Get Ready for Large-Scale Civil Unrest: Elites Turning into Preppers, Buying Survival Retreats

If the last week is any indication of what’s to come, get ready for a very bumpy ride, because the agitators of the world are gearing up to cause some major trouble. For eight years, [...]

The post Get Ready for Large-Scale Civil Unrest: Elites Turning into Preppers, Buying Survival Retreats appeared first on Off Grid Survival - Wilderness & Urban Survival Skills.

from Off Grid Survival – Wilderness & Urban Survival Skills http://offgridsurvival.com/get-ready-large-scale-civil-unrest-elites-turning-preppers-buying-survival-retreats/

Practical Quail Hunting Tips Every Hunter Should Follow

Wild Animal Attacks | What To Do When Attacked By Ferocious Beasts

Epic Pure Filtered Water Pitcher vs. Brita Slim Water Filtration System

I’ve been a long-time user of pitcher-type water filters; my old Brita filter has had probably hundreds of gallons put through it. The filtered water it produces tastes better, and I like the fact that it pulls a few nasty items out of the water my family and I drink every day.  Without a doubt, I am a big proponent of filtered water. After using my Brita, I feel uncomfortable drinking unfiltered water. Call me pretentious, but I would rather not consume strange heavy metals in my water. 

By Drew, a contributing author of Survival Cache & SHTFBlog

However, I recently received an EPIC Pure Water Filter pitcher-type filter in the mail for a review.  It was a great opportunity to do a little research, and see if the newer, more impressive-appearing EPIC offering was a better product than the tried-and-true Brita product that I’d been using for years.

Why use a water filter every day?

In a SHTF/survival-type situation, water filtration is a no-brainer.  Assuming the power grid is down, any water you can source that isn’t bottled can be assumed to be contaminated with some sort of offending nastiness, and absolutely should be filtered and purified.  However, in day-to-day life, it’s easy to become complacent about the water that flows from your faucets.  We take it for granted that the water has been made safe for us to drink by the unknown people at the water treatment plants.  We turn the tap on, and we blindly think that what comes out MUST be okay. But that “okay” water was processed with additives such as chlorine and aluminum sulfate, fluoride was probably added, and then it ran through miles and miles of metallic pipes underground, where it then makes the trip to your domicile, through the iron or copper plumbing that’s probably joined with lead solder, coursing out through the faucet that has bacteria living happily inside.  Most people don’t think about it, and I’ll admit I never did until I started doing research for this article.

Related: Trace Pharmaceuticals and Water

My house has city water supplied to it, and though the water company sends out yearly reports on water quality, the list of agents listed on the report definitely makes me take pause.  Yes, at the time of the report, the water quality is hunky dory – but how quickly can this balance be upset?  If something goes awry at the water treatment facility, how much water will run through my house and my family before the problem is caught and addressed?  Will the powers-that-be even let me know there is/was an issue with my water?

Now, I know that the people who are employed by the city to maintain the water supply used by thousands are highly qualified and trained to ensure that I have safe water that flows out of my faucets.  I also know that the Safe Water Drinking Act means that there are federal standards, regulated by the EPA, so that my water meets quality standards.  The EPA monitors the water for many organisms, bacteria, metals, chemicals, and other contaminants that can make you sick, give you cancer, or make life generally completely unpleasant in a multitude of ways.  However, the EPA doesn’t regulate many water-borne items, such as aluminum, chloride, and copper. In large enough quantities, these items and others that may still be in your water can do funky stuff to your systems.

Wells aren’t immune to contaminants either; pesticide runoff, petroleums, MTBE, metals that occur in the ground, bacteria, and other nasties can find your way into your dug or drilled well.  Again, most people don’t consider these issues once they have their well installed and tested – if everything is reported as fine, people run on automatic and think the water will always be fine.

All this being said, here in the USA and other developed countries, it’s safe to say that usually your water meets minimum standards for safe drinking water.  However, it’s also safe to say that you’re getting some additional unhealthy contaminant passengers along for the ride – no matter what the yearly water reports from the city water department say.

