Hello, my friend and welcome back! I hope you’re having a good day so far and thanks for stopping by. I have talked about the importance of having a well-trained dog as a part of any survival plan and while talking to a good friend of mine this week, the subject of training came up. This is one subject I cannot emphasize enough. I will explain the difference between having just a yard dog and having a trained companion at your side when it all falls apart, so grab a cup of coffee my friend and have a seat while we visit.
Something everyone needs to understand is that having a trained dog is just as important as having a firearm and bullets in a post SHTF world. Just because one comes when you call him or growls at strangers, does not constitute being trained. Even more important is knowing how to train a dog in case something happens to the one you already have.
Here are some examples of what I’m talking about. A pet will come when you call him, sit, maybe even roll over. Almost all dogs will try to protect their owners when they think they are in danger, but they need to know a lot more than that. Taking the time to learn how to train a dog properly and having a dog that you can completely control are essential to being able to survive in a post SHTF world.
Some of the things you need to teach your survival dog are Sit and Stay, like most pets, but they need to learn not to attack someone without your command. They need to be taught to get down and stay down when you need them to, as well as to be quiet on command. They need to be able to understand and carry out orders like going to get items that you need on command. (Besides their food bowl that is). They need to be taught to crawl on command as well.
Another thing is to be able to search and find people and objects on command as well as handling complex task. Never underestimate the power of a dogs nose or their intelligence. Just imagine if a member of you family or group came up missing? Having the ability to track and locate them can save a life! Being able to track wild game or your enemy and being able to know the difference are important task and ones you should take the time to help them learn.
Many of us have dogs that would work well in a survival situation, including myself, but what if something happened to them? Would you know how to train a new dog to do these tasks? You first need to train the trainer, meaning you need to take the time now to learn how to do it and do it the right way.
I have often seen times when owners yell at their dog because they are not doing what they want, like they think yelling helps the dog to understand better. THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO TRAIN A DOG! The only way to truly train a dog and have lasting effects is to use only POSITIVE FEEDBACK! Dogs that are mistreated usually don’t retain what they learn, as long as dogs who were trained using positive feedback.
So, how do you learn to do this? You start by reading books and watching videos on proper training techniques. You should also learn how to overcome bad habits as well, because despite what some people say, you can teach old dog new tricks. In fact, older dogs tend to learn faster and try harder to please you while training than puppies do. Now, don’t go thinking that it’s better to wait till a dog is grown than to train them as a puppy. When you start training a puppy at a young age, they tend to learn more over their lifetime and bond closer with their owners.
When many military dogs are trained, they begin training when they are still puppies and in most cases with their handlers to help for a long-lasting bond that simply can’t be broken. It should come as no surprise to anyone, that when a soldier is killed or injured critically, their dogs will not leave their sides unless forced to. They then appear to go through the same grieving process as humans do. Like some humans, a few of them never get over the loss of their handler and have to be put down. It’s sad when this happens and not a fitting end for a dog soldier.
I’m going to list a couple of Authors and books at the end of this post, that I really like. They will help you get off to a good start on training a dog, and will also help you to train a dog that will not only be a loyal and hardworking friend, but a partner that you can trust and depend on in any situation.
I love my dogs and if you have one then I’m sure you love them too, so why not take the time to learn how to finish their training and learn something you will need when the world falls apart. Read, learn, and above all, take the time to love your dog and partner in preparedness.
I hope you have enjoyed today’s post and found it helpful. Until next time my friend, stay safe, stay strong and stay prepared. God Bless America!
-Sarge-
- Training the Best Dog Ever: A 5-Week Program Using the Power of Positive Reinforcement
- Ready! Training the Search and Rescue Dog
- The Koehler Method of Guard Dog Training
