In a sit-x situation where you are forced to live off the land and safeguard your home/property/family what breed of dog would best earn his keep and serve the most useful purpose? I know some will be quick to point out that a dog would be another mouth to feed, but I tend to believe that a good, well trained dog could be a huge asset to a human trying to survive in the wilds.

So, if hypothetically you have to pick one dog for the long haul, what type would you select and also why do you feel your choice would be most sensible? In this scenario I would have to lean towards a healthy German Shepherd male. They are incredibly loyal, they have excellent tracking senses and their reasoning ability is said to rival that of an eight year old human child. Imposing and great for defense, extremely territorial and able to be used as a hunter and a defender. They are also a large breed and they have longer coats than average which is a great source of warmth for the dog, and possibly you as well.

Also they are just plain fun to have around and would certainly be a boost for morale


What breed would be the best option in a survival situation? And what are the real pro's v/s cons of having a K9 in your camp?

I would agree with you that both German Shepards and Malinois are both very intelligent animals and would provide warmth...

Personally I prefer my Bull Mastiff, I would not say he is as smart , which might work to his advantage under certian circumstances...he ran up on a sea lion once ready to go at it...till Mr sea lion said uh-uh ( I live in NZ)...one thing though, he is loyal as hell!...and he lets no one near my sons...he's not a violent dog by any stretch of the imagination..most people freak when you say Mastiff...they are mis-understood

I guess for sheer bravery, I would put him up there at the top...brains not so much..

HUSKY....it's the perfect machine...

- smart dog
- can survive & thrive in any climate (can set up camp anywhere)
- great hunter/scavenger (will find and kill food for you, or atleast help, and itself)
- endurance (by nature can last without food for a time and also workable)
- protective of owners (will fight for you if confronted by wild animals or persons wondering into camp)
- keen (will sence/see intruders long before you or i, and let you know about it)
- warmth (if in a cold climate can be used as cuddle buddy)
ETC...

I just think overall its the best breed for situation X out there!

As for my thoughts on having a dog....definitly a good idea. If your not alone and with other people then the dog still comes in very handy but not as much if you were alone with a K9. If alone the morale boost is huge. Survival is 95% mental, and if you have someone/something to keep you happy or your mind off of DEATH, you can last a long time. As funny a thought as it was...the volleyball in Cast Away (tom hanks) is kind of example of keeping the mind occupied. It goes a long long way!!!


[edit on 5/8/07 by shadow_soldier1975]

I definitely agree that a dog can be a great survival asset. They can sense things we cant, and a companion like a dog will always be a shoulder to cry on, which may well be needed if your in that situation in the first place. It needs to be kind of a sport dog though, a mini poodle would be the last thing to carry around when trying to survive.

I also agree with Shadow Soldier. We should be choosing the dog most similar to a wolf, because a wolf would have all the desirable traits of a survival dog.

Huskies are pretty close if you ask me. Dog sledding: These are the dogs that endure harsh winter climates while pulling cargo and a man on a sled over vast distances. They are smart and intuitive, and well all the reasons stated above.
I'm not sure if they are swimmers though...

Perhaps the type of dog you need depends more on where you are trying to survive. I don't think many dogs would do well in a harsh desert. You might be in a situation where you are required to swim a lot, in which case you would want a lab. Various herding dogs could be extremely useful as well.

Overall many of the sporty dogs can be trained to be very valuable in most survival situations, but the key word is training. The better you train dog and the better you treat your dog, the better your dog will be when your life is on the line.

This is actually a pretty good question. I would argue against a Husky, though they generally have a strong prey drive, this breed of dog is actually very gentle and friendly. They are known to not make good watch dogs.

The Belgian Malinois would be an excellent choice. Much better than a German Sheppard due to the fact that this breed has not suffered from over breeding. They are intelligent dogs, protective, and have much the same positive charateristics as the German Sheppard.

The German Sheppard is a solid choice, but they lose points because if poorly bred or poorly trained they can become fearful or overly aggressive or both.

My personal choice? I like the Malinois but I also really like the Canaan Dog. This dog is a known survivor and can very easily live on it's own with no help at all. Some of these dogs can be found in Israel and parts of the middle east running wild to this day. They are very independent dogs, who are also very intelligent and very quick to learn. They are cautious with strangers and make great watchdogs cause they will bark at any little disturbance. They are also known to be very territorial.

VIP they can swim, IF they have to. Their kinda like us guys when the old lady says go mow the lawn...we really don't want too, no desire too, but inside we know it's gotta be done...sooo, after a little whining and moping, we do it...

But once they need to, or decide they don't mind it, I have seen them swim very well...

as for the gentle comment...yes they are when raised that way...if raised as a hunter/protection dog, they are NOT a dog you would wanna toy with...

[edit on 5/8/07 by shadow_soldier1975]

hmmm interesting well it depends on the conditions and i would never settle for all dog breeds....cold or mountain husky/timber wolf........hot rotwieller/jackel......grassy like forest or marsh dobermen/hyena....and never just the wild dogs the hybrids provide the loyalty breed through years and the survival of a wild animal.....but those are with infinite choices but the one dog i would take anywhere would be a husky/wolf hybrid......not german shepard ever

oh and just to touch base with the canaan dog they get tired of doing things......like fetch crossing rivers waiting for you they wander off and will never come back eventually.....i know this from experience......ha hah....pooor opriah

My main reason for the Shepherd would be the sheer intelligence and trainability. Times that by the fact that they are excellent in a fight and could be used as a true guard/attack dog where Huskies tend to not carry that role well. Plus if you have a Husky, their coat and depth of cover could pose poorly for them if in a warmer climate.

