Which ones would survive?

I would have to go with the GSD that would be the most likely to survive. I was watching a show on world wars a few years ago and the GSD was the breed that was used because they are so adaptable to different climates and such. The breed out lasted MANY that were used such as dobermans, rotties, boxers, and even dalmations.

of my own dogs.
the chihuahuas COULD survive on scavanging trash and scraps, but i doubt they would due to the shere fact that upon finding me dead theyd both mourn and likely die of deperession.
Our cocker wouldnt know what to do with himself

Ruby could survive, she is smart enough and fast enough and has CAUGHT small mammals (chipmoks ect) i doubt it would take long before the hunger would push her into the chomp yum stage.

but i agree, it would depend on climate and availablity of certain prey animals, my chihuahuas are constantly catching and eating grasshoppers during the summer months, if they wernt so attatched to people in a place with a large insect population where it was warmer they could be ok...

Well, if you think of this scientifically rather than science fictiony then we already have the answers.

Dogs have evolved on their own for millions of years, with man purposely interfering in the process for only a few thousand. If Great Danes, or GSDs, or even the wily Poodle could exist on their own without benefit of man, then they already would have.

The influence that man has had is not to make dogs more successful with out us, but to make them more dependent on us.

The most compelling arguments I have seen that explain the rapid evolution o modern dogs is that it is not evolution at all, but rather devolution. Dogs are dumb wolves. Certain dog breeds were developed to emphasize the tracking instincts, certain the chase, other the kill; with all other existing instincts de-emphasized.

Now, if you allow for us leaving huge heaps of trash and empty cities rather than a pristine earth, it is possible some breeds (my guess small sneaky ones) might survive until the trash ran out. Otherwise, the world will be left to the cats, the wolves, and the pigs, who do just fine without us.

George

I disagree with the above post. Dogs can survive without us, we are more dependent on them for companionship and loyalty then they are to us. If it were up to the dogs they would be running around, no confinement no rules no boundaries. But our society wont allow it.

English bulldogs would be the first to go . . . A lot of the toy dogs would go next, IMO. They are an ideal "snack size" for so many animals and most don't have too many hunting instincts. I think squash faced dogs like pekingese and shih tzus would be especially vunerable because even if they tried to hunt, it would be hard to them to get a grip on anything, not having much of a muzzle. (Don't those breeds have less teeth too?)

Small terriers would do fairly well, like feral cats do. As long as they didn't challenge something way larger than themselves, like a bear or moose, and get eaten or kicked to death.

Large breeds that tend to have same-sex dog aggression (or dog aggression in general) would quickly be winnowed out. A large dog needs a LOT of food . . . Large prey animals are typically hard to kill and dangerous . . . A pack is the most efficient way to kill them. If a large dog can't get along in a pack . . . it has a big disadvantage.

Medium sized dogs might be able to subsist by themselves on smaller prey. But that would be very risky, because if a dog pack (or a wolf pack, since there are no longer humans around for wolves to avoid) came upon a lone dog, they could kill or severely injure him.

Anything with a lot of prey drive would have a big advantage.

OK, if they are not dependent on us, then why do dogs around the world ONLY live on their own in cities and where there are people/garbage. Why aren't escaped rat terriers found in the deep jungles of Africa and why aren't runaway greyhounds terrorizing kangaroos in the Australian outback. Feral cats DO live in these places.

As far as my own personal dogs go, I def. think Naughty would bite the dust first. She is a very needy dog and is a tub o lard by nature, plus a heavier coat would make it very difficult in the texas heat. Pearl's breathing would also compromise her survival as well.

Kodak and Spider would have the best shot. Spy is very athletic and has a very high prey drive, I could def. see her catching and killing mice or whatever was available. Same goes for Kodak, as she is def. got the "dingo" attitude in the ACD body going on.

As for dogs in general, I think the little dogs and the big dogs would go first. I think your dog breeds that would survive are your medium built dogs, with brain power to think on thier own, alot of your herders and scent hounds. I could easily see Basenji's and ACDs running amuck lol.

There are to an extent, feral dogs living in situations like you describe. There was a coyote pack near my aunt's house that had a feral GSD running with them. She lived with them for two years, until my cousin was finally able to shoot her. She looked like a pure GSD. For sure she was not pure coyote, if she was even part (which I highly doubt).

A lot of feral dog packs that do get established tend to be taken out *very* quickly by farmers with guns, like that GSD did. They are extremely dangerous, tend to do a lot of damage to livestock, and are not protected by law like wolves.

Just look at wolves. They only live on a fraction of their former range, both in Europe and North America. Does this mean they are poorly adapted to living in the wild? No, it means they are poorly adapted to living in a world dominated by humans. The ONLY way they are able to recover any lost ground is by strict protection being put in place, and even then ranchers will still poach them when they begin to decimate their livestock and the govt. doesn't do anything to step in and take care of it.

Dogs don't get that kind of protection. We as humans do not allow them to exist without us. They become too dangerous and too expensive. There would be a lot of feral dog packs if people allowed them to become established.

You make good points, George . . . except Some of us live with dogs who aren't overly developed to emphasize one or two traits. That's one of the beauties - and responsibilities - of living with a more "primitive" breed. I can personally vouch for mine's abilities to stalk, kill and eat on their own. They really prefer what they hunt themselves. They also work together as a pack. They will use their herding instincts to drive their quarry where they want it, then one confronts and distracts while the others circle around, cutting off escape and making sure one is behind the prey to disable. They even confront human threats that way. But, you've gotta figure that anything that hunts jaguar . . . .