The Ins and Outs of Water Pitcher Filters

So, me being the slight alarmist that I am (you have to be to run with this crowd, right?), I try to play it safe and drink filtered water, if it comes from my tap.  I don’t have the space or funding to really hook up a high-end in-line pre-faucet water filter, so I choose to run a pitcher-type filter for my drinking water needs.  It’s an easy, inexpensive way to keep clean water available.  Fill the pitcher, stick it in the fridge, and let it do its thing.  It’s easy for the whole family to do (provided the teenagers remember to fill the pitcher back up after they use the last of the water), so it’s a nice, simple, foolproof way to keep a half gallon or so of clear, clean-tasting water ready to go.

Basically, the way a pitcher-type filter works is simple: open the lid, located at the top of the pitcher.  Pour your to-be-filtered water in the top, straight from the faucet if you’d like. Put the lid back on, and let the pitcher work its magic.  Water is pulled from the reservoir at the top of the pitcher by gravity, coursing the H2O through the filter(s) located underneath the reservoir.  The inside of the filters contain any number of elements – almost always activated carbon is involved; Brita uses coconut shell-derived carbon.  Activated carbon, if viewed through a microscope, is porous and covered in lots of crevices that attract and hold impurities and contaminants through a process called adsorption.  

Activated carbon works pretty well to eliminate a number of nasties in your water, such as chlorine, and some pesticides and some solvents – this is why activated carbon is commonly used in fish tank filters.  However, activated carbon eventually reaches its holding capacity and no longer can be used to reliably filter water eventually, so the filter must be replaced at periodic intervals. Other elements can be added to attract and reduce or eliminate other contaminants – but after quite some time searching the web for research on what these elements might be, it seems that most water filter manufacturers play their cards pretty close to the vest, leaving us to wonder at the magic of proprietary water filtration processes.

Since water pitchers function by pulling water through filters via gravity, there is generally not enough pressure to purify via reverse osmosis, and many bacteria can still get by – so it’s not recommended that you use pitcher-type home filters to cleanse water from streams, lakes, rivers, mud puddles, or the like.  Sediments and contaminants will be filtered for sure, but you can still get sick through bacteria infestation.  Dedicated outdoor-type water filters are recommended for naturally-sourced water filtration.

The EPIC Pure Water Pitcher Filter System

I, for a while, thought I just had a standard pitcher type filter.  However, upon digging about, I was excited to find that I had been sent the new EPIC Pure Pitcher.   The Pure is like a Brita only for survivalists or preppers.

My EPIC Pure pitcher filter features a large, replaceable filter and a pitcher that holds, by rough estimate, three quarters of a gallon or so of water.  The filter supports about 200 gallons of water filtration (my Brita does 40).  The filter elements and pitchers are 100% BPA free, and the filters themselves are 100% recyclable, which means that over the lifetime of the filter, you have potentially saved using 1,500 plastic water bottles – a definitive environmental impact.  EPIC boasts that their filters will remove up to 99.99% of contaminants that can be found in tap water.  I investigated their website to see what they actually remove, and the list is ridiculous: most are contaminants, and pesticides are things I’d never heard of but sound awful, and the metals removed list includes chromium 6, aluminum, mercury, lead, arsenic, TTHM, and Radon 222, among other things.  I won’t throw the full impressive list on this post, but definitely check out the list of what the EPIC Pure filter keep out of your body.

The Pure’s  Competition

I’ve used a Brita pitcher filter for years, as I stated at the beginning of this article.  Mine is a Brita Water Filtration System, the same model you can get online or at Target or Wal-Mart.  Brita has the market cornered on accessible, household name pitcher filters.  The Brita is an affordable pitcher filtration for the masses and 100% made in China.

The Brita features replaceable filter cartridges, and they last approximately 40 gallons per filter, according to Brita’s website.  However, the Brita offering really concentrates on improving the taste of the water, instead of actually doing a really thorough job purifying.  According to Brita, the pitcher filters they offer just remove or reduce chlorine, copper, cadmium, and mercury.  There is no mention of filtering out pesticides like DDT, or other common contaminants and metals such as lead.  Brita does offer products that remove more contaminants, but not in the pitcher format we are analyzing here.

Battle Royale: EPIC Pure VS. Brita Water Filtration

So in the interests of doing a straight apples-to-apples test, I bought a brand new Brita filter cartridge from Amazon, and performed the standard pre-soak that Brita requires.  I loaded up the new filter in the Brita, and filled both up with straight tap water.  The larger EPIC reservoir took almost 15 minutes to filter. The Brita was much faster to process, probably just five or six minutes.  But in both cases, the water that was produced was crystal clear, and devoid of any of the slight chlorine smell that my city water usually has.

