they could not survive in any animals body for long.
I have a King Doberman and a pure bred German Shepherd as well as a feral cat. Never seen a mouse since I got the cat! My shepherd is no nonsense, obeys on command and hears everything! She is awesome! My big dobie boy is the most affectionate dog I have ever had but her would tear somebody up in a heartbeat if anyone evr tried to hurt me….actually? Both of my dogs would! Dogs are awesome and loyal…I will always have at least 2…. These are great breeds too. Surprised they were not on the list?? Anyways, be safe everyone!
Those breeds were mentioned under the title Belgian Malinois.
Since the subjects here are dogs and prepping I am hoping I can get a serious response to feeding dogs in a SHTF scenario. Where I am there are a lot of coyotes. Carnivores eat carnivores. I have been thinking about pressure canning coyote meat to feed my dogs. Opinions? Advice? Thank you.
Your dog will be just fine eating whatever you do. It won’t be science diet but he’ll do fine. They are not as meat reliant as a cat, and do better on a blended diet. They would also find anything they are missing from their diet, that’s partly why some dogs graze or eat veggies from the garden.
Good luck to you.
To support Kathysedai’s comment, dogs are not carnivores. They are omnivores. If you use too much protein for a dog, they’ll go into kidney failure. (Vets see it all the time in owners who feed cat food to their dogs.)
Also from a prepper standpoint, kibble stores really well. It’s been processed like crazy.
If you do use coyote meat, mix it nearly equal with rice and veggies.
My dogs have aIways enjoyed a mix of veggies and meats.
Check this out with your local game warden or your vet. My concern is that coyotes might have diseases that would not be killed off by cooking that could transmit to your dogs, since they’re similar genetically speaking. I don’t know this for certain, but it makes sense to me.
Has anyone else tried this?
I know meat protein is only part of the diet, and that they are omnivores, I should have clarified that in my question, apologies for the confusion I caused. I do appreciate your taking my question seriously! The plan was brown rice and veggies along with a protein. I garden and could can the veggies also. Pressure canning does take care of most safety issues, but researching for wild animal diseases will be done. I plan on stocking kibble too but have been working on decreasing preservatives and artificial man made chemicals in all my animals food. Because of covid vet office rules I haven’t been able to talk with my vet of 30 years, I’ve only seen the new vets who don’t know me, or I them. I will talk to him eventually even if I have to bother him at church. Talking to the DNR hadn’t occured to me, good idea!
Kathysedai, Megs, Clergylady and Miss Kitty: Thank you ladies for your thoughts and suggestions!
On the lessor side of having a dog, they will bark, and bark, and bark and not shut up, and will give away your position. But if your starving, I guess you could cook’em up.
Depends on how you train them. I used to train service dogs, and we were taught to use a spray bottle with 1/2 water and 1/2 vinegar. Most dogs dislike that, and when they are young and start yapping, you squirt them in the mouth with it. Don’t do it too much or your dog will never bark. I had one that didn’t bark for over a year after too much.
You are supposed to be the Master or even better, The ALPHA over your animals.
I run them, they don’t run me.
I trained and raised American Staffordshire Terrier (AKA) Pit Bulls. Never used or had to use any thing but my Voices. They have to know you are the Master or the ALPHA. When they do, You will not have any trouble.
Lisa, That is something I could never do, but hey do in Asia. I suggest you get a Chinese or Indonesian cookbook. We have had cultural issues here in the big city with recent arrivals who thought the ASPCA was a wet market.
Another stupid, invalid, unamerican comment made by an unimportant, hideous troll that probably lives under China’s bridge.. Yap yap yap yap yap….Lisa you sound worse than any dog! Does that mean someone should cook you on a spit during SHTF?
