What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

does a workshop of 15 dogs count? A firm no had him putting his back to the group to ignoring them. David have you actually seen some the sports pits compete in today. They are surrounded by several dogs, one person on here even told of how when hers went down the lane another dog came flying in and started a fight with her pit. All it takes is training and knowing your dog.

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

David I know it's far few in between most game dogs that have actually been in the box are probably not suited for the wilderness it's hard to say because I know we had some dogs like Virgil who could play with other dogs outside the box and sleep with the cat he was not a cur he was the exception to the rule it's hard to say how many of them could be like Virgil without actually being around a lifetime of gamedogs to compare which I haven't I am only going off what I have seen and heard from people who do know every dog is different and a lot of it will depend on the owner and the dog. Like I said if I was going into survival mode I would take my dogs but If you asked me which dog I would take to gaurd me from the bad guys somewhere it wouldn't be an Apbt although if someone broke in my house my dogs could at least alert me of an intruder wether they would take he intruder down or not I wouldn't bet on it but some dogs will naturally protect their owner or family just out of instinct alone.

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

I think if you are tight as you say you are with your dogs I think they will take a bullet for you. I actually think the breed can protect because of their bond with their owner, now I don't mean displaying territorial aggression but more on the fact that if you are actually getting assaulted they would jump in. I think Bernie would eat someone if they hurt my wife or my son.

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

Yeah and I think a strong bond has a lot to do with it i have been told by other dog men that a dog man who had a strong enough bond with his dog outside the box had a better dog that would work harder for the handler in the box. This doesn't surprise me I think with Apbts or pitbull type breeds a strong bond is half of why they will do almost anything for their owner that is what makes them so unique they do have a strong desire to want to please the owner and it almost kills their spirit to have their owner disappointed in them I have seen how my dogs react when I yell at them it's like the world has ended.

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

That's what I was saying about my friend who competes in sports a few of her dogs are performance bred they are redboy jocko now the parents are not game dogs but from the second generation on back dogs have been worked in the box. Her dogs are very high drive dogs they are also advanced trained in obedience she can take these dogs to sporting events off the leash and they don't even blink at another dog her dogs are Da but when they are being worked they are not focusing on anyone but her they never take their eyes of her these dogs are titled in obedience shutzhund and agility amazing Apbts nicely bred but there is also a flip side if you took those same dogs and put them in the box I don't believe they would fair the same way obviously it's more complicated than that selection of a breeding and why two dogs were bred will really be the key difference. Training can work to a certain extent to gain control over the dog but it won't alter the genetics it will make the dog more manageable but like ice pick said some dogs are so wide open you can't do anything with them but contain them lol.

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

I dont know if they all could be labled curs, unless they have been proven to be a cur, but I have seen how they are "groomed" to hold the hog by the side of the head or ears to avoid the tusks.
I agree 1000% benthere,... But even a litter off two Gr Ch is no guarantee the whole litter will be worthy, or properly represent their parents, or the breed. All game litters sound nice, but are not as common as thought, or advertised.

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

agility, obedience, sleeve sports it's just a game. The reason these off leash performance pits don't go running off is because they are playing the game and they are trained to keep their attention span for the duration of the game, they place more value in the game than the other dogs. it's not like they are in the forest and where there are loose animals and dogs all over the place that are not being controlled by their owners like in a sport setting. Even in the long stays which is part of the obedience trials the dogs are working the exercise and the interest of the other loose dogs next to them has no value.

But you can't have a pit in mental exercise mode 24/7, eventually the dog will get tired and there is no way you can have this dog ignore everything if you are actually in a survival scene. Bernie did awesome off leash in in our classes, he was actually one of the few allowed off leash to demonstrate recalls, long stays and heels. Some dogs in the class were lunging and snapping but he kept his cool because he knew we were playing a game. Even though he did all that great stuff, I know for a fact he can only do it for so long before he got mentally exhausted. IN a survival setting there are so many distractions that quite frankly cannot be replicated in an obedience or agility ring. Smells, sights, sounds, movement of other animals and it is constant without it becoming a predictable pattern for the dog to be calm with. Just the other day I was driving to my mom's house with Bernie in the back and I had stop for a deer to cross the street. When Bernie saw the deer he became possessed and wanted out of the car to get it. Maybe I could stop him off leash or maybe not, but that is a pretty big risk.