I went all Mythbusters on my taste test, and filled three glasses with water: one glass with tap water, one with water from the Brita pitcher, and one with water from the EPIC pitcher. I had my wife and son each try out the water, and report which glass they thought was from each aquatic offering. I then asked them to do the same for me. The results? The tap water was a gimme; its taste and smell was very distinct, with the rather not-great metallic chlorine taste. All three of us nailed which glass held the city-fed tap water.

As for the filtered water, my wife and I both were able to distinguish the EPIC filtered water, but I can personally tell you that the taste from both the EPIC and Brita products were quite close: clear, with no metallic or chlorine tastes – and very, very good. There was no smell from either glass.

Video

Where the EPIC filter really made a marked difference in taste was in coffee, believe it or not. The EPIC filtered water definitively produced much smoother, rich-tasting coffee from my home coffee maker. I have no science to back me up, but I am theorizing that the pH-modified alkaline EPIC water knocked back on the acid produced from the coffee, and the resulting beloved caffeinated product was far superior as a result.

Read Also: Epic Travel Bottle Review

So, Brita or EPIC? The Brita absolutely produces excellent-tasting water, and filters out a few undesirables in the water stream. But, if you can afford it, the EPIC offering is certainly a better product for the environment – its filters last 2 ½ times longer than the Brita offerings and are recyclable. The EPIC filter is certainly better for you and your family. If you buy bottled water to drink around the house because your well or tap water is unpalatable or unsafe, the EPIC will pay for itself in very little time. The EPIC pitcher is more expensive, and the replacement filter cartridges are also pricier (Made in the USA – yes, they will be more expensive). Yes, it’s pretty expensive – but the EPIC has something else going for it that makes it worth every penny, in my humble opinion.

Health Benefits

I mentioned earlier that I had perceived health benefits from my switch to drinking water from the EPIC Pure pitcher, and it’s true. I have a condition known as GERD (Gastroesophogeal Reflux Disease) where the muscle at the junction of the esophagus and stomach relaxes, allowing built-up acid to splash up into my windpipe and lungs, causing severe heartburn and general chest discomfort, along with irritated lungs. GERD’s onset for me is usually stress-related and is exactly as much fun as it sounds.

Once I received the EPIC Pure water pitcher, I immediately started using it for all the water I drink. Within a couple days, I noticed a huge difference in the amount of heartburn and windpipe discomfort I was experiencing. At first I attributed it to a switch in coffee brands I made at the same time I received the EPIC filter; I did not know that the EPIC was a Pure pitcher with pH benefits because they use activated coconut carbon filters which are alkaline.  When I brought some of the new coffee (from Main Gun Coffee Company – DEFINITELY check them out if you’re a coffee aficionado) to work for use at my coffeemaker there, I had acid issues kick in again. There went the coffee theory. 

However, when I started doing research for this review, I realized what which product had been sent to me, and the gears turned. The GERD symptoms definitely lessened right when I started using the filter, and when I drink water from other sources, sometimes I’ll have issues. So, it is my personal postulation (that is purely my own conjecture and could be completely wrong) that the alkaline pH levels that the EPIC Pure water pitcher introduces reduces acids that the body produces, driving down my heartburn symptoms. Take it for what it’s worth to you, but I believe the EPIC Pure product to really work, and has positive health benefits that go beyond eliminating contaminants and nastiness from the tap water I drink. It tastes great, makes bitchin’ coffee, and I feel better. Winning.

Wrapping It Up

The EPIC Pure water pitcher is great, whether you just want clear safe water, or you’re looking to try health solutions that go beyond pumping pills in your face. The initial sticker shock is a definite turn-off,and I’ll admit to you that when I got the filter and I looked into what using it would cost me, I rolled my eyes and uttered a “yeah right.” But I’ve used the pitcher extensively, comparing it to a very common competitive filter, and I’m now a true believer in this filter.

For those of you who don’t want to take the hit on the Pure system, EPIC also offers a full line of other outdoors-rated filters, including the Stainless Steel Travel Bottle that allows you to drink from almost any water source you can find. If you’re looking to try the next level of personal home water filtration, and don’t want to invest in under-sink in-line plumbing filters or clunky faucet add-on filters, be sure to look at the EPIC Pure pitcher filter system. It’s head and shoulders above the competition, and you’ll feel better for it as a result.

