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What's a good survival dog??
- Thread starter EDGE!
- Start date
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- Nov 10, 1999
- Messages
- 132
I think I'd like something with plenty of meat on it, say a Mastiff or even a Newfoundland, which also has a lovely warm coat that I could wear afterwards!
Seriously I'd probably like a long dog such as a sheepdog greyhound lurcher, sized to suit the game wherever I found myself, i.e. big enough to take deer if they were available.
Iain
Seriously I'd probably like a long dog such as a sheepdog greyhound lurcher, sized to suit the game wherever I found myself, i.e. big enough to take deer if they were available.
Iain
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2000
- Messages
- 3,221
Yup, Siberian Husky all the way. There is absolutely no more intelligent dog, outside purebred wolves (wolf-dog mixes should be avoided, as they are often unpredictable). There are smarter dogs (more able to take training, and follow it blindly), but if you're looking for a dog that can think for itself, get a husky.
--JB
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e_utopia@hotmail.com
--JB
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e_utopia@hotmail.com
My dream dog would be a German Shepherd/Black Labrador cross! You've got intelligence, strength, size, and loyalty all in one!
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Plainsman
primitiveguy@hotmail.com
<A HREF="http://pub7.ezboard.com/bplainsmanscabin.html" TARGET=_blank>
Plainsman's Cabin Forums</A>
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Plainsman
primitiveguy@hotmail.com
<A HREF="http://pub7.ezboard.com/bplainsmanscabin.html" TARGET=_blank>
Plainsman's Cabin Forums</A>
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All Beef Oscar Meyer or Bryan
Mastiff, Newfoundland, Malamute, Siberian Husky, German Shepherd...
All of these breeds are SUITABLE for the purpose in question, and I mean no disrespect to any of these breeds. However, I humbly submit to you gentlemen that I believe I have discovered (for myself) the hands-down ULTIMATE K9 survival companion. I do not have one yet as it is such an uncommon breed that I have been trying to track down a breeder within my driving distance for about 2 years now to no avail. I do not mean to cause suspense, but I want to sift through the hype on the internet and present the info & best pics of this breed to you here before I give you the name without offering anything else. So stand by, and in the meantime, keep posting your favorite survival breeds. I'll bet you can't top this one, and I'll be darn surprised if anyone has even heard of it, let alone own one.
Stay tuned...
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"President Clinton learned there were 100,000 cattle guards in Colorado. Since Clinton was so upset with ranchers' protests over his grazing policies, he told U.S. Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt to fire half the cattle guards immediately. Before Babbitt could proceed with the President's wishes, Colorado representative Pat Schroeder intervened with a request that before any were fired, they would be given six months of retraining."
-- October 26, 1994, Newcastle Reporter January 1995, New Mexico Stockman
Magazine
[This message has been edited by X-Head (edited 09-15-2000).]
All of these breeds are SUITABLE for the purpose in question, and I mean no disrespect to any of these breeds. However, I humbly submit to you gentlemen that I believe I have discovered (for myself) the hands-down ULTIMATE K9 survival companion. I do not have one yet as it is such an uncommon breed that I have been trying to track down a breeder within my driving distance for about 2 years now to no avail. I do not mean to cause suspense, but I want to sift through the hype on the internet and present the info & best pics of this breed to you here before I give you the name without offering anything else. So stand by, and in the meantime, keep posting your favorite survival breeds. I'll bet you can't top this one, and I'll be darn surprised if anyone has even heard of it, let alone own one.
Stay tuned...
------------------
"President Clinton learned there were 100,000 cattle guards in Colorado. Since Clinton was so upset with ranchers' protests over his grazing policies, he told U.S. Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt to fire half the cattle guards immediately. Before Babbitt could proceed with the President's wishes, Colorado representative Pat Schroeder intervened with a request that before any were fired, they would be given six months of retraining."
-- October 26, 1994, Newcastle Reporter January 1995, New Mexico Stockman
Magazine
[This message has been edited by X-Head (edited 09-15-2000).]
I love my boxer dog, but she loves me at least twice as much! It is something with the "personality" of boxer dogs and the way they "communicate" with people that I think would make them the ideal companion for any difficult situation.
The boxer is a dog that can distinguish between a funny and a serious situation, and while it mayact like a rascal sometimes, it will NEVER let you down in a serious situation.
Costas
P.S. I'm getting married on Sunday, so I do not have any kids of my own yet. People say that when I do, I will think of them like the brightest and the most beautiful kids of the world. This is supposed to be normal. For the time being, I feel the same way for my dog, if that's an indication!