You are one of the only ones who get it. they will give away your position.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO pet / animal life is more important than a PERSON ( HUMAN BEING ) and what if you are allergic to pet hair , ie cat’s and dog’s ???????????????????????????????? and pets are not supposed to be in home’s and restaurants animals can have tick’s and fleas which carry a host of problems with them ! I have never seen a pet wipe there ass , so after they crap then you want to let them wipe there ass all over you house : wow I think not ! what if you have a baby crawling on the floor is that what you want your kid to play in and you know ever baby put stuff in there mouth like the spilled cat food I seen at my neighbors home ! Now people wonder why they are sick all the time ! I work hard and I want nice things like my new leather couch and if you think a pet or anyone with clothes full of pet hair is going to sit on it you are f –king crazy ! Oh what about their smell most pets have an Oder and let me tell you pet owners ya’ll smell just like it and it can take your breath away in a bad way ! Now I don’t wish any harm to an animal and I know people have strong feeling about them but the opposite side ( non pet owners ) we have strong feeling as well and the American Disability Association say their are million’s and million’s of American with pet allergies ! So I’ll close with this don’t force your views on me and I want force mine on ya’ll and buy that I mean keep your pets out of lowes, home depot, the grocery store’s and the restaurants where food is prepared for God’s sake I mean who wants a sub full of dog hair ??????????????? no one !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Calm down there Lil’Buddy. I doubt any animal wants to be around you or sit on your leather couch. In fact I’m sure you put a dogs hackles up. You will be the first to be attacked and left with nothing but your life if SHTF. This venue of survival may not be your tribe or people. Oh and I would probably put you in my crosshairs if the dogs needed to eat in that case so you better hide.
Good grief – who asked you? Why did you read one word past the title??
With an attitude like this, you won’t last a day if/when the SHTF…
@ Thomass
“You” are the “reason”, that I said I love animals better then people. They are more important now scenes I read your post. Thanks
Will you reply back or just here to spew your vomit like the trolls do.
I would choses any kind of animal there is, in stead of prepping with you.
Funny that you even prep at all… scared to get dirty or what.
Hey my DOG gave you thumbs down also and all the Animals give you thumbs down..
Geesh Tom, I’m surprised you didn’t throw in that pets are somehow racists too, just for good measure.
I think I’d rather have the dog than you in my home.
Thomass here is easily triggered. If you can’t deal with a tiny bit of pet hair good luck in a real shtf when you actually have to go OUTSIDE and work hard and get dirty instead of sit on a computer all day. There’s dirt, hair, pollen, mold and bugs everywhere. Good luck making it out in the real world.
Well we now know who will carry their P.E.T.A membership card with them into the end of the world. ??
Exodus: PETA: People Eating Tasty Animals. niio
My 14 pound half cheweeny pickinese has lived on the farm his entire life and if he is barking you better pay attention. He won’t be successful at attack but I also won’t get sued.
Little dogs and big guns work ?
My chi-pommie-tzu is similar 🙂 they will tell you what’s up
I have to agree with the assessment of boxers. I’ve kept them for years, and have only had one who would have been an asset. The pair I have now are noisy and big chickens. No amount of training can change them, I’m afraid. Loyal and loving, but would bark at a leaf moving across the yard. They are very warm, and keep my husband from freezing in the winter.
My bulldog was a wonderful dog, he barked at just the right time and could tell friends from foes. He lived for 10 years, very unusual for the breed . He would have been great for a shtf situation, but most are not healthy and don’t live more than 6-8 years. I just got lucky.
Whatever dog you have, if your health won’t allow you to care for them, especially in end of life, go smaller. My bulldog required lifting at the end, and I just can’t do that anymore. My next dog will be quite small, but I’ll look for a kiddo who is a good watch dog, and keep my weapons on me.
Allowing your pets to eat wild animals is a very bad proposition! Wild animals can carry any manner of diseases and parasites which you do not want to expose either yourself or your pet to.
(You need to find someone to proof read your spelling and grammatical errors before you publish your article.)
While it is true that many wild animals carry a variety of diseases that can be fatal to your pet and to you, for that matter, like so much else in a survival situation, it is a Hobson’s Choice. Your faithful companion is starving. Do you give it your food and thus hasten your own starvation? Or do you kill coyote, possum, raccoon and other varmints and after cooking them thoroughly, feed them to your pet? What about freshly dead humans? With a projected 90% die off, for a while there will be lots of freshly dead humans. None of us will have the energy to bury or otherwise dispose of piles of corpses. Do you leave them for wild animal scavengers or do you put them to good use feeding Old Fido?