What are your thoughts? Is the 70 dollars for a home tap water filter too much, even if there are health benefits besides hydration? Do you use something different? Sound off in the comments below!

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from SurvivalCache http://survivalcache.com/epic-pure-filtered-water-pitcher-vs-brita-slim-water-filtration-system-removes-lead-chromium-6-pfoa-pfos-tthm/

Media Cover Up: Violent Leftists & Terror Groups Behind Airport Protests, Radicals Attack Innocent Trump Supporters

As the media goes into overdrive attempting to divide the country, radical leftists, in league with Islamic terror groups, have begun organizing against the working class citizens of this country. [...]

The post Media Cover Up: Violent Leftists & Terror Groups Behind Airport Protests, Radicals Attack Innocent Trump Supporters appeared first on Off Grid Survival - Wilderness & Urban Survival Skills.

from Off Grid Survival – Wilderness & Urban Survival Skills http://offgridsurvival.com/radicalleftistsattackingamericans/

Pallet Gardening – 2 Great Layouts For Your Garden

Wooden pallets are probably the most versatile and sought after items when it comes to DIY projects such as building tables, wall hangings…you name it! One great way to use them is for pallet gardening!

You’d be surprised how beautiful your garden will turn out! In this article, I will share with you two of the most popular layouts for pallet gardening – the vertical garden and raised garden beds!

The most popular questions when it comes to obtaining wooden pallets is “Where can I get them?” and “How much do they cost?” I’m actually going to share with you where you can find them and how to get them for FREE!

How You Can Get Wooden Pallets For FREE!

Small Businesses

The smaller the business, the easier it will be to get wooden pallets or other wood scraps for your projects. The reason is smaller businesses usually do not have the resources or volume to unload scrap wood to the “big haulers.” So, more often than not, the scraps end up in their dumpsters. My advice would be, if you see the wooden pallets in their dumpster and would like to take them, just ask. My guess is they will gladly let you take them – for FREE!

Search Online

Two great resources online are Craigslist and Facebook.

On Craigslist, under the “for sale” section of their homepage there is a “free” tab. This is a great resource! You’d be surprised at the items people will give away! I have seen wooden pallets, empty moving boxes, older furniture, and building materials such as brick and scrap wood. Usually these items will be curbside pickup – you don’t even have to knock on anyone’s door. To be safe, it is always a good idea to read the ad thoroughly just to make sure.

Another great resource is Facebook. Many local areas have a Facebook community page where items can be found for sale, for trade, or for free! Also, on these local Facebook community pages, you can post asking if anyone has any free materials such as wooden pallets. It never hurts to ask because you just never know!

Now, onto the fun part!…

2 Great Layouts For Pallet Gardening

The Vertical Garden

Step 1 –  Treating the pallet and lining it with landscape fabric

Before treating the wood with a wood preservative or wood paint suitable for outdoors, you should first sand it. Once that is complete, using a staple gun, cover the back, bottom, and sides of the pallet with a double thickness of landscape fabric.

Step 2 – Pack the pallet tightly with soil and plant upwards

The best way to do this is to start planting upwards from the bottom row and do a row at a time going up the pallet.

The soil should be firmly pushed into the available space and the plants should be packed tightly together. This allows the plant roots to grow, enabling them to hold the soil in place better for when you lift the pallet to display it vertically.

Step 3 – Keep your vertical garden well watered

Remember to water your vertical garden as they dry out quickly, especially at the bottom. You may fight it easier to lay it down flat to water but, you may find that some of the soil will trickle out by watering this way.

Raised Bed Garden

Step 1 – Decide what kind of raised bed you want to achieve

You can use the wooden pallets to make simple raised beds or you can also take the pallet apart to make a deep raised bed.

Keep in mind that you won’t be able to raise the bed too high with just one pallet, but it’s a good start. Raised bed gardening means you don’t need to bend down as much to tend to your plants. A raised bed also makes for great drainage for your plants.

Step 2  – Eliminate any weeds and close up the edges of the pallet

Ideally, you should start by eliminating weeds underneath where the raised garden bed will go. You’ll want to close up the edges of the pallet all around the narrow sides to prevent weeds from poking through. To do this, you can nail thin planks around the four edges or use strips of weed control fabric.

