Letter Re: Just In Case: Preparing for the Evening and Day After Election 2016

JWR,

Excellent article regarding ammo and magazine purchase strategies for a worst case scenario outcome of the election. I would urge readers to go ahead and resupply ammo stocks now while the prices are still low and supplies are still relatively plentiful. After reading the article, I immediately checked my inventory and discovered I had dropped below my comfortable minimum for the calibers I shoot. Here is what I found while researching common calibers:

Pistol Calibers 9mm, .40, and 45 ACP were readily available through the major online retailers; however, bulk range ammo was available but not in the quantities I normally see at local retailers. A local reloader who I use said business was normal and they have not seen the run on ammo they were expecting…yet.

Rifle calibers for hunting are in stock everywhere that I checked. The cartridges are typically your higher end for calibers such as 7mm Rem Mag, 300 Win Mag, .270 WIN, 30.06. Note that stores are stocking what they typically sell during hunting season. Try buying 300 rounds of 7mm Rem Mag locally and you will be out of luck. The more popular hunting cartridges are available online but are becoming limited.

Common Rifle Calibers for Hunting and Defensive use: .223/5.56×45, .308/762×51, 7.62×39 I found were readily available online and in bulk. Prices were in the normal range. Locally the calibers listed above are available but not in the quantities normally seen. .308 was in stock at normal levels for hunting and range cartridges. I could not find 7.62×51 locally. The local reloader had no .223 and only match grade 5.56×45. The reloader also had no .308 but would reload .308 if the customer supplied brass.

There are no shortages of primers, brass, and bullets that I have seen.

There is tension in the world and things could change quickly. Now is the time to stock up while supplies last. – Florida Dave

Economics and Investing:

Silver Price Forecast: Silver Is Looking Really Bullish In Dollars, Euros and Rands

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Gun control groups spend millions on state ballot initiatives

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The potential ‘economic catastrophe’ that no one is talking about – G.G.

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Global Interest In Silver Investment Expands As South Africa Adds New Silver Krugerrand

JWR Warns: Because this design is almost identical to the gold Krugerrand, readers are warned to start watching for faked gold-plated silver Krugerrands! Caveat emptor.

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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Military Leader: Iran Sending Elite Fighters Into U.S., Europe – L.R.

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DC City Council Votes to Allow Physician-Assisted Suicide – DSV

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The Rise Of Mandatory Vaccinations Means The End Of Medical Freedom – H.L.

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Civil War II – Fourth Turning Intensifying (Part I) – B.B.

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From Mike Williamson, SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large: King County using customer grocery store data to target pet owners, send licensing notices – We don’t spy on you. We contract that out so it’s not Big Brother.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” – Matthew 24:37-39 (KJV)

Notes for Saturday – November 05, 2016

November 6th is the anniversary of the day that B-24 Liberator co-pilot Al Millspaugh was shot down over Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, in 1944. He ended up in a Luft Stalag, until 1945. I got to know Al at some John Birch Society chapter meetings back in the late 1970s. Hearing his stories was fascinating. He retired as a Lt. Colonel in the California Air National Guard. He passed away on November 24, 2014 in Kelseyville, California. My 2014 novel Liberators was in part dedicated to Al Millspaugh. – JWR

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Today, we present another entry for Round 67 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $1,700 value),
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  3. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  4. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  5. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  6. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. An infrared sensor/imaging camouflage shelter from Snakebite Tactical in Eureka, Montana (A $350+ value),
  9. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A custom made Sage Grouse model utility/field knife from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  3. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a $125 Montie gear Gift certificate.,
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value), and
  9. Fifteen LifeStraws from SafeCastle (a $300 value).

Round 67 ends on November 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

“Surviving” an Airedale– Lessons From a First-Time Owner – Part 2, by S.M.

