Dogs as an essential prepping need

Orange5 · Post by **Orange5** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 9:12 pm

Ive looked through a few old posts and wondered whether anyone has a dog that could provide food. My patterdale tends to bring back various animals and birds and would be worth its weight in gold in a food shortage. She's thirteen now and though very lively will be punching her ticket in the next few years. This has prompted me to let her train my one year old jack russell to start hunting. Although my dogs are pets its still nice to know that when the shtf they could earn their keep.
Your observations on this subject would interest me and any other tips on working animals are appreciated.
Neil

Post by **diamond lil** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:29 am

I think a hunting dog is a very handy thing to have, plus a dog would alert you to anybody sneaking around and they might deter unwelcome attention. I would also always have a cat or two to deal with rodents. That's why they were domesticated in the first place

moocher · Post by **moocher** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 10:01 am

Got a collie blooded lurcher .

theres a few husky type lurchers around that would also work out.

Rosesandtea · Post by **Rosesandtea** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 10:51 am

Orange5 wrote:Ive looked through a few old posts and wondered whether anyone has a dog that could provide food. My patterdale tends to bring back various animals and birds and would be worth its weight in gold in a food shortage. She's thirteen now and though very lively will be punching her ticket in the next few years. This has prompted me to let her train my one year old jack russell to start hunting. Although my dogs are pets its still nice to know that when the shtf they could earn their keep.
Your observations on this subject would interest me and any other tips on working animals are appreciated.
Neil

Maybe you can start a thread on how you are training your JR terrier? I have a Lakeland terrier who was officially bought for "vermin control" but I know I need to train her some way. I'd love if she could bring rabbits, for instance.

#crabman# · Post by **#crabman#** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 12:47 pm

Hi, We have a whippet bitch whom just loves to hunt, anything smaller than herself which moves she will go for, often bribing in rabbits & birds, she tries her damdest with cats but thankfully not had one yet!
She's only young & when & if shtf she will be invalubale along with my Harris hawk whom loves the same things as her, my only challange is getting them to work as a team without trying to kill one another!!
We are also currently training up a collie blooded lurtcher as daft as he is he will make a fab hunting dog for when shtf.

I would definatly recomend using your animals to your advantage, they are definatly worth their weight in gold.

Orange5 · Post by **Orange5** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 1:16 pm

You can get a dog to hunt in the right enviroment. Put your dog in places were rats lurk. You should notice the dog following the rat runs and getting exited. If your dog exhibits these signs you dont need to do much training. If you can take your dog out with seasoned hunters you have cracked it. A dog only needs to be shown once and their natural instincts kick in.

preppingsu · Post by **preppingsu** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:14 pm

I don't know the legalities so when you are discussing this can you please ensure that it is legal. We don't want scoobie getting in any trouble.

Post by **scoobie** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 5:50 pm

For those interested in hunting with dogs that are not currently aware:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/rural/countryside/hunting/

Vespa · Post by **Vespa** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:20 pm

I know I'm going to take flack for this but......you could, in a real SHTF case, go Korean and eat the thing.

Not sure I could eat my German Shepherd though, he's like one of the family and my very best friend.

Orange5 · Post by **Orange5** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:27 pm

Ive just read the rules on hunting by defra and its interesting, unfortunately for dogs that will hunt small animals it instinct. Its the dog owners responsibility to make sure their pet isnt breaking the law. Every time i walk my dog she sees it as a chance to kill something, the rats she has caught in mates gardens is always funny. The total shock on their faces when they realise they are infested.

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