Step 3 – Lay the pallet on the ground and fill with compost

Plant it up through the slats and water thoroughly. Because you are raising the bed very little, this method will work best for shallow-rooted plants such as lettuce and strawberries.

Safety Tips When Gardening With Wooden Pallets:

• Wear heavy gardening gloves to protect your hands from splinters.

• Look for pallets that are stamped with “HT”. This means that the wood was heat treated as opposed to chemically treated. The heat treated wooden pallets are ideal for edible plants.

• Avoid using older wooden pallets as they can be contaminated. For example, if they get wet and sit in the elements for too long they can hold bacteria such as salmonella, e coli, and listeria.

Are you planning on doing some pallet gardening? We would love for you to share your photos with us!

Up Next: Preparing Your Spring Garden Now | It’s Never Too Early!

For awesome survival gear you can’t make at home, check out the Survival Life Store!

In need of some new gardening supplies to get started pallet gardening? Check out these options:

• Looking for an all-encompassing set of supplies? Give this GardenHOME 7 Piece All-In-One Garden Tool Set a try!
• For all the seeds you need and more, check out these Heirloom Vegetable Garden Seed Collection – Assortment of 15 Non-GMO, Easy Grow, Gardenin

from SurvivalLife https://survivallife.com/pallet-gardening/

10 Reason Every Prepper Should Own A Pit Bull

From my earliest recollection as a child, I always had a dog as a pet. The dog breeds ranged from chihuahuas to German Shepards… And everything else in between. But a vicious Pit Bull? HELL NO!

Why Every Prepper Should Own A Pit Bull

I wasn’t always a fan of the Pit Bull breed. Like most people, I was completely ignorant about Pit Bulls. I believed the hype of how the breed could never be trusted due to their killer instinct. I held these beliefs for quite some time. But that all changed a decade ago…

That’s when I met my wife. She is an animal lover and was involved with volunteering at pet adoption events. There was a big adoption/fostering event coming up in Newark, NJ and she asked me if I would volunteer since they were short on help. We were still in our “courting” stage and I wanted to impress her so I agreed to volunteer at this event. I asked a few of my Natural Training Center members to join me and they agreed. We jumped in my Jeep and headed for the event. At this point, I was excited about contributing to great cause and couldn’t wait to meet the pups.

We got to the event and we waited to be paired with a dog that was in need of fostering or adoption. Our job was to handle the dogs and expose them to as many people as possible to see if we can find a right fit for the new owner as well as the dog. It was my turn to get my furry buddy for the day and to my surprise… It was a muscular, 65lb Pit Bull!

I took the leash that was handed to me and a spec sheet with details about my dog. I couldn’t really look at the sheet because I was too busy trying to maintain my bearings and to not project fear. Somewhere I had read that if a Pit Bull smells fear on you, it’s over! Looking at the spec sheet I saw in big bold letters the header stated, “Hello, I’m Darla!”

I walked side by side with Darla and we were lead to our staging area. I looked at my watch and thought to myself… Just 4 more hours, you can do this…

Within about 20 minutes, we had our first visit from a family that was interested in Darla. The family had a small girl that was no more than 7 years old. My heart jumped into my throat as I saw the little girl dart towards Darla. The little girl hugged Darla as if the Pit Bull was a giant stuffed teddy bear and Darla proceeded to lick the little girl as if her face were made of ice cream. I was baffled! Pit Bulls are not supposed to be friendly, how can she react to strangers 10x better than my pure breed Jack Russell Terrier would have?

It was suggested by the woman in charge of the event that we walk around the venue with our dogs to give them a bit more exposure. I was still weary of Darla but she was walking by my side as if we had been together for years. I figured that Darla was special and an exception when it came to the Pit Bull stereotype. However, as I walked around the event I saw another Pit Bull. Ten feet later… I saw another Pit Bull & then another… As I finally began to relax at this event, I noticed that the majority of the dogs in attendance were Pit Bulls!

To my surprise, all of the Pit Bulls were as well behaved & as loving as Darla. The Pit Bull myth had now gone by the wayside, and the more Pit Bulls that I interacted with, the more that I began to adore the breed.