The boxer is a dog that can distinguish between a funny and a serious situation, and while it mayact like a rascal sometimes, it will NEVER let you down in a serious situation.
Costas
P.S. I'm getting married on Sunday, so I do not have any kids of my own yet. People say that when I do, I will think of them like the brightest and the most beautiful kids of the world. This is supposed to be normal. For the time being, I feel the same way for my dog, if that's an indication!
not2sharp
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 1999
- Messages
- 20,435
I'll have to go with a PUG.
Small, dumb, fat, with little endurance, poor senses, and no means of defense.
* reference: Bandit - of johnny Quest fame
Like a miner's canary, as long as you can keep one of these alive in the sticks, you are perfectly safe.
Small, dumb, fat, with little endurance, poor senses, and no means of defense.
* reference: Bandit - of johnny Quest fame
Like a miner's canary, as long as you can keep one of these alive in the sticks, you are perfectly safe.
I've leaned toward Airedales, for the last 25 years. Medium big (70-85lbs), very smart, very loyal, strong...
I've had three, and I like unneutered males best. They're a bit.... "LIVELY" when young
, and they love to lick their owner..., but they're very *good* dogs.
I've had three, and I like unneutered males best. They're a bit.... "LIVELY" when young
As I would have to agree with e_utopia on the Siberian Husky's ability to "think for itself", my experience is that they tend to RUN - If I was out in the wild with my Siberian, and he wasn't leashed, I am sure he would be off "thinking for himself" 20 miles away in no time flat. My dog is, in fact, intellegent but self absorbed. I'm sure he would find civilization or at least the nearest home with a dog right away, and promptly forget the owner he left to rot in the woods - at least until lunch time.
I used to have a St. Bernard - now that was a loyal dog, and way too fat and slow to outrun me...
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I used to have a St. Bernard - now that was a loyal dog, and way too fat and slow to outrun me...
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- Joined
- Feb 7, 2000
- Messages
- 3,221
BladeGal, training from a very early age is key with Huskies. We regularly let ours loose, and they will stay within a reasonable distance. Not following right at your heels (although I have seen some which would respond to the 'heel' command), but never straying too far. Remember, Huskies are as close to a wolf as any purebred dog, so they have a natural instinct to stay with the pack. The key is to teach them from very early that your family is their pack.
Another random thing to note is that, in a group of dogs, Huskies will tend to seek each other out and form a sort of pack, even if they have never met before. We often let ours loose on a beach near us where many poeple walk their dogs, and occasionally there will be other Huskies around. They all form a group and start playfully 'hunting' the other dogs - just like wolves on nature documentaries do.
Other things to note, with regards to survivial:
Huskies are the strongest dog, for their weight.
Huskies are one of very few, if not the only, dogs with completely fur-lined bodies (most dogs have exposed abdomens), and I've seen Huskies swimming in the ocean in the middle of winter, in Maine, then get out and never have any problems with hypothermia.
If you're really into long-term survival, Husky down can be spun and woven, like wool, and is incredibly warm.
Huskies are incredibly intuitive in picking up new language, both verbal and body. We constantly have to invent new ways of speaking when we do not want the dogs to know what we are talking about (words like 'beach' and 'ride' tend to make them get excited).
Random facts:
Huskies from the same litter tend to recognise each other even after long separation.
Huskies reach full-size in approximately 6 months.
Huskies, no matter what their age, always remain puppies at heart.
Due to their closeness to wolves, and the resulting strong sense of family Huskies have, they will become part of your family (we hire a house-sitter to watch the dog when we leave for anything more than the day, as Huskies hate being alone).
Husky owners, like new parents, do very strange things; some friends of ours bought a German Shepard to protect their Husky, as they were afraid that someone might try to steal it (of course, as luck would have it, the Husky actually ends up protecting the Shepard, due to their respective personalities).
That's all for now; my hands are tired.
--JB
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e_utopia@hotmail.com
Another random thing to note is that, in a group of dogs, Huskies will tend to seek each other out and form a sort of pack, even if they have never met before. We often let ours loose on a beach near us where many poeple walk their dogs, and occasionally there will be other Huskies around. They all form a group and start playfully 'hunting' the other dogs - just like wolves on nature documentaries do.
Other things to note, with regards to survivial:
Huskies are the strongest dog, for their weight.