Crate Training Your Puppy: 8 weeks to 10 months

This was the most difficult stage with our Airedale. The crate was located in our family room, so he was integrated with us most of the time, except when sleeping. We purchased a large wire crate for the house and a separate 10’ x 10’ exercise pen for outdoors with a top cover from Tractor Supply purchased during a Labor Day sale. The top was included free. Most breeders begin crate training as pups. This is an effective training method for your dog and creates a secure den-like atmosphere where the pup can feel safe while sleeping. It prevents rowdy behavior, such as destroying property when left alone, especially with teething puppies. They love to chew, and there’s no better place than in his cage with a safe toy. (We use the XXL large Kong toy).

Our Airedale has spent a fair amount of time in his pen/cage inside the house because of his tendency to mouth and chew everything, and I mean everything. We bought a green dog toy for both inside and outside for him to chew and play with. It is common for pups to chew on electrical cords and shock themselves, and this must be avoided.

The crate is also where he learns to control his bladder. Dogs will go to great lengths to keep from soiling their den. Your puppy will be housebroken more quickly and experience fewer accidents when taken outside regularly. Our pup was housebroken by three months of age, but he still had the occasional accident because of training his bladder. During this stage, I discovered how smart the Airedale is and his ability to manipulate. He would sometimes do “his business” (no. 1) in the cage when he wanted my attention or when he wanted to play outside. He would stare at me as if to say, “It is play time so take me out, and I know just how to get you to take me.”

The foldable crate we have doubles as a breathable car transport in hot weather and provides a safe place to rest or sleep while enjoying a ride in the car. During cooler weather, we open up our SUV back hatch and roll down the window. Our Airedale enjoys the breeze while staying in the cage. I found a good used XL Solvit dog ramp at a local Goodwill. I use this rather than stressing his joints jumping in and out of the back of our four-wheel drive SUV. It’s made out of light-weight aluminum that folds up and fits nicely in my SUV cargo area. Note: One final word about crate training, rescue centers have indicated that the most frequent reason given for surrender of dogs is often that owners just couldn’t take the destruction of their property and home. We picked up our pup in August– the hottest part of the year. Leaving a dog out for any more than 30 minutes to an hour (sometimes that’s even too long) in the summer heat and humidity can be dangerous and even fatal. We put a baby pool full of water in the exercise cage to help the pup stay hydrated. The pool can be turned over or spilled et cetera, so supervision is still recommended. I zip tied a hose with a brass sprayer to the pen for constant misting into the pool. Airedales love the water, and he thoroughly enjoys drinking from the sprayer. The downside to this pleasurable habit was the mud he created and the dirt he then brought into the house and indoor crate. We cleaned his cage out regularly with an earth friendly product called Whip It. Sadly, we found out one of our dog’s siblings died because the owner left their pup out in the Gulf coast August heat all day.

Chewing and Mouthing

Airedales are loving dogs, but they are infamous for chewing, mouthing, and as mentioned earlier destroying anything they put their mouth on. We thought he would be like a “normal” puppy. This breed is the most tenacious puppy we’ve ever had. We can‘t say that enough! Previously, we owned a Boxer and an Australian shepherd. They were no comparison to the Airedale’s combination of energy, stubbornness, and intelligence level. Even at 14 months of age he still occasionally likes to mouth. This bad habit requires a consistent reprimand. We use the firm command “no mouth” to address this. We understand from our Airedale club that this “mouthing” may continue up until he is two years old. This is not biting. Using his front teeth to squeeze gently, he is sending a message that he doesn’t particular like what’s being commanded. We also learned this gentle mouthing might also be a sign of his affection for us. Nevertheless, he has to learn that this habit is not acceptable.

Formal Training

We found a dog-training program that has been operating for over 50 years. Their mission statement: To encourage and assist members and other interested persons to train their dogs to compete in trials according to the American Kennel Club and United Kennel Club Rules and Regulations.

We signed up for six-week Obedience 1 class. Detailed information was provided at the first class outlining each week’s commands to be learned. They provided Leadership for “Being Top Dog”, Pack Leader’s Bill of Rights, and Do’s & Don’ts on How to Become a Pack Leader.