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

Good post! The only problem I have with it is I would say that less than 10% of "APBTs" fit the breeds original standards these days. And 10% is a generous guesstimate! Take a stroll through your neighborhood, or dog park, and just take notice to how many "APBT's" are running and playing with other dogs. Its not the breeds fault though lol. Gamebred, and proven gamedog are two different things, a proven gamedog probably would not make a good "survival dog". I dont think anyone here is suggesting that Gr Ch Zebo (you could be HIS dinner one day) would be the dog they wanted in survival situation lol, but this breed has evolved into more than just a sole box dog. You can see the division in their owners, breeders, and the dogs themselves. How many gamedogs look like the "pitbull" you see running loose on the news? Its not a question of right or wrong, but it is a question of acceptance or denial.

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

Very true some dogs no matter how much training and work you put in it will never make the cut. i do believe i know who you are talking about, I love her dogs and they are a great example of how highly DA can be trained to excel. i just hate how some on here go on bout how the apbt is good for nothing but the box but as icepick said even a litter off of 2 grch dogs isn't guaranteed to be worth anything. i think you are the one who said it, most of us on here don't own dogs that are off such dogs. Ours are watered down and bred for diff things. Weather it be the adba rings, wp, or some other sport, or even hunting.

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

The majority of APBTs these days would probably come running, after making some new friends lol..

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

David what's impressive to me is taking a breed like the Apbt out of its comfort zone and putting the dog in a situation it was not bred to do. I agree with everything you said in this post but it does show how flexible the breed can be in the right hands. I have seen some Apbts who can't stay focused on a ball if an animal comes strolling by so to see some of these dogs out there competing in other events around other dogs and remain cool 100% of the time is impressive for a breed who was bred to kill other dogs or animals.

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

This is what was saying about who bred them and why if they were not selected for gameness than you can pretty much bet they will be like any other dog in the park but I wouldnt dare test the waters with mine I know what they will do at home but no way in hell would I let them loose around other dogs lol

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

I knew an Amstaff that would fetch until it was close to a fainting it didn't matter if it was hot or cold outside, paws bleeding it didn't care. He was an asshole with other dogs, not really DA but just acted like a bully asking for an ass kicking. You showed him a tennis ball and the whole world disappeared it was amazing. What's even more impressive is that this dog was never provided any kind of formal training, he just had an obsession with fetching tennis balls.

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

I do have a dog off two ch she's a pup and she is still being raised around my dogs I know most people would say I was a fool but I know where my dogs come from I spend a lot of time with my dogs and I am not one of those owners living in lala land who doesn't think my dogs couldnt fight at some point I'm well aware of what I own I just choose to raise my dogs together until they give me a reason to separate them.

This is the one I have off a gr ch and a ch but guess what? She's still just my pet lol

This is karma my pups litter mate but ped is the same I just don't put mine up online

http://www.apbt.online-pedigrees.com/modules.php?name=Public&file=printPedigree&dog_id=406083


Here is a picture of karma


And one of her playing with my male

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

nice! can't wait to see how she matures. Are you going to try her out in some sports?

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

Kristi I am thinking about it I want to see how she matures I would really like to hunt with my dogs and I have a buddy who invited us to his place to work the dogs all he does is hunt hogs so we will see ... I wouldn't mind doing some dock diving as well I found out a I have a dog who loves the water lol we took him to the lake last week and he went in after the ducks lol swam around for a bit and loved it.

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

Watching that Doomsday prep show, one guy says he will use bird houses and feeders to alert him. I was like WHAAAAT??? Then he went on to say how birds will sing certain songs for warning and what not. He was really in touch with the sounds and well I could see that as being extremely valuable skill to have.

Just something I thought would be a nice add to this thread.

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

benthere,

I feel:

Curs prove themselves as curs

Game dogs prove themselves as game

Propsects are prospects till they prove one of the previous two.

Pets are pets, some maybe game, some cur, some cold, some fire...Usually these animals never prove their abilities outside being a pet.

 

Re: What would you pick for a "wilderness survival dog?

benthere, I agree with your whole post and I know many that follow the same way of thinking as you do with all dogs are curs. For me though, I tend not to pass any judgement on a dog, until judgement day! I would not like to think I was possibly feeding a cur for two years, even though it's could very well be the case!
As I said in my original post, I would probably go with another breed anyway, if I had time to choose. But, if the only dog that was around is the neighbors 10 pound yapper, I would probably scoop it up while running away from what ever doomsday scenario was coming lol... At least it would hopefully bark at approaching strangers to alert me, while I slept!