My wife and I continued to volunteer at other adoption events and at the local shelters. While volunteering at one of these shelters my wife came across a Pit Bull that had been severely mistreated. He was a white Pit Bull but at the time, my wife couldn’t make out his color because his coat was covered with filth. She brought the little guy home and we named him Bruno.

Bruno has spent many hours out in the field with me and Manchester, my Jack Russell Terrier. Within all those countless hours of training and working on preparedness skills, I learned a few things about the Pit Bull breed.

I want to share with you 10 reasons why I feel that every prepper should own a Pit Bull:

1. Pit Bulls Are Great For Security & Protection

The Pit Bull is a muscular breed that can be extremely intimidating, especially to those ignorant like me. Being aware of this, many Pit Bulls are used by their owners as guard dogs. Their stature, look and stare make them perfect deterrents to the would-be unwelcome “guest.”

Wherever your basecamp may be, the Pit Bull will alert you to noises and movement in the distance that you would otherwise be unaware of. Depending on their training, Pit Bulls can become very aggressive toward unwanted visitors. However in most cases, once the Pit Bull has done its job by notifying their owner of a stranger approaching… and the owner gives the OK signal… The Pit Bull will continue to pursue the victim with a serious tongue lashing and a few hugs. Let’s keep that last part of our secret.

2. Pit Bulls Are Excellent Swimmers

In an emergency situation, wading through a waist-deep body of water is a common occurrence in order to achieve certain missions. Luckily, this is one of the facets of working on Preparedness that my Pit Bull, Bruno, really enjoys. Not only is this an important characteristic for your dog to have, so that he does not become a liability, but it also helps him get and remain in excellent physical condition.

Being that the Pit Bull is a proficient swimmer, they can also help you gather food. I have several friends that take their Pit Bulls hunting and use them to retrieve water fowl during their hunting trips. Bruno has yet to retrieve any ducks for me but he is a skilled tennis ball and tree branch retriever from the local watering hole.

3. Pit Bulls Have Excellent Endurance

In the early 19th century, Pit Bulls were used as working dogs on rural farms. They were known as the “poor man’s horse.” Their muscular bodies and desire for adventure allow them to cover great distances with very little effort. If you go, they go…

When I am out in the field with Bruno and some of his fellow Pitbulls, we trek for hours. The terrain is not always easily navigated but the Pit Bulls seem to take everything in stride. Just like other dogs and even people, Pit Bulls need to be hydrated so be sure to take frequent water breaks and keep that water purifier on you at all times.

In an emergency situation, you and your Pit Bull may have to cover lots of ground on foot. Having the confidence that my dog can get to our destination takes a bit of the stress away. The fact that my dog can carry his own water and even his food, makes Bruno a viable asset in my ability to survive a SHTF scenario.

4. Pit Bulls Are A Healthy Breed

Pit Bulls are generally a healthy breed, but they are susceptible to the same ailments as most other large breed dogs.

“The Pit Bull is a strong, muscular dog, with good skeletal formation, but like all dogs can be prone to hip dysplasia, a hereditary defect in the joint between the hip and hind legs.” (1)

Most of these issues can be diagnosed and addressed early on in the Pit Bulls life. I have owned other dog breeds that requires specific medications in order to maintain their health. In an emergency situation, it would be difficult if not impossible to provide for my dogs medicinal needs. This is an aspect of preparedness that many forget to include in their personal plan, let alone planning for their dog.

Good nutrition and exercise will keep your Pit Bull healthy and prepared for whatever mission that you throw at them. Just like people, the better the lifestyle, the closer to optimal health that your Pit Bull will be. But unlike people… They solely depend on you for that lifestyle…

5. Pit Bulls Want To Be Family

The Pit Bull will easily assimilate into your family/tribe/group. They want to belong and will do what they can to fit in. When I first got my Pit Bull Bruno, he came into a home with 2 existing dogs. I have a Jack Russell Terrier and a Mini-Dachshund. We had the other 2 dogs for years and to say that they are both territorial is an understatement. Bruno arrived, was much bigger than the other 2 dogs but realized that he was outranked by the other 2 dogs.

Bruno did what he could to fit in but it took a while for him to be accepted into the pack. (still not sure the Jack Russell has fully accepted him yet) As Bruno grew and became 4x larger than the other dogs, he still maintained the respect and his position in the pack order.