We also got a copy of The Canine Good Citizen by Jack & Wendy Volhard ©1964

Being Top Dog

It’s not a matter of choice. Since dogs are pack animals, you and your family are now part of the pack. As far as your dog is concerned, no pack can exist without a leader, and it’s either you or him. That’s the way it has to be. You may think that you just want to be friends or partners with your dog, and you can be, but for the well-being of the dog, you must be the one in charge. In today’s complicated world, you cannot rely on your pet to make the decisions. Few dogs actively seek leadership and most are perfectly content for you to assume that role, so long as you do. But you must do so, or even the meekest dogs will try and take over. Remember that it’s not a matter of choice. For everyone’s safety, you have to be the one in charge.

Pack Leader’s Bill of Rights

2. To stand, sit, or lie down where they want.
3. To have access to the “prime spots” in the household.
4. To control entry to, or from, any room in the house.
5. To proceed through all narrow openings first.
6. To initiate the hunt and dictate where to hunt.
7. To demand attention from subordinate pack members.
8. To ignore or actively discourage unwanted attention.
9. To restrict the movement of lesser ranking pack members.
10. To win all games.

Formal Training – Eight weeks to four months

We introduced the collar and leash as we continued with outside bathroom training. He didn’t like the leash training. He jumped on us and used his sharp puppy teeth on our clothes, shoes, et cetera. This is typical puppy stuff but with an Airedale attitude. We reinforced the “no jumping,” “down,” “off,” “stop” commands, et cetera. The breeder encouraged us by letting us know that the female they kept from the same litter was already very familiar the “No” word, so we continued reinforcing. At six months of age, we began the obedience training with a well-established dog school. Positive reinforcement methods were used, both positive praise and food-based rewards. Our Airedale was fitted with a German-made Sprenger prong collar, choker chain, and leather 6-foot leash. CAUTION: Always remove the prong and choker collars when the dog is unsupervised, because they can get caught on the cage and strangle the dog.

It’s very important for your dog to be fitted properly with both a prong and choker collar. The choker provides a backup for the prong collar, which occasionally can come unhooked.

He passed Obedience 1 and Obedience 2 shortly after that. Obedience 1 covered basic commands, such as dog under control, no barking, down, down/stay, settle, Heel on leash, leave it, place and automatic sits, circle right, circle left with serpentine healing, come front on leash and get it, stand and stay for five seconds, and walk around dog. The class was made up of 10 dogs varying in size and age. At six months of age, our Airedale was the youngest participate. Obedience 2 covered a review of first class plus get in, stand while handler walks full circle dog, fast recall on 15-foot leash (with sit and short finish), short and long finish, back beside wall for three steps, and twist and catch. Because he was so cute, he passed both classes even with some “minor” infractions.

Breeder Recommended Dog Food

We feed high-quality dry dog food only. Science Hill Dog Food or Purina Pro was recommended by our Breeder.

Letter Re: Five Things Women Need, by J.W.

JWR,

Another great article, thank you. One of the things I would like to comment on, that unfortunately must be strongly considered when working with our youth, is “prohibited places”. Volunteering and picking up the kids at my children’s school, I am constantly un-holstering and securing my weapon (at home or work, never in the car) BEFORE I make the trip. I carry wherever and whenever I am legally allowed. However, there have been times I was late because I realized I was armed and had to turn around to secure my firearm. Could you imagine the joy of the liberals in NYC with the headlines “Store owner brings gun to school for show and tell”. I do not need a perp walk. So, deep concealment is not an option for me, and I will do all I can to remain law abiding and not lose such a precious right, especially here in NYC, where it is so difficult to obtain a carry permit. The Donald said he will fix that! I hope and pray. So ladies and gentlemen, be ever vigilant and look at the various methods of protection, legal weapons and self defense in “prohibited places”. JWR, perhaps you could in a future article expand upon that. Thank you again for a great article and of course a great blog. – R in NYC

HJL Comments: One more reason to get out of the public indoctrination education system and participate in homeschool or private school.

