Dogs were among the first animals tamed by humans thousands of years ago. They’re loyal and reliable companions, willing to risk their lives to protect their owners. They’re also extremely useful for hunting and foraging, making them the perfect sidekicks in a survival situation.
However, despite their many uses, dogs are high-maintenance pets that come in many shapes and sizes. Some are more competent than others. Here’s all the details survivalists should know before adopting a dog.
Best Dog Breeds for Survivalists
Your dog’s breed will largely determine its usefulness in a survival situation. For example, a chihuahua or Yorkshire terrier won’t do you much good. They’re small, weak and don’t have the same athletic capabilities as other dogs. These breeds are the most capable of protecting your family and helping with other survival tasks.
1. German Shepherd
The German shepherd is the most popular dog breed for military and police K-9 units. They’re large and strong enough to take down a human weighing up to 100 pounds. They’re also loyal and obsessively protective of their owners. They don’t trust strangers and tend to be hyperactive, but these weaknesses become strengths in a survival situation.
2. Doberman Pinscher
The Doberman is another fantastic guard dog, showing a natural ability to sense danger with minimal training. However, they’re not paranoid like other guard dogs. They’re indifferent to strangers as long as their owners are safe. They’re also extremely intelligent and athletic, as they can learn new commands quickly and perform them into old age.
3. Akita
The Akita was the traditional guard dog for Japanese royalty, and it’s easy to see why. They take protecting their owners more seriously than any other breed, sometimes to a fault. Their bravery often gets in the way of their obedience, and they can become aggressive toward strangers. However, with proper training and socialization, Akitas have the highest potential as guard dogs.
4. Belgian Malinois
The Belgian Malinois rivals the Doberman in athleticism and has a similar temperament to the German shepherd. They have high energy levels and are eager to please, but these feelings can boil over into restlessness without proper stimulation. This personality makes them ideal for high-stress, physically demanding situations.
5. Bull Mastiff
The bull mastiff was originally bred by hunters to protect their game from other predators. As such, these dogs are big, intimidating and ferocious when provoked. However, they’re huge love bugs around their owners and have no trouble making friends with other dogs. It largely falls on the owner to help them determine friend from foe, so a structured training program is essential.
6. American Foxhound
The American foxhound is a great choice if you’re looking for something smaller. These dogs are fighters regardless of their size. Their original purpose was to hunt small game, but they’re more than capable of tracking any prey the owner identifies. They also have amazing endurance and can stay on the hunt all day without tiring.
7. Australian Shepherd
The Australian shepherd is the ideal homestead dog. They’re a little undersized for guard duty, but they can keep away most farm predators. They’re also one of the smartest dog breeds on earth. They can hunt, forage, herd cattle and learn new commands easily. Their only weakness is their friendly nature, which could work against you in a survival situation.
How to Train a Dog for Survival
Dogs can learn many advanced skills with enough time, practice and treats. To prepare your canine companion for a SHTF scenario, you should prioritize these tasks and commands above all else.
1. Stop, Sit and Come
Teaching your dog how to stop, sit and come to you on command is essential for any owner, but these tricks become more important in high-stakes situations. You must be able to control your dog’s movements to prevent them from endangering themselves or others. Fortunately, these commands are easy to teach with the help of some positive reinforcement.
2. Bark and Quiet
Controlling your dog’s noise is another nonnegotiable part of training. However, unlike the aforementioned tricks, these commands will require negative reinforcement. Barking is the main way dogs express their emotions. You must force this behavior out of them and teach them to control their impulse to bark. Silence is one of your greatest assets in a survival situation.
3. Carrying Gear
Dogs aren’t meant to be pack animals, but you can teach them to carry a small percentage of their weight. With enough training, you can even turn your pet into a carrier dog who hauls messages and essential supplies around your property. Getting them to wear a protective vest would be another huge advantage.
4. Tracking Animals
Dogs have no problem tracking animals thanks to their acute sense of smell. Once you put them on the scent, they won’t lose it. This skill makes hunting and foraging for food much easier. Your dog will give you a clear path, sometimes even trapping the animal in a tree or leading you straight to its den.
5. Keeping Watch
Dogs are naturally protective of their territory — just ask any mail carrier or delivery driver — but this instinct can work against you without training. If your dog barks at any stranger that passes by, you can’t take its calls seriously. Teaching your dog to stay alert and discern between friend and foe will be one of the hardest parts of training it for survival.
6. Protecting Livestock
Most untrained dogs are skittish around other animals, especially large ones like cows and horses. If you intend to start a homestead, you must condition your dog to accept the livestock. Familiarize the dog with grazing grounds and sleeping areas so it can get used to the smell. Introduce each animal to the dog one by one to avoid overstimulation.
7. Search and Rescue
Dogs are ideal search and rescue animals, but these situations often go on for days and extend for miles. You must train your dog to have exceptional endurance and knowledge of the surrounding environment. Take it on challenging hikes through different types of terrain. Improve their memorization skills by starting on short trails first and slowly increasing the distance.
How Much Food Does a Dog Need?
Dogs are valuable companions, but they’re also expensive. Having a dog means you spend more money on food, water, toys and veterinary care. Your supply bunker will also have less available space. These sacrifices are unavoidable if you want to adopt a dog for survival purposes.
