• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Loadout Room

The Loadout Room

Professional Gear Reviews

Hardcore Gear and Adventure

Menu
  • Shooting
        • Pistol
        • Pistol Accessories
        • Rifle
        • Rifle Accessories
        • Shotgun
        • Machine Guns
        • Air Guns
        • Ammunition
        • Optics and Sights
        • Weapon Lights
        • Tips & How-To
        • Concealed Carry
        • Holsters
        • Suppressors
        • Precision Rifle Shooting
        • Firearms Training
        • skorpFull-Auto Fun — Shooting the full-Auto vz. 61 Škorpion
        • p320-full-leftSIG Sauer M17/M18/P320 Pistol Just Can’t Seem to Escape Safety Controversies
        • TISAS_10100520_1__98179Tisas 1911A1 U.S. Army Review: Best Budget .45 ACP WW2 1911 Clone?
        • Photoroom_20250531_143432Pyramyd AIR’s Springfield Hellcat Pro CO2 BB Pistol Is the Ultimate Dry-Fire Trainer
    • Close
  • Gear Reviews
      • Mission Gear
      • Camping Gear
      • Survival Gear
      • Medical Gear
      • Adventure & Travel
      • Knives & Tools
      • Overland
      • Disaster Preparedness
      • Footwear
      • Womens Gear & Clothing
        • Hunting in TexasThese 5 ATV Dealers Will Get You Ready For Hunting Season in Texas
        • ac65a540-2ef3-4598-8d11-afdf53f46e94.__CR0,0,970,600_PT0_SX970_V1___Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount HL-X: A Thoroughly Bright Review
        • Bluetti 2 handsfree power backpackBluetti Handsfree 2 Review: The Ultimate Power Backpack for Off-Grid Adventurers
        • The Gallagator 10 day pack on the shoreline next to a hiking trail.Day Pack – Mystery Ranch Gallagator 10 – The Best Yet?
    • Close
  • Men’s Lifestyle
      • Fitness
      • EDC
      • Eyewear
      • Watches
      • Electronics & Technology
      • Downtime
      • Mens Clothing & Accessories
      • Manly Skills
      • Style & Grooming
      • Gentleman Drinks
      • Crate Club
        • Tom and Blake Sell TeaHow Sasquatch Tea Is Revitalizing a Stagnant Tea Market With Veterans and Outdoorsmen in Mind
        • redcat-blackwidow-articleheaderWar of Words: In the Ultra-Competitive Defense Tech Industry, Storytelling is a Secret Weapon
        • Photoroom_20250525_074933Juggernaut Tactical Frame Review: The Best Upgrade for Your 365
        • craft holstersCraft Holsters Makarov Tuckable IWB Holster Report
    • Close
  • News
  • Video Demo
  • Buying Guides
  • Shop
  • Advertise

I’m Not a Sheepdog (and you shouldn’t be either)

Sheep Dog

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. If you fall into one of those categories I won’t argue with you. In the gun community. however, the term sheepdog can be given to anyone who carries a gun. This term is often self-given. An accountant, a carpenter, delivery man, anyone, and everyone can be a sheepdog, you just need a legally carried gun.

Sheepdog

The problem I have with this term is that it implies some sort of duty. A real sheepdog has a job. He is fed, watered, and given a place to sleep because he protects the sheep. He has a duty to the sheep. The term implies also implies some form of authority over the sheep. A real sheepdog herds the sheep. Without a badge, you have zero authority. You also have zero responsibility to the ‘sheep’ in this metaphor. 

Just be a Dude

I’m a normal guy. I have no authority over anyone besides my five-year-old. I have no duty to protect anyone. That’s not saying I wouldn’t, it’s saying I don’t have to. The term sheepdog is an ego boost given to people who carry guns. I get it, I understand it, it’s addictive. You don’t have to really do anything to be a sheepdog except carrying a gun and call yourself a sheepdog. It makes you special, it makes you a protector of the weak. All without having to deal with the nastier parts of being a cop or a soldier, or an EMT, or a firefighter.

 

I preach against the sheepdog mentality for two reasons. First, it creates a dangerous mindset. The term sheepdog implies you are the good protecting the sheep from evil. This mentality says that violent situations are always clear cut. There is a good guy, a bad guy and a victim. The truth of the matter is that the world is rarely black and white, it’s almost always shades of grey. This mentality could lead some good people to make bad assumptions. Bad assumptions get people killed. The police, the prosecutors, and society doesn’t care about your good intentions. Maybe you assume that someone’s a sheep and you get got because you made a bad assumptions. Maybe you think someone’s a wolf and you pull that trigger, and now you’re in prison with real wolves.

Mentalities.

The next problem is the mentality it creates. If you are a sheepdog then someone has to be the sheep. This places walls between you, and them. You may begin to look down on the sheep. You consider them the lesser. This creates an us versus them mentality.

 

As a concealed carrier your goal isn’t to protect your community. Your goal is to protect yourself and your family. The media has long tried to convince the world concealed carriers are just wanna be cops. This sheepdog mentality feeds into that stereotype. I carry a gun for the same reason I wear a