How does everyone think the different breeds will 'pack up'?

I believe that DA dogs will, fail in the end........they may rule at first but it will be the dogs with the best social skills that will survive.
As for terriers, I think it will depend on the dog, meaning hard or soft and whether its DA or not etc. Many terriers are smart enough not to take on some situations or at least not to do it alone lol.
I also think that the smaller dogs would end up (if possible) in the more arid areas, where the medium sized dogs wouldn't be, due to the lack of larger game.
I think any breed that isn't athletic and doesn't have social skills wont make it very long. Breeds with bad bites and limited in any way physcially would also go.....heavy boned/heavy body dogs done, dogs known to have problems whelping..toast. Any breed that requires grooming (my friend is a groomer and she has told me of the mats so bad that there are magots...........) gone.

I don't agree with this necessarily..........DA dogs will still pack up.......the strongest would still lead, there would be squabbles but the strong would rule the roost until it lost to the next strongest came to take the "crown" for leader..........sort of like a pack of lions or hyenas, baboons, or any other group like that.

I tend to agree, my jrts will hunt as a pack or by themselves.........they do track, chase and take down quarry and they will eat it.
I watched one of my girls, while chasing a rabbit, put her head under the rabbits belly and grab the opposite front leg and bring it down, she then violently shook it, flipped it over and put in a death hold by the throat.
Interesting style at a dead run.
My one dog will sit for hours and not move a muscle, waiting for a mouse to appear, that fast he has it, one chomp its done and he will eat them. He will also play with them like a cat, throwing them in the air and catching them.

Heheh . . . there used to be a JRT that lived in the trailer park next to Charley's farm who LOVED to come over and hunt with Bimmer.

As long as Buffy wasn't around.

The poor little guy had insulted her once and she never forgot . . . or let him forget. She had him completely convinced that if she ever caught him he was an appetizer. Of course, she could catch him anytime she wanted, she just liked to torment him.

Its been said that Dingos came to Aust. with the aboriginals and then became feral. The same is thought about the Carolina Dog. The Carolina does spend much of its time on the edge of human civilization, but they have made several adaptations, including den digging, to the wild. Just because they use the edges of human settlements does not mean they need it, raccoons and skunks do not give up free meal either!

My old retriever would fetch with a soft mouth, but was also prey driven. She had 2 baby skunks and an escaped domestic rabbit to her credit. She would have been too slow to deal with grown ones though. GSDs are notorious cat killers, I guess you cant herd cats! I've seen a cattle dog dig for its own water before... Hyper-DA wont go far, ie some pits, but those who just squabble, or fight over something good isn't unfeasible. Wolf hybrids have been called DA before...

I think the major failing of many breeds would be speed. Unless there is a great pack working out, there is no substitute for speed. Coat and climate would also come close, a double coat would be required in most of NA and Europe.

I think that some of us are making different points.

"Which ones will survive?" could mean which will find enough food to last through the first winter...my poodle certainly wouldn't, not unless he was clever enough to fashion his own can opener (won't eat dry kibble) but other dogs would.

However, to survive can also mean continue to exist and compete. I think the fact that one GSD was able to survive with a pack of coyotes is interesting,but does not mean they could compete with true coyotes to survive over time. My guess is that rather quick real wolves and real coyotes would prove why they have survived so well thus far.

PSYFALCON does make a great point about Dingos....from what I have read they are descended from domestic dogs, or probably a single domestic dog that was brought to Australia by Asians thousands of years ago. In Australia there were no foxes/coyotes/wolves to compete with, and they filled a void. So, domestic dogs could well survive on islands where there is no large carnivore competition....Puerto Rico?

Sorry I didn't make myself clear, what I meant was the severly aggressive.
Those are the ones that I don't think will be tolerated. As we know aggression doesn't necessarily mean alpha, especially in the extreme.

First breed that came to mind that would do well I would have to say would be ACD's. They can live happily never being bathed, they're great litlle hunters, can look after themselves and hold their own when needed. Same would go for kelpies.

BC's probably not so good as their coats would mat.

Where I used to live there were aLOT of strays, they basically just hung around town, most were ACD mixes and I believt hats how Buster would have grown up if we hadn't grabbed him.
Also saw packs of dogs in the middle of the bush, so yes domestic dogs can easily live dependantly.

Also most dingoes arn't pure anymore thanks to wild dogs mixing with them and interbreeding.

I was thinking they are fully able to survive on their own but without their people they would see no reason. Almost all border collies I have met work to please their owner. They are never happier then when they are doing what their owner asks. Bandit starved himself when I went on vacation and left him behind. He'd be dead pretty quick.

My boys coats never mat and I will honestly admit I never brush them except behind the ears. Well the odd time I will not it's not a common ritual around here. They are mat free. They do not have a thick coat or a thin coat. They've got a nice, no effort coat suitable for all weather.

I hadn't thought about the coat types before. What would happen to a poodle's coat with no one to groom it? I've heard the coat never falls out and never stops growing?

Yes, I do think breeds with long coats like Irish setters, show-style English setters, etc, would die out over time.

I think huskies would adapt well . . . They're athletic, prey-driven, get along great in packs, and are independant (from humans.) Though probably they would stay in the cooler parts of the world . . . They could overheat in hot places.