Did you read One Second After? In the novel the hero kills the beloved family pet in order to give his diabetic child a little longer to live. The native americans used to keep packs of dogs around the village and in lean times, served up Fido. I am reading Max Hastings’ recount of Vietnam history from 1945 to 1975 and the VC, due to limited supplies from the north frequently had cat and dog out in the jungle — and I am sure any other creature they could capture, lizards, snakes, birds, fish everything not poisonous was fair game.
Carol: No, in the long run, fresh caught whole meat is better for the dog. If you are a responsible person, you’ll keep up to date on shots and so on. My son’s lab caught tapeworms from fleas. My dachshund had round worms when he was abandoned by his owners a week before I got him. In both cases, an old copper penny in the water for 3 days killed off the worms. For tick bites, and the dachshund was an avid hunter of mice, some zinc, which kills the viruses. Get the herbal for dogs by Juliette de Baïracli Levy. niio
A well trained dog is like a well trained gun owner. Both have a chance when the SHTF. But always remember not to be in front of the fan when it happens.
good article and informative. being an oldie, in 70s, my 2 kitties are not long for this world, and I decided I want a med size dog, that will be protective, companion, alarm, etc. but not constant bark. had a dobe when younger, loved him, have had collies/sheltie and shepherds. shepherds leave a bit to be desired, and I dont have time to train hardheaded ones. so any suggestions for an older lady?
thanks
I would recommend a Blue Heeler aka: Australian Cattle dog. They are a mid-size dog. They are very intelligent and loyal, not too hard to train as they are very smart. Very protective of their family as well. I prefer female dogs because they are not going to be peeing on everything or running off to find a girlfriend.
Blue Heeler is a definite NOT. We’ve had 3 children bitten by them by 3 different dogs all requiring stitches. They will also rid your farm of cats. This is the general assessment by other neighbors also.
My current Purebred Australian Sheppard is dumber than a box of rocks. He doesn’t know the difference between a small cat and every other small animal he kills and brings to the house. He hunts and barks all night and never barks at anybody driving in the yard. He takes affection from any stranger. He does keep wildlife out of the yard though except for multiple coyotes which chase him to the house. He is an 80 lb dog. He barks but doesn’t fight.
My next dog might be a German Sheppard???
A greyhound is a great choice for olders. They are actually couch potatoes but will enjoy a walk with you. Before dogracing lost it’s interest, it was possible to adopt them from rescues. I haven’t checked recently but it should be easy to find out if they are still around.
They are a bit taller than a miniature dog, but they really don’t weigh much
We have three dogs, a Pyrenees, and Anatolia, and a smaller solid black pit bull mix. They all use different “signals” to defend. I may use the same words, but they interpret them in their own way. They are different enough to be able to counter any human threat, and may appear to back away. They will protect the pack, including the humans they view as weaker, but they love our strokes and will lay on the pillows until bedtime. Not as ferocious as a Cane Corso, but 3 sets of barking problems that approach the situation in their breed specific way is enough.
I’ve got a Great Pyrenees who is lovable,gentle and friendly. Then a pack of coyotes came by starting to fuss around my coop. He took them all on. He got a couple of scrapes and wounds , but the coyotes have never been back. He was 6 months old.Lately, he’s taken on javelinas, they,too,run away
Thats why you train them , My german shepard and bull mastiff never bark So either you are to dumb to train your dog or you do not have a dog…
I agree. Any dog that exhibits behavior that you don’t like is poorly trained. The owner needs to take training lessons if their dog barks excessively or doesn’t housebreak or chases cars or any other desirable habit. A dog that barks incessantly most likely is bored and needs exercise and some attention.
I’ve had several German Shepherds over the years. The first one was a hard dog. Not social at all, but would defend us to the death. We had to put him in his crate when we had visitors. He would run himself ragged in circles in his crate until our guests left. My second one was a female. Very smart. High drive and social. Great dog but she has the energy of a Mali. Great protection dog. My last dog was very friendly and never barked. Very social. Not a guard dog at all. But he was huge and people would move to the other sidewalk when we went down the street. I have not gotten another dog because my husband is sick and it is hard to have time to take care of the dog now. One thing I know for sure is that it is expensive and time consuming to train a good dog. So if you don’t have that level of commitment, then don’t get a dog. My trainer warned me that some intruders will be able to shoot your dog before you are invaded. Or they can throw a poisoned steak over the wall to distract the dog to get in your property. Just something to think about and train for. I will get another dog when the time is right.