Economics and Investing:

Yuan Devaluation Triggers Exodus of Wealthy Chinese, US West Coast Primary Target “60% of high net-worth individuals (HNWI) in China are planning to buy real estate in other countries over the next three years, with the target of moving one-third of their wealth overseas, according to an annual survey” – T.P.

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Gold & Silver Bullion Jewelry Closer To Spot Price: Mike Maloney – T.P.

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Cash-strapped Zimbabwe to print $75m in ‘bond notes’ – JWR’s Comment: They sound so compassionate when they say “The Bank “hopes that the cash injection will boost exports, benefit local businesses and ease the suffering” [of Zimbabwe’s poor population]. Don’t believe that. The real beneficiaries will undoubtedly be the ZANU-PF cronies who are handed this fiat currency to put it into circulation.

UPDATE: Zimbabwe finally launches Bond Notes ‘token money’

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Banks Are Hoarding $2.4 Trillion of Bonds

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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Odds ‘n Sods:

From Mike Williamson, SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large: This man did almost everything wrong.

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For the Glockaholics among us: New Glock to “carbine” conversion kit – the Micro Roni. From Israeli firearms manufacturer CAA Tactical. Can be used on the Gen 3 and 4 models 17 and 19. – No FFL required (But not available in the peoples republic of Kalifornia) – D.W.

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From Breitbart: One new Immigrant for Every two U.S. Births in 2015 – B.B.

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Truancy crackdown ‘Operation Round Up’ hunts homeschoolers – H.L.

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In the Nevada desert, Bundy family warns of another standoff – T.P.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” – Genesis 8:20-22 (KJV)

Notes for Friday – November 04, 2016

November 4th is the birthday of Medal of Honor recipient John Basilone. He was born in 1916 in Buffalo, New York.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 67 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $1,700 value),
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
  3. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  4. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  5. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  6. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. An infrared sensor/imaging camouflage shelter from Snakebite Tactical in Eureka, Montana (A $350+ value),
  9. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A custom made Sage Grouse model utility/field knife from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  3. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a $125 Montie gear Gift certificate.,
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value), and
  9. Fifteen LifeStraws from SafeCastle (a $300 value).

Round 67 ends on November 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

“Surviving” an Airedale– Lessons From a First-Time Owner – Part 1, by S.M.

Our adventure in Airedale parenthood has been rewarding, educational, and reinvigorating. This breed is not for the faint of heart; they are active, tenacious, self-directed, and the strongest 65-pound animal I’ve ever experienced. With careful consideration, proper training, and responsible puppy parenting, you can enjoy the same incredible journey we’ve had. After the passing of our beloved Boxer, we longed to add another canine addition to our family. We knew we wanted a larger dog again and wanted a dog with spunk similar to that of our Boxer. Having still another elderly dog, as well as a small dog and a new grandbaby, we began researching for that perfect addition to our family.

We came across a book by Mr. Rawles. After reading that he recommended Airedales as a favorable family dog and addition to your arsenal of preps, or weapons so to speak, I decided to do extensive research on the Airedale breed. After all, any dog owned by John Wayne, Teddy Roosevelt, and several other past presidents, would be a notable addition to our family.

Fun facts:

  • John Wayne got his nickname from his boyhood Airedale, “Duke“.
  • President Theodore Roosevelt is remembered as saying, “An Airedale can do anything that any other dog can and then lick the other dog.”
  • Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Calvin Coolidge all owned Airedales as well. Warren G. Harding also owned an Airedale Terrier named Laddie Boy, whom he included in many of his cabinet meetings.

Note to self: We could use an Airedale’s personality in our current administration.

Upon completion of my research, I decided to bring a male Airedale into the family. I was confident this dog would be valuable in the present day setting, a grid-down setting, as a force multiplier.

Let me take you through some of the research and why I knew that after retirement was the ideal time. I will cover areas of choosing your Airedale, caring, training, grooming, co-existing in the house.

