Why I’m not a Sheepdog

There are many different elements to gun culture. We can discuss ballistics, sectional densities, and coefficients. We can argue the best holster material, firearm trainer, and defensive ammunition til the sun rises. These are elements of gun culture. One of the most important pieces of gun culture is mentality.  Mentality is basically a subsection of concealed carry, which is already a subsection of self-defense. When you discuss self-defense and mindset the term sheepdog is often thrown around. This has happened more and more since the opening monologue of American Sniper.

The sheepdog mentality states there are three kinds of people. The Sheep, who are the average everyday person. In the sheepdog mindset these people are unarmed and do not take self-defense seriously. Then there is the sheepdog, the protector of the sheep. The last category is the wolf. The wolf is the bad guy. He eats sheep. As far as I can tell this entire concept was derived by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman and his work.

Types of Sheepdogs

The sheepdog can go one of two ways. Police, military, first responders can make a fair argument for being sheepdogs.

Feature image courtesy of THE LOADOUT ROOM.

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