One can train a dog not to eat anything unless they get the right command. A well trained dog will not be tempted to eat that steak or even fried chicken. He will sit there patiently, licking his chops until some one says the magic word! If not, he will then lie there patiently until someone says the magic word – for hours on end if need be! It’s a life saver especially here in the big city.
My friend trains dogs for the handicapped but before that, he trained them for the military and gov agencies. He said to poison proof a dog, all you need is a few strangers, a few pieces of meat and an electric fencer. Have a total stranger in full view of the dog, set a piece of meat down that’s hooked to the fencer and then let the dog loose, and he will go to the meat and when he does, he gets zapped. Then have the dogs handler give the dog the same piece of meat. Do this several times with new strangers all the time, and the dog will quickly learn that strangers equal a zap from that meat, and his handler means he gets a snack. He said this may sound a little cruel, but seeing a dog in his death throws from poisoning is MUCH worse.
LC – The rule of thumb is “There is no such thing as bad dogs, only bad owners,”
Our golden was a great watch dog, wonderful companion, excellent swimmer and terrific bird dog. He had his rightful place in the family and he knew the pecking order. Picking the right breed for your family and then properly training him is key. Our golden was trained in obedience, field and agility. It was well worth the time, money and effort as good dogs go everywhere and they have fun too.
@ City Chick
LMAO. That was funny and I can’t stop laughing. Wet market. I can see them asking for the biggest dog for the cook out they were having.
But is so true.
I have ate both dog and cat and it was not that bad. Had some Mexicans that worked for me and they brought me some.
Thanks I needed that. Still laughing….
My favorite is the Chesapeake Bay retriever, don’t know what kind of guard dog they make but they are big, smart, and loyal w/o being dependent. The AKC for some reason has not corrupted the breed like they’ve done with most, they are nothing like an over bred slobbering slavish golden retriever.
If you live in the country you have 3 or 4 medium size dogs, they become your pack, and nobody is going to approach your house w/o you giving them the okay. Always funny to see city friends all anxious with my pack surrounding their car barking and carrying on waiting for me to come out on the porch and deliver the thumbs up.
Does anyone have an opinion on the Turkish Kangal dog?
Big dog. Very courageous. Used to guard flocks of sheep and such. Have a look in Wikipedia if you want to learn more about the breed, G. Lots of info.
Nobody has mentioned beagles here… I used to have a beagle-cairn terrier cross who was not only a great companion, but would bark at strangers and pointed game without any training. Beagles have a surprisingly deep bark for a small dog, so they sound bigger than they are, and terrier breeds were bred for pest control, but can be bossy and nippy, as well as yappy.
Perhaps your best bet for a shtf dog would be a mixed breed… If you can determine what is in there, you can get a great working dog with traits from two or more breeds, and by adopting you will help control the pet population.
Remember, adopting a pet won’t change the world, but it will change the world for that pet.
Beagles are horribly abused in laboratories testing chemicals etc. If I am ever able I will consider adopting a retired/rescued laboratory dog
My only concern about beagles is that while the ones bred for laboratory use etc in the US are very mild mannered, not too long ago across the pond they were used by the murderous brits to chase down and tear small animals apart for amusement. If a person has cats, small livestock, etc that could be a bad tendency especially if you had more than one and their pack instinct kicked in.
The same can be said for a lot of dog breeds. If you have cats, get a puppy and make sure that you train the dog to accept it as family. Same goes for pet rabbits, chickens, small children.
The only bad thing about rescue pets is that it requires a lot of patience and training to overcome abuse…some pets never get past it, and a lot of people don’t realize that. I worked with a woman who adopted a dog that came from an unknown background. She had had dogs for years, took this guy for all sorts of training and she still wound up taking him back because he attacked and bit her very badly for no reason she could figure out.
The shelter she had adopted him from was a private rescue from out of state, and had not been honest with her about his background. It really pays to do your research.