Listed below are some links to some of the research we discovered:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airedale_Terrier

www.dogbreedinfo.com/airedale.htm

www.terrificpets.com/articles/1025265.asp

Description and History of Airedale Terrier

According to wikipedia, “The Airedale Terrier (often shortened to “Airedale”), also called Bingley Terrier and Waterside Terrier, is a dog breed of the terrier type that originated in the valley (dale) of the River Aire, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is traditionally called the “King of Terriers” because it is the largest of the terrier breeds. The Airedale was bred from a Welsh Terrier and an Otterhound and probably some other Terrier breeds, originally to hunt otters. In Britain, this breed has also been used as a war dog, guide dog, and police dog.”

“The Airedale Terrier, also called Bingley Terrier and Waterside Terrier, is a dog breed of the terrier type that originated in the valley of the River Aire, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England.”

Hypoallergenic: Yes

Lifespan: 10–12 years

Color: Black and tan

Temperament: Outgoing, alert, friendly, confident, courageous, and intelligent

Height: Females grow to 22–23 inches (56–59 cm) and males grow to 23–24 inches (58–61 cm)

Weight: Female grow to 40–44 lbs. (18–20 kg) and males 51–64 lbs. (23–29 kg)

Terrificpets.com’s article on interesting facts about Airedales asks, “Did you know that before the German Shepherd took over the role, the Airedale Terrier was used for Search and Rescue and police work?” This in itself is a testament to their loyalty, courage, and intelligence as only the very best dogs are ever used in such important work. This is further portrayed in Colonel Richardson’s book on Airedale’s, The Making of the British War Dog School, 1900-1918.

According to a 2015/2016 study by the Humane Society, most U.S. households own dogs. In fact there are between 43.3 and 54.4 million households, or 44% of the all homes, with at least one dog. The breakdown between sizes of dogs in U.S. homes that own dogs is 50% own small dogs, 26% own medium-sized dogs, and 37% own large dogs, with the number of average pets per household being 1.43. (Incidentally, the large dogs percentage is up from the 2012 survey of only 27.3%.)

Retirement was an important part of my decision because the research revealed that to be fair to my family and to the dog, I needed to spend as much time as possible training a dog with this tenacious personality. Previously, dogs we’ve owned required smaller amounts of time for training. I wanted this dog to be fully engaged with our extended family and us–going on vacations, riding in the car, enjoying the benefits of our one+ acre homestead, and behaving as a “proper gentlemen”. This has been our first attempt at owning a “dominant” dog in the house, so some of the lessons learned were “on the fly”, while others were gleaned from participating in our local Airedale Association and learning invaluable experiences from other owners.

My wife and I knew obedience training for our new pup was a necessity, and we decided we would attend obedience training together so we both would know the training methods and commands that were being taught. This was fun to do together and one of the best decisions we made, because it meant the dog would then receive consistent training from both of us. He would understand that we were the alphas and he was not. If caught off guard, our Airedale could pull my 200-pound body down to the ground while on the leash and wearing both a prong and choker collar. (I’ll share more on collars later.) Even still, my wife has to be careful when outside as he is easily distracted and could jerk her off balance if she’s not prepared. This scenario is just one situation where training for the handler and the dog are vital.

Our primary reason for selecting an Airedale was his unique appearance (non-shedding hypoallergenic coat) and the unusual combination of clownish behavior and loyal family companion/watchdog. This large male terrier is as intimidating as any bull terrier and a stunning head-turning specimen in the neighborhood.

They are known for not backing down from any fight, but they will not start a fight if properly socialized. He is very alert both inside and out and can be distracted by smaller animals like those he was bred to hunt. Another important characteristic of the Airedale is their stoic nature and high pain tolerance. We have found cockleburs in his paws with no sign of limping. On one occasion, unknown to us, he had a puncture between the pads of one foot, but he never indicated any pain until it was very badly infected and required a vet visit and antibiotics. We have learned from this to actively study the dog’s gate and tendencies to catch any potential problems early.