Huskies are one of very few, if not the only, dogs with completely fur-lined bodies (most dogs have exposed abdomens), and I've seen Huskies swimming in the ocean in the middle of winter, in Maine, then get out and never have any problems with hypothermia.
If you're really into long-term survival, Husky down can be spun and woven, like wool, and is incredibly warm.
Huskies are incredibly intuitive in picking up new language, both verbal and body. We constantly have to invent new ways of speaking when we do not want the dogs to know what we are talking about (words like 'beach' and 'ride' tend to make them get excited).
Random facts:
Huskies from the same litter tend to recognise each other even after long separation.
Huskies reach full-size in approximately 6 months.
Huskies, no matter what their age, always remain puppies at heart.
Due to their closeness to wolves, and the resulting strong sense of family Huskies have, they will become part of your family (we hire a house-sitter to watch the dog when we leave for anything more than the day, as Huskies hate being alone).
Husky owners, like new parents, do very strange things; some friends of ours bought a German Shepard to protect their Husky, as they were afraid that someone might try to steal it (of course, as luck would have it, the Husky actually ends up protecting the Shepard, due to their respective personalities).
That's all for now; my hands are tired.
--JB
------------------
e_utopia@hotmail.com
OK, here's my presentation for your entertainment. I've put together some info on X-Head's Ultimate K9 Survival Companion
Anyone? Anyone? Buhler?
the Fila Brasileiro.
Basic introduction: http://www.petsupport.com/DOGS/ALL/filabrasileiro.html http://www.filadogs.com/pages/view/index.nhtml
Breed profile: http://puppyshop.com/caninebreeds/fila.htm
History/origins of the breed: http://w3.one.net/~bettis/fila/breed/history.htm
Various colors: http://campingfilas.com/colors.html http://www.dt.fee.unicamp.br/~amaury/variets.html
Characteristic temperament (translated, so somewhat awkward but understandable): http://www.ctv.es/cema/acaboclado/temperamento_i.htm
Versatility of the Fila breed (here's what makes the Fila such a huge asset in a survival situation & sets it apart from all the other breeds. What other breed is this versatile?): http://campingfilas.com/versatility.html
THE service dog of the Brazilian Army K9: http://www.dt.fee.unicamp.br/~amaury/army.html
The Fila's herding ability: http://www.dt.fee.unicamp.br/~amaury/cattle.html , http://www.fila.org/gabrielfila.htm
Fila as a guard dog & Schutzhund training: http://www.fila.org/page16.htm , http://www.fila.org/page15.htm , http://www.fila.org/hammerl.htm
Bear & Boar hunting with a Fila: http://www.fila.org/page10.htm , http://www.pageweb.com/filatalk/page2.html , http://www.fila.org/joa.htm
Some good Fila pics: http://www.dt.fee.unicamp.br/~amaury/filapic.html
Philo do Camping (one HUGE dog!): http://www.li.net/~semencic/fila.htm
Gabriel, 215lbs: http://www.fila.org/index1.htm
Bianca, 180lbs: http://www.fila.org/page18.htm
Fila stories from owners: http://www.pageweb.com/filatalk/page7.html http://www.fila.org/page8.htm http://www.fila.org/gabrielfila.htm http://www.fila.org/page1.htm http://www.fila.org/day.htm
Links to individual Filas: http://www.fila.org/
Just as an aside, I have an American Survival Guide issue with a Fila article (that's how I discovered them) in which the kennel the author had visited had a few males over 200lbs.
TMI? You bet.
[This message has been edited by X-Head (edited 09-16-2000).]
the Fila Brasileiro.
