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May 23, 2013, 2:59am

Post-Apocalyptic Forums :: General :: Post-Apocalyptic Chatter :: Dogs in Post Apocalypse Media

Poll

Poll Question: Who are your top three favourite PA dogs?

Poll Options:

	You may select up to 3 answers in this poll.
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Blood (A Boy and His Dog)

(4 votes, 17.3%)

Dog (Mad Max 2)

(6 votes, 26%)

Kojak (The Stand)

(5 votes, 21.7%)

Samantha (I Am Legend 2007)

(3 votes, 13%)

Ben (Survivors 1975-1977)

(0 votes, 0%)

Bob (The Tribe)

(0 votes, 0%)

"The Dog" (Taronga)

(1 vote, 4.3%)

Chips (Dawn of the Dead 2004)

(0 votes, 0%)

Dogmeat (Fallout)

(1 vote, 4.3%)

Dogmeat II (Fallout 3)

(3 votes, 13%)

Boomer (Independance Day)

(0 votes, 0%)

Poll Totals:
Total Votes: 23
Total Voters: 9

Author

Topic: Dogs in Post Apocalypse Media (Read 429 times)

Banjo
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Dogs in Post Apocalypse Media
« Thread Started on Jun 29, 2012, 11:35am »

My first "real" thread here, so apologies if it's in the wrong place (please move!) or I've missed a similar thread here...

A comment in my "hello" newbie/FNG thread made me think about this: dogs are a common "theme" in post apocalypse fiction. I'd not realized just how many feature a canine companion for the hero(es)!

Off the top of my head, these are my fave PA dog heroes:

Blood - 'A Boy and His Dog' (movie/book) - Bearded Collie/West Highland Terrier cross
Dog - 'Mad Max 2' (movie) - Australian Cattle Dog (ACD)
Kojak - 'The Stand' (book/miniseries) - Irish Setter
Samantha - 'I Am Legend' (movie, Will Smith version) - Alsatian
Ben - 'Survivors' (1970's version)
Bob - 'The Tribe' (TV series) - Golden Retriever
Unnamed dog - 'Taronga' (book) - small cattle dog (ACD?)
Dogmeat - 'Fallout' (video game) - mongrel
Dogmeat II - 'Fallout 3' (video game) - ACD
Chips - 'Dawn of the Dead' (2004) - Collie
Boomer - 'Independence Day' - Yellow Labrador Retriever

We also, of course, get lots of "background performer" dogs in PA fiction, such as the dog in the movie 'The Day After Tomorrow' and the dog at the end of the movie version of 'The Road'... but they're not exactly up there with the "heroes" I've listed above, IMO! Nor are the fair share of rabid, crazed wild dogs in the genre!

Some Notes:

Blood is probably the coolest PA dog IMO (I'd have done the same for him as Vic did) but Dog (Mad Max 2) is really the canine who started the whole "guy and his dog in the wasteland" cliche, I think.
If I recall, Blood is a different breed in the original short story; Alsatian cross with genetic enhancements? I kinda prefer the movie version, actually!
I cared more about Sam than I did Neville in Will Smith's 'I Am Legend'.
Dogmeat in Fallout 1... those military base force fields!
Kojak got an entire chapter in 'The Stand' (one of my fave chapters, too) and is as much a hero as his human companions... though they'll never know it!
Although it's one of my fave PA shows (and tv shows period), 'Survivors' has the most hilariously BAD example of "savage wild dogs" ever... they're so comically docile and cute (in the episode 'Starvation')! Later dogs on the show were much more formidable, thankfully.
The heroic death of the unnamed, loyal dog in 'Taronga' really upset me as a kid.
Boomer (ID4) got the best slow-mo "hero moment" of any character in that ridiculous, cheesy film; I laugh out loud every time I see that clip.
Kojak ('The Stand') was originally named Big Steve, and he lived for 16 years. More proof he's awesome.
Was Chips (DOTD04) actively trying to get his human companions killed all the time? Or just trying to get away from them ("you idiots are going to get me killed!")
Hey, wasn't there a dog in the early episodes of 'Falling Skies'? Whatever happened to it? Did Pope cook it?!
Bob (The Tribe) was the dog's real name; he was owned by the show's creator, and became a canine "celebrity" in New Zealand after his role on the show ended, until his death in 2011.

How do others feel about these various canine characters?

More importantly, who have I missed out here?

« Last Edit: Jul 2, 2012, 8:20am by Banjo »

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matov
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Re: Dogs in Post Apocalypse Media
« Reply #1 on Jun 29, 2012, 12:56pm »

Firstly fantastic post. Just the sort of obscure PA related details a lot of us relish. I am sure some of our more survival minded chums in the US will be along to 'debate' the relative 'biting powers per square inch' of which ever canines they will be interbreeding up in their Idaho hideaways but for me this stands out...

Although it's one of my fave PA shows (and tv shows period), 'Survivors' has the most hilariously BAD example of "savage wild dogs" ever... they're so comically docile and cute (in the episode 'Starvation')! Later dogs on the show were much more formidable, thankfully.

It is a fantastic scene and legendary in the British PA world for the reasons you have listed. And the subsequent 'Mad Dog' episode in series 3 also seems to rank high as many peoples favourite one.

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KevinTheCynic
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Re: Dogs in Post Apocalypse Media
« Reply #2 on Jun 30, 2012, 9:43pm »

+1 to what Matov said, fantastic post on an aspect that doesn't really get a lot of attention.

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Banjo
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Re: Dogs in Post Apocalypse Media
« Reply #3 on Jul 2, 2012, 8:12am »

Thanks, folks! Glad someone found it interesting; I'm a big fan of the "little details" in PA fiction (I wanted to put this thread in one of those sections, but couldn't decide if it applied to PA Movies or PA Books, so put it here in the end).

I've added a quick poll now I've figured out how, too; hope that's okay!

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Pupnik
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Re: Dogs in Post Apocalypse Media
« Reply #4 on Jul 14, 2012, 9:46am »

I love dogs so am a big fan of any 'survivor and their dog' situation. I think it is a fairly realistic one too, just look at homeless people - they often have dogs even though it is probably hard enough looking after themselves, let alone a pet, but companionship can never be underrated.

I voted for Dog, Dogmeat and Samantha. Sam was probably my favourite thing about I Am Legend and I cried like a baby during that scene!

Maybe Rex from Fallout New Vegas should have been included though, if cyborg dogs count

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