I believe in the days ahead, medium/large size dogs will be invaluable for your homestead regardless of the size of your yard. Since most households have a dog, it could be beneficial for a dog to serve multiple purposes, including watchdog/protection, companion, friend, and work dog. As evidenced by the stats above, small dogs make up the majority for reasons such as size, ease of training, and cost of dog food. However, large dog ownership is up, and it seems may be for protection and the desire for a watchdog. The Airedale is categorized as the large end of the medium-sized dogs.

Selecting your Airedale

Choose from reputable breeders. See the list of breeders below by state:

Airedale Club of America

Breeder list by state

We selected a breeder and kept in close communication with them. We chose a breeder with a quality website that included plenty of information on the bloodline of their dogs and pictures of the matriarch, the patriarch, and the puppies. The website also included detailed Airedale pedigree information, health, medical conditions, and overall general materials. The husband of the breeder team is a veterinarian with extensive training in genetics, and his wife is well versed in grooming and showing Airedales. This particular breeder chooses your puppy for you.

As part of this selection, the breeder asked us detailed questions regarding other dogs in the house, their ages, their temperament, the size of the yard, et cetera. Our family mix prior to our Airedale joining our household had two dogs: a 12-year-old Yorkie and a 17-year-old Pomeranian/Miniature Picher mix (think small red fox). Our two small, older dogs are great for alerting when someone’s at the door or even walking down the street, especially the Yorkie that has fantastic hearing. Between the dogs and our Mule driveway alarm it’s apparent when a car has entered the driveway. However, their bite will not be much of a deterrent unless you take her place on the sofa. ? (This Mule alarm mentioned is very effective even in the rainy days, and I recommend one for everybody.)

The breeder sent us monthly pictures of the available litter. They selected the puppy for us, based on the requirements of our household. We did see the online pictures of the father before purchasing. Before selecting a particular pup for us, the breeder wanted to do temperament testing until the pups were eight weeks of age. The puppy was being socialized, and the process of being housebroken began before we picked up our puppy. According to the breeder, this entire litter was outstanding in appearance and personality. We do not plan on showing our Airedale, and he was neutered at the time suggested by our local vet. The cost of a full-blooded Airedale will run between $1000 and $1500. Most reputable breeders do not make a profit from the sale of their pups but choose to reinvest back into their bloodline. We were very pleased with the entire selection process.

Letter Re: Pemmican

Guys,

I recently read your article regarding Pemmican Jan 10 2008. I’ve tried to make pemmican, but after placing it in a Quart Ziplock bag and flattening it, it has firmed up but not really become hard. Is it supposed to store kind of squishy after several days and/or indefinitely? Is it supposed to harden like a granola bar? Thank – M.C.

HJL Comments: The animal fat may keep it soft, especially if it’s stored in an airtight container. You can firm it up by using less fat in the mixture. It shouldn’t be crunchy like a hard granola bar though.

Economics and Investing:

There Are 5.6 Million Cheap Apartments in America. Not for Long

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Yellen Imitates Greenspan in Reversal of Mid-1990s Rookie Role

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Curious Barry’s October Surprise for Hillary – H.L.

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Items from Mr. Econocobas:

U.S. Gasoline Jumps Most Since 2008 After Pipeline Blast

VIDEO: Peak Prosperity- Losses Hurt More Than Gains Help

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SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Odds ‘n Sods:

17 essential tools to protect your online identity, privacy. This is a great summary. Here is one interesting excerpt: “Anonymity hardware. Some people have attempted to make Tor and Tor-based anonymity easier using specially configured hardware. My favorite is Anonabox (model: anbM6-Pro), which is a portable, Wi-Fi-enabled VPN and Tor router. Instead of having to configure Tor on your computer/device, you can simply use Anonabox instead.” – D.B.

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Election years are always expensive…

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The Mega Rich Have Found an Unlikely New Refuge

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Number of home-schooled students has doubled since 1999, new data shows – Thanks to DSV for the link.

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Bill Clinton Impeachment Chief Investigator: I’m ‘Terrified’ of Hillary – H.L.