Mixed breeds are usually considered the healthiest and smartest. The purebreds it can be tricky to avoid physical and mental/behavioral heath issues, they become like royal families, this breed is prone to rage and seizures, that breed prone to jaw problems, etc.
Re: trying to get a mixed breed to get a variety of traits – I dog sat a welsh-rat terrier for around 5 yrs when her person would travel for work. She was of course a very active critter hunter and kept the squirrels etc in line, but she also had some other behaviors that weren’t as far as I know part of her breed at all, the welsh terrier is very similar to the jack russell and a couple other small farm dogs mostly used to keep vermin down and foxes and badgers etc away, from farms in Britain. Well this welsh-rat terrier somehow got birdy genes. She was so birdy it was unreal. She would point and flush without any training. She would spend hours fascinated by ducks and try to swim out to get them. She literally had some kind of bird dog genes in her. She would have been about the littlest bird dog I ever saw (pound for pound, that’s efficiency, why go bigger if you don’t need to) and not a breed known at al for that activity, the brits had whole other breeds for that purpose. I’m sure somewhere in the past there were a few little vermin control farm dogs who got to go bird hunting with their people, but it wasn’t what the breed was developed for, yet there were those instincts and natural talents as strong as if she’d been born a brittany, and she was literally just a cross of two vermin control dogs, the welsh terrier and the rat terrier.
The american beagle actually could have some traits valuable in shtf – they’re used to living in small spaces, mostly quiet, low key, etc. In a situation of opsec, tight quarters, etc they could probably be chill without going batty wanting exercise or attention constantly and not barking all the time. They’ve been bred to be forgiving and mellow. There could be times of a lot of down time when a mellow dog who is ok with being bored etc and stays right with you could be beneficial. Maybe another of your dogs could be out running the perimeter but a small house dog could be good to have with you as your alerter. A small beagle can also fit in a pet backpack in case of bug out etc or going thru dangerous terrain etc such as escaping a collapsed building. There have been many cases where someone was on a trail and their dog got too tired or injured and the dog was too big for the person to carry back down the trail and they were in trouble. A beagle or other small dog can literally go in a backpack as necessary or a saddlebag etc.They don’t have the bite power etc of a larger dog but for the purposes they do serve it’s not a bad idea to have small dogs around.
Every beagle or hound dog I have ever known barks and howls…a clear giveaway! They tap all the time and are worthless as guard dogs….watch dogs? Yes. Hunters? Yes…. Guard dogs? No….
No matter your choice in dogs, I would suggest the herbal by Juliette de Baïracli Levy. It’s still considered one of the best. She also has books out on livestock. niio
I had a Belgian Malinois, he was the best dog ever. He excelled in just about every situation.
Now I have an Anatolian Shepherd mix. He is larger and I love him to death. His characteristics are true to the breed. I view him as the ultimate SHTF dog.
He is not as vocal, but trust me, you will know if he has an issue with anything or anyone. In fact, they will too!
I think a second dog would be great. I’ve been considering it for SHTF. And a combo of an Anatolian and a Belgian Malinois would be great. In fact, maybe even adding a third dog… a second Anatolian.
I have read and heard a lot of great things about Cane Corso’s. I almost got one. But I was just driven to get an Anatolian Shepherd.
Anyway, I really enjoyed the article which is always the case.
In my opinion, the author of this article is both knowledgeable and, I must say courageous. One can only imagine what it must be like to live on a homestead in present day South Africa. The news we here hear, is not all that good for the farmers in particular Certainly one needs to take every method of self protection and preservation seriously and it is very good to learn first hand the authors honed advice on the different breeds and how the function for which they were breed is so vital to this day. I hope that there would be more articles written by this author published here in the near future.
Since I left the Marines years back, I’ve had 8 German Shepard’s, and 7 of them were everything they are known for. Smart, loyal, obedient, and good protectors. THEN I came across a unique situation and got my first Belgian Malnois.
House trained in 36 hours with a dog door to outside and the established GSD showing him the way. ABSOLUTELY REQUIRES a strong, capable, knowledgeable, smart OWNER!! Do NOT get a Belgian if you are not ALL the above. VERY strong willed dog and if you don’t lead them, they will lead YOU.