The dog breeds discussed weigh between 40 and 100 pounds in adulthood. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, these are the average daily caloric requirements for active dogs of each size:
- 50 pounds: 902 calories, 2¼ cups
- 60 pounds: 1,066 calories, 2½ cups
- 70 pounds: 1,229 calories, 3 cups
- 80 pounds: 1,393 calories, 3½ cups
- 90 pounds: 1,557 calories, 3¾ cups
- 100 pounds: 1,720 calories, 4 cups
It’s also worth noting that unneutered male dogs have slightly higher caloric needs than females and neutered males. To ensure that you’re meeting your dog’s nutritional needs, make sure its diet consists of all three food categories:
- Kibble: Dry food will make up most of your dog’s diet. Buy it in bulk and store it in a cool, dry place. Add some oxygen absorbers to the bags to keep the food fresh and prevent infestations.
- Canned food: Wet food will give your dog’s diet some variety. It has a long shelf life, so it’ll make a valuable addition to your food stockpile.
- Treats: Treats will assist you during training and keep your dog calm in stressful situations.
Large dog breeds will probably make a mess when eating and drinking. Spare yourself from the cleanup and feed them on your deck or porch so they don’t ruin your floors.
Dog Food Alternatives
You might have to share your food supply with your dog when things get scarce in a survival situation. It’s usually obvious when dog food has gone bad. Keep a close eye out for these signs of spoiling:
- Rancid smell
- Discoloration
- Excessive moisture
- Signs of larvae infestation
- Broken seal and other signs of damaged packaging
Your dog’s reaction to the food will also clearly indicate its quality. Any time a dog refuses food, you can be sure there’s something wrong with it. If your dog food supply runs out, these human food items are safe alternatives:
- Carrots
- Peas
- Cheese
- Pumpkin
- Sweet potatoes
- Dried beans
- Green beans
- Meat of any kind
On the flip side, these human foods can be harmful to dogs:
- Milk
- Chocolate
- Avocado
- Citrus
- Coconuts
- Grapes
- Onions
- Nuts
Dogs will eat almost anything you put in front of them, including these no-no foods. They don’t know what’s good for them. You must keep a responsible feeding schedule to ensure your dog’s long-term health. Don’t let the begging fool you.
Dog First-Aid
If you intend to use your dog for hunting or protection purposes, there’s a strong chance it will suffer an injury at some point. Here are some common canine health emergencies that you should know how to treat in a pinch:
- Heatstroke: Dogs suffering from heat-related ailments will display bright red gums, excessive panting, increased salivation and a frightened expression. You need to rehydrate it, move it to a shaded area, and apply ice packs to the head and neck area.
- Choking: Hold the dog’s mouth open and try to remove the object with your fingers. If this tactic fails, perform the Heimlich maneuver and squeeze under the ribcage.
- Lacerations: Clean the wound with water and antiseptic, then cover it with a bandage. Use a tourniquet for more serious injuries and apply as much pressure as possible to stop the bleeding. You might have to make your dog wear a cone until the sore is fully healed to prevent it from scratching.
- Broken bones: Apply a rudimentary splint to the broken limb until you can get professional aid. You might be tempted to use painkillers to ease your dog’s pain, but this is a bad idea. Never guestimate the dose of any drug.
- Shock: Dogs in a state of trauma-induced shock will display white gums, rapid breathing and weak hind legs. Lie the dog on its side and wrap it in a blanket. Do your best to calm it down and distract it from the injury. If it stops breathing, perform CPR.
Make sure your first-aid kit has extra supplies for your dog. Bring a portable version with you on all hikes, hunting trips and training exercises.
Points to Remember When Adopting a Dog
Adoption is usually the more ethical choice when getting a dog, but not always. Make sure you’re looking at respected shelters with a history of fostering healthy animals. Keep these points in mind to ensure you choose the right dog.
1. Rescues Can Come With Baggage
Shelter animals often come with unique behavioral issues from the traumas of their previous owners. Separation anxiety, resource guarding and bathroom troubles are some common examples. Rescues also tend to have more health issues due to malnutrition and physical abuse. The pup might be cute and friendly, but these problems would be detrimental in a survival situation.
2. Dogs Are Expensive Commitments
Regardless of how you acquire the dog, it will be an expensive commitment. The costs can exceed $150 per month if you don’t watch your spending habits. Ensure you have enough financial wiggle room for these expenses:
- Adoption fee
- Neutering procedure
- Food
- Vet visits
- Prescription medication
- Extra cleaning supplies
- Collars, leashes, grooming products and other miscellaneous items
These expenses don’t include any optional or unpredictable costs, such as training classes or house damage. Dogs aren’t quite as expensive as children, but sometimes they will feel like it.
3. Train Them as Much as Possible
Physical activity is the key to a dog’s happiness and health. Your dog should spend most of its time outdoors instead of being cooped up inside. It also needs sufficient mental and social stimulation through interacting with humans, playing with other dogs and solving puzzles.
Your family can either train the dog yourselves or send it to a school. In either case, training is a lifelong endeavor. It doesn’t stop after the dog learns basic tricks and knows to use the bathroom outside. They should always have something new to learn.
Find Your New Best Friend
Dogs have earned the title of “man’s best friend” many times over. They’ve helped humans build civilizations from day one. You will have to adjust your daily routine to meet your dog’s physical and emotional needs, but it’ll be worth it. Your dog will be an invaluable survival asset and a loving companion.
[Note: This was a guest post.]
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