I feel like a Shepherd would make an excellent jack of all trades. They are also good sized animals, but not large to the point of being clumsy or having poor maneuverability. Also, I believe that a Shep would all but feel himself helping to ease the demand on gathered food.

Originally posted by section8citizen
They are cautious with strangers and make great watchdogs cause they will bark at any little disturbance.

Just what you don’t want, a barking dog. Not only does this alert others that there may be a human nearby to take advantage of, but it may also be a diner bell to starving humans who have taken a liking to Fido meat.

Also, remember that in a SHTF scenario, large packs of dogs will probably be the norm, and your dog will only bring them to you with his barking and scent. Then you can die trying to protect your watch dog.

On the flip side, your dog may become a food source if need be. Get hungry enough and you will eat anything...

I would suggest a Basenji or anti-bark collars with extra batteries. The extra battery thing is important, because once he starts barking at every passing leaf he must become dinner if you want to stay alive.

I would not say he is as smart , which might work to his advantage under certian circumstances...he ran up on a sea lion once ready to go at it...till Mr sea lion said uh-uh

HAHA...that almost sounds like a fair fight!!

Man you just have to love a Mastiff...those dogs are just plain magnificent. Only problems come when you and that big smelly beast are fighting over space/bedding, like a hard rain storm...lol. Great breed of dog, no question.

One big problem that I see is any dog that would be good for survival would probably not make the best house pet, and vice versa. After you train your dog to kill and eat animals, I don't know how comfortable you'd be putting it around your kids. And house dogs probably wouldn't be of much use in a survival situation, except that a dog may intimidate someone (although not so much if they're holding a gun anyway.) I suppose a hunting dog would be the best of both worlds.

On one hand they are just another mouth to feed, but they are also quite a large food source themselves. I am fairly sure I would be willing to eat a dog in a survival situation, but I'm not sure how many others feel about that. I guess you could feed them food scraps, although I'm not sure if such a thing exists in survival situations either. If they're starving, you are probably starving as well. You only really need to keep them alive to the point you are willing to kill "man's best friend", your family pet, and eat it. That could be somewhat emotional.

For intimidation/personal defense, survival, and hunting purposes, I think I would go with a Rottweiler. I don't know if I'd want a dog with aggressive tendencies for a pet day-to-day though.

What about a Wolf?

You'd all be better off with a poodle. One of the most intelligent dog breeds ever. They make excellent watch-dogs, they're obedient, they'll herd your sheep, bring back your dinner, and they'll even swim for it.

Originally posted by shadow_soldier1975
HUSKY....it's the perfect machine...

- smart dog
- can survive & thrive in any climate (can set up camp anywhere)
- great hunter/scavenger (will find and kill food for you, or atleast help, and itself)
- endurance (by nature can last without food for a time and also workable)
- protective of owners (will fight for you if confronted by wild animals or persons wondering into camp)
- keen (will sence/see intruders long before you or i, and let you know about it)
- warmth (if in a cold climate can be used as cuddle buddy)
ETC...

To add to that, they do not bark a lot.
Siberian Huskies (vs Alaskan Husky which are bigger animals with much bigger appetites) are VERY fuel efficient. Mine often doesn't need to eat everyday, a plus in lean times. They eat when hungry, not just when they see food.

My black pug. She's a killing machine, and immortal.

Kidding of course, she probably wouldn't be that helpful in me surviving - except for the fact that she keeps me sane.

In a critical situation I would have to choose a large dog like a Mastiff.

As a man who spends a significant amount of time in the mountains, I can tell you that my dog is of the most important pieces of "equipment" I have. He's an Alaskan Malamute. While he shares many common attributes with the aforementioned Husky, Malamutes are significantly larger dogs, capable of carrying much more weight, over much longer distances. This comes at a cost of speed. A Malamute will never be as fast as a Husky, but can haul heavy loads over incredible distances.

Which breed of dog would be best is relative to the environment. Up here in the Rockies, a Malamute, Husky, Samoyed, etc. would all do well, but none would last long if you were surviving in a jungle or desert environment.

It would be good to have a dog around. They would keep everyone happy and wouldn't be too much hassle as they would get used to having to forage for food on occasions.

I would personally go for a mongrel with a bit of alsachein in it. Mongreals have the best well rounded character, and the alchsein side will give it some aggresion when the owner is needed.

If you're trying to survive (and I want to know where.. Canada, Alaska, Chicago, the Outback?) why do you want a large dog? They eat a lot, can't catch any food cause they're too clumsy so you hunt for yourself and your dog! What dog can catch food for you anyway except maybe a wolf and the wolf isnt going to share its meals. About all a dog is good for is to find and point out, flush out game animals. You better be prepare to shoot them. How good a shot are you? Been practicing lately? At your keyboard? Most people couldn't hit anything if they HAD a gun. Myself included on bad days other days, maybe! May I suggest a medium sized dog that you have trained and you know well? Any breed just a good proven medium sized dog.

The best dog I've owned and would recommend would be the mutt. Get a decent sized animal with an even temperament and you've got a winner. They are smart, loyal and protective. Due to inbreeding of the pedigree's the mutt has the most potential to be well rounded and intelligent of all the other breeds out there.

I guess it boils down to personal preference and the location you plan on being stranded in. In over all versatility the mutt is the way I'd have to go. I only hope I don't find myself in a position to have to find out for myself. BTW the German Shepard has the highest record of biting and turning on its owner. The mastiff has been in the news for killing a woman in an apartment building. I wouldn't feel comfortable having ether one of those breeds. The husky is another temperamental beast known to bite people. As far as hybrids, those scare the hell out of me. A friend of mine had one and it was ferocious along as being one of the biggest dam dogs ive ever seen.