When we add children to the mix, I can see why Pitbulls were known as Nanny Dogs.
“For most of the 114 years since the American pitbull terrier was first recognized by the United Kennel Club, the breed was rightly seen as the perfect “nanny dog” for children because of its friendly nature, loyalty and stability. As the ASPCA notes, the Pit Bulls were “once considered especially non-aggressive to people.” (2)

Bruno loves to play with children and is also very protective of them. When my niece and nephew come to visit, Bruno is in his glory. He performs a bit of a rain dance when he first greets them and never wants to leave their side. As my nephew goes around destroying all my trinkets that are within arms-reach, Bruno follows closely making sure that my nephew in not disturbed. We recently added a cat to our little tribe and as expected, our cat has become Bruno’s best friend.

6. Pit Bulls Are Loyal Companions

As a Pit Bull parent, I am well aware of their loyalty. They will do anything to please their owner. Unfortunately, that is what also brings the negative attention to the Pit Bull breed. Just like a human, a Pit Bull can be “raised” to be a benefit to society or trained to cause harm. A lot of the scum that we have in our society are aware of this and use the Pit Bulls as a tool of sport. The Pitbull will do anything for it’s owner including losing life and limb.

Luckily people are becoming more aware of this scenario and are monitoring these occurrences as we do what we can to prevent them. Pit Bulls make such great companions that they are being used to treat our military veterans with PTSD.

“Everyday, 22 veterans commit suicide (nationwide),” explained Jennifer Hunt, “and 4,000 pit bulls are euthanized each day. We are going to take pit bulls and train them to be therapy or service dogs for veterans with PTSD.” (3)

Pit Bulls are also making their way into retirement homes giving the seniors much needed companionship as well as love.

“These dogs (Pit Bulls) have been visiting nursing homes, hospitals and rehabilitation centers for several years. Their arrival is always eagerly awaited and patients are especially delighted with the dogs’ inherently affectionate natures.” (4)

We all know in a disaster situation, companionship is key. It may be the only other being that we can trust and depend on. In Castaway, Tom Hanks had Wilson to keep him sane… For me, I have Bruno! He also makes a wonderful heat source in colder climates when used to snuggle with.

7. Pit Bulls Are Easy To Train

The fact that the Pit Bull is extremely loyal and eager to please its owner, makes the breed easily trainable. The masses are starting to finally realize this fact and even Law Enforcement has chosen to add Pit Bulls to their K-9 units.

“New York’s First K-9 Pitbull Is Top Dog -Now she’s New York state’s first K9 pit bull officer. She is part of the City of Poughkeepie Police Department’s K9 force and her partner is Officer Justin Bruzgul. Kiah is Bruzgul’s first K9 partner, and together they’re patrolling the streets of Poughkeepsie, making it a safer place to be.” (5)

In a SHTF situation the Pit Bull can be trained for a plethora of things including patrolling your perimeter. Earlier on, we discussed how the Pitbull can be trained as a retriever for hunting purposes. One thing that my Pit Bull Bruno does is to retrieve sticks. He goes out into the bush and comes back with not only kindling but also some serious fuel. I selfishly claim that I taught him this firewood gathering “trick.” But to be honest, he is just looking for the next… BIGGER & BADDER chew toy…

8. Pit Bulls Are Very Affordable

As we work on our preparedness, budget is always a concern. We need to gather a lot of different gear and none of that comes cheap. When we equate that to owning a dog, certain breeds can cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. But when it comes to owning a Pit Bull, the ludicrous fees charged by most puppy-mills become null and void.The bad news is that due to the vicious Pit Bull stigma, many Pit Bulls end up in shelters or worse. The good news for you is that you can own a Pit Bull at a fraction of the cost of other dog breeds.

Since the ASPCA, rescue groups and local shelters are at max capacity with these loving Pit Bulls, you can adopt one for a small fee. Most of the time, these fees even include vaccines and other medical treatments.

Keep in mind that we are talking about a loving dog here… not a piece of equipment that you store and use when you need it. If you feel that you cannot provide for your Pit Bull and give them a great life in their short lifespan, then please stay away from owning any dog let alone a Pit Bull. Wait until the time i right and then go ahead and adopt your new best friend.