Basic introduction: http://www.petsupport.com/DOGS/ALL/filabrasileiro.html http://www.filadogs.com/pages/view/index.nhtml
Breed profile: http://puppyshop.com/caninebreeds/fila.htm
History/origins of the breed: http://w3.one.net/~bettis/fila/breed/history.htm
Various colors: http://campingfilas.com/colors.html http://www.dt.fee.unicamp.br/~amaury/variets.html
Characteristic temperament (translated, so somewhat awkward but understandable): http://www.ctv.es/cema/acaboclado/temperamento_i.htm
Versatility of the Fila breed (here's what makes the Fila such a huge asset in a survival situation & sets it apart from all the other breeds. What other breed is this versatile?): http://campingfilas.com/versatility.html
THE service dog of the Brazilian Army K9: http://www.dt.fee.unicamp.br/~amaury/army.html
The Fila's herding ability: http://www.dt.fee.unicamp.br/~amaury/cattle.html , http://www.fila.org/gabrielfila.htm
Fila as a guard dog & Schutzhund training: http://www.fila.org/page16.htm , http://www.fila.org/page15.htm , http://www.fila.org/hammerl.htm
Bear & Boar hunting with a Fila: http://www.fila.org/page10.htm , http://www.pageweb.com/filatalk/page2.html , http://www.fila.org/joa.htm
Some good Fila pics: http://www.dt.fee.unicamp.br/~amaury/filapic.html
Philo do Camping (one HUGE dog!): http://www.li.net/~semencic/fila.htm
Gabriel, 215lbs: http://www.fila.org/index1.htm
Bianca, 180lbs: http://www.fila.org/page18.htm
Fila stories from owners: http://www.pageweb.com/filatalk/page7.html http://www.fila.org/page8.htm http://www.fila.org/gabrielfila.htm http://www.fila.org/page1.htm http://www.fila.org/day.htm
Links to individual Filas: http://www.fila.org/
Just as an aside, I have an American Survival Guide issue with a Fila article (that's how I discovered them) in which the kennel the author had visited had a few males over 200lbs.
TMI? You bet.
[This message has been edited by X-Head (edited 09-16-2000).]
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2000
- Messages
- 1,055
Who needs a dog to gather food? Watch where the vultures are going and push them off the carrion. Gross, but in a pinch, it'll do.
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Kevan "Raven" Taylor-Perry
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Kevan "Raven" Taylor-Perry
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2000
- Messages
- 1,363
A good rough haired Lurcher bitch. She'll catch enough food for you both as she is born to hunt. Can fit into your bivi bag. Not too heavy to clime with. Always alert. Cover miles, and fast enough to bite the biggest BG to bits. Fearless and faithful. If climatised she can survive in most conditions hot or cold. So thankful she'll make you cry.
X-Head,
Thank you for the very informative post and links. Your response showed a considerable amount of research that was likely very time consuming. I appreciate the fact that you took so much time to bring us the valuable information and resources.
The Fila is indeed an impressive breed. I encountered one several years ago in Ann Arbor, MI. The one I saw was a monster, brindle coated and every bit of 180 pounds. The head was gigantic. The owner reported that the dog was very, very protective. He stated that only an experinced handler should own this breed because if not trained and socialized properly they could be "dangerous."
I am a huge Rottweiler fan myself, the two that I owned were fantastic (one passed on and my ex-wife has the other.)
They had all the traits I desire in a canine companion, loyal, protective and most important, a temperment suitable for children.
Take care,
Chad
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"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
George Orwell
"Those who hold the thin blue line keep order, and insure that anarchy and chaos will not prevail." Chad (1992)
"He who lives by the sword dies by the sword. He who dies by the sword did not train hard enough" -Chad (1999)
chad234@email.com
Thank you for the very informative post and links. Your response showed a considerable amount of research that was likely very time consuming. I appreciate the fact that you took so much time to bring us the valuable information and resources.
The Fila is indeed an impressive breed. I encountered one several years ago in Ann Arbor, MI. The one I saw was a monster, brindle coated and every bit of 180 pounds. The head was gigantic. The owner reported that the dog was very, very protective. He stated that only an experinced handler should own this breed because if not trained and socialized properly they could be "dangerous."
I am a huge Rottweiler fan myself, the two that I owned were fantastic (one passed on and my ex-wife has the other.)
They had all the traits I desire in a canine companion, loyal, protective and most important, a temperment suitable for children.
Take care,
Chad
------------------
"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
George Orwell
"Those who hold the thin blue line keep order, and insure that anarchy and chaos will not prevail." Chad (1992)
"He who lives by the sword dies by the sword. He who dies by the sword did not train hard enough" -Chad (1999)
chad234@email.com
Chad, thanks for the kind words. Your feedback is much appreciated. I must shamefully admit that I haven't even had the pleasure of seeing one in person yet (that I'm aware of). And you are 100% correct that anyone in the market for a Fila needs to be prepared to spend a lot more time with him than other breeds require. If not, you will raise an antisocial Fila who goes beserk at the first appearance of any stranger. This is not the desired level of protective behavior. The ideal Fila is taken into public often enough that it is wary, watchful, and cautious around all strangers, but not displaying open aggressiveness until & unless the stranger makes a threatening move toward it or its owner or family. From what I've read, the Fila's desire to bond with its master goes much deeper than other breeds, and to leave it penned up in the back yard and ignore it most of the day will drive it crazy. It really does require a much greater level of committment to raise and keep a well balanced Fila.