Generally speaking, as much as I loved my GSD’s, the Belgians (I’m now on my second) are smarter, faster and pound for pound are stronger. They LOVE to chew your furniture or anything else for that matter so you can’t let one of these guys stay home alone or out of their kennel for about a year! So plan on that.
My current Belgian totally “removed” the thicker variety of wood outdoor lattice, 4 x 8 sheet that covered an entrance under the pool deck. Gone. Don’t ask me how he didn’t ingest some of the staples they use in construction.
You get a Belgian, if you intend to do it right, you WILL NEED to devote quality time DAILY to the dog, and you WILL need to exercise them well at least twice a day or they go goofy. After year TWO, they get in the groove and are more settled down but their absolute requirement to run and exercise continues.
These dogs will eat an inexperienced dog owner alive, figuratively.
Proverbs 12:9
A righteous man cares for the need of his animals,
but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
Don’t lit this be you…
Ideally, several breeds are needed for different purposes. In my experience, shepherds are the smartest and best for protection. Your family becomes the flock they protect. My favorite shepherd, if size is no issue, is the large Anatolian Shepherd. Best temperament of all shepherd dogs. If size is an issue, the Australian Shepherd.
Large Breed Bouvier des Flanders should be added to this list also. Females 60-80lbs, Males 80-120. They are sometimes used as police dogs in Europe, a herding breed, Great with kids, Excellent watch/guard dogs. Can also be used to pull carts/sleds. They are a double coated breed that doesn’t shed heavily and are often better tolerated by people with allergies to dogs. Cons: They generally don’t like cats and other small animals unless raised with them. You have to brush and clip their coats like you would a poodle or they will matt. Can’t let them run loose during bear hunting season as they look like bears from behind and could be mistaken for a bear and shot.
Question: Once you run out of raiders, how will you feed them? 🙂 niio
Mountain Feist and Blackmouth Cur are the best overall to me as they are quiet, obedient, extremely smart, are protective, excellent hunters and vermin destroyers, and make noise only appropriately when needed, low maintenance, and are also sociable and companionable, as well as good guard dogs.
It depends on your needs and what you have the dogs for, so think about how you plan to use the dogs and what purposes you need them for, be honest about ALL the dog type’s traits/abilities/requirements, as well as being honest about your ability to train, control, and care for these dogs. Don’t fall in love with a breed or dog type you can’t handle or maintain, or that can’t perform the task you want them to do, that is so unfair to the animal.
I also think Chessies, Standard Poodles, and Airdales are good for a lot of people and their needs. The latter two require a lot of grooming that I’m not interested in doing so they aren’t for me.
Standard Poodles were dual purpose, for hunting and to produce wool. I can see having them if someone is interested in sheering them for that reason. As I live in Arizona, most breeds are out. niio
Well written – thank you!
I have 2 dogs (Shepard & Rotti) who are formally trained as am I for SHTF reasons. I bought them when the 16 & 20 weeks old, now 2 1/2 years old. Raised them together but each has their own special way of dealing with things but work together very well. They never stop impressing me. They love to play with other animals and children. Both are sociable and don’t attack or bite without my command. I (and another family mbr) can use hand signals or verbal commands. They have proven their worth already and are a major part of the family unit, Some dog’s act like they will protect but when put to the test they back away / out of arm distance from an intruder or even run away to another room & hide. Some will only bark and keep an eye on the intruder allowing them to continue to steel your possessions, Be sure to test your dog’s reaction to a stranger walking in to your home. Also get them use to the sound of guns firing. If your dog hides during 4th of July firework it is useless when the bullets start flying. The key to it all is TRAINING and practice the training – I do some type of training daily not always attack or just watch / watch & bark (yes,different). Make sure they DO NOT take food from strangers, it’s very very important. My dogs will not take commands from others they ALWAYS look to me for permission when an outsider tries to give a command before they will do it. I CAN NOT STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING ENOUGH WITH YOU AS THE DOMINANT PACK LEADER!!! ALL dogs WILL test you – be prepared to take them down quickly & fearlessly that way they don’t get froggy again especially the large aggressive breeds. Remember to stock pile their food along with the rest of your prepping.
Everyone has been making great point here. – Thanks all – Where we go 1 we go all.