Another cool feature that most shelters and rescue groups offer is the ability to foster a Pitbull. So if you are not quite sure if a Pit Bull is for you and your lifestyle, you can foster the Pit Bull for a short time period. This frees up their spot at the shelter allowing another dog to take it’s place and have a fighting chance of finding a home.

During this fostering period you can take your Pit Bull out into the field with you. You can go through various preparedness training scenarios with the Pit Bull at your side. You can feel what the breed is all about and judge if it is the right fit for you. In the meantime, you can search for a permanent loving home if you decide that the time is not yet quite right.

Once again, the Pit Bull is not a rent-a-car that you are using for the weekend in order to play and post pictures on Facebook. Fostering is a great responsibility that requires serious decision making. If you think that you will just return the Pit Bull after you had your fill, you are not only an asshole, but you will have to answer to some of us that patrol our local rescue groups. Treat your Pit Bull like a child regardless of the precious time that you get to spend with them. You will get back a lot more than you put in.

9. Pit Bulls Do Not Require Much Space

Whether you need to bug out or bug in, Pit Bulls make due with small spaces. Whether it is in a vehicle, a tent or a small shelter in your home, Pit Bulls tend to turn themselves into a round little ball making you almost unaware of their presence. Keep in mind that they will require exercise to maintain that level of tranquility. But as someone focused on being prepared, you must address your own physical preparedness. By being responsible for your Pit Bulls daily exercise needs you will also be building up your strength and endurance. This will ensure that you are both ready for any upcoming missions.

I lived in a small apartment when I first got my Pit Bull Bruno. Once Bruno got to 75lbs. I was a bit worried that I may not have adequate space for him. Since I have an active lifestyle, Bruno was with me while hiking, running, trekking and even came into my dojo to play on the mats. Once we got back to our apartment, he would find a spot on the couch, roll into a small ball and just relax for hours.

Me and Bruno have gone on countless outings together where we needed to stay in a tent. Bruno would integrate seamlessly into my one-person tent, barely budging, and allowing me to get quality rest. The thing that remained constant was giving him proper nutrition, hydration and of course… EXERCISE.

10. Pit Bulls Have A Versatile Diet

Unlike my other dogs that are sensitive to many different food groups, Bruno seems to take everything in stride. I give Bruno the best quality, protein filled food with no fillers, that I can afford. But when I go out into the field, Bruno eats what I eat. I have a much cleaner diet than most and I make sure that everything that he consumes assimilates well with him natural diet. Well, at least while I’m watching… Did I mention that Pit Bulls can be very sneaky when it comes to food?

“Pit bulls can also be fed homemade dog food that consists of hamburger, chicken, boiled vegetables and rice, as well as canned dog food, refrigerated dog food, raw meat and raw bones. Homemade diets should consist of at least 70 percent protein. Foods containing high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids help pit bulls maintain a shiny coat, minimize shedding and promote healthy bowel movements.” (6)

Knowing that the Pit Bull diet has flexibility is crucial to those of us focused on preparedness. Having “home-made” options when store bought dog food is not an option is certainly an asset. It takes a great deal of pressure off of me knowing that I can trap, snare, fish or hunt for Bruno’s nutritional needs and he will fair well. I realize that we both need a strong immune system if we hope to survive a disaster situation. Proper nutrition will go a long way in helping us get through the stressful scenario.

Bottom Line:

Owning a Pit Bull has been one of the best experiences in my life. However, this joy comes with a responsibility. When we hike with or even walk our Pit Bulls down the street, people are watching. You and your Pit Bull are ambassadors to the breed. How you and your Pit Bull act and interact in public has everything to do with public perception. For the sake of our wonderful Pit Bull breed and for you and your family’s preparedness benefit… Be the person that your loving Pit Bull thinks that you are. Those are very large boots to fill but as always… I encourage you will lead from the front!

For awesome survival gear you can’t make at home, check out the Survival Life Store!

If you’re looking for some toys or supplies for your Pit Bull, check out these options!

• Keep your Pit Bull happily gnawing one this KONG Jumbler Ball Dog Toy!
• If your furry friend enjoys a good bone, give this Benebone Bacon Flavored Wishbone Chew Toy a try!
• If you’re looking to train your Pit Bull, read this Training Your Pit Bull book!

from SurvivalLife https://survivallife.com/prepper-own-pit-bull-dog/