Sorry if somebody else already asked this, I didnt see it...
What is everybody's take on your pets when SHTF? I have 2 German Shepherds and they are great guard dogs, dont wanna leave em??
Better off with doggie stir fry........................................can't really say that, I'd rather feed some people I know to my dog than feed my dog to them.
Take em if you want. Keep from places/areas where silence is important. Train them well and early. Just keep an emotional distance. Don't risk people's lives to save the dog, be willing to lose them.
My cat (rescue) is a great mouser and will kill any small pest around so she would be great to take with. But in a bug out on foot, I don't think I could manage it.
My mutt has provisions set aside for him. He scares the hell out of people when he gets the chance. Doubt he would be much on follow through, but since he hears better than anyone in the place he is good to go.
Besides being something that helps the family cope in a bad situation, he would make a hell of a bullet magnet.
The cats are down the line a bit more. Still good for morale, catch bugs and mice sometimes, not much for keeping the baddies away though.
I can see where having dogs has its pros and cons...For me, I can see how they make great guard dogs (Cause that is what they are), But when SHTF, finding food for them might be a problem. Thinking that I better start stocking up some food for them too.
Seems to me like you would want to stay as low key as possi during a shtf scenario. Dogs bark so that is an issue to me. I wouldn't want them to ever give away my position.
The mid grade dog food like Iams is only $35 for about 35 lbs and it feeds my 75# lab/pit mix for a month. Plus, in a pinch, that stuff is edible for humans too. (I've eaten worse...) Granted, if we start working him, he will start eating more, but for bug-in, I would never want to be without him.
For bug out, I would definitely take him as well. He minds me very well. The wife and I rescued him when he was a year and a half and I finally broke him (like a horse, you know?) and got him to start taking some training. He is extremely fast, catches birds out of mid air, and can partially climb trees. That and he's an awesome, tiny target (smaller than me anyhow). I think somebody here dropped the "bullet magnet" line already.
At my age, my poor physical condition but with my combat under fire experience and markmanship, I will only be good at keeping the back door shut for as long as I can. My cats stay with me. We die together.
I hope each of you has someone to watch your back and to keep the back door shut long enough for you to get away. God Bless those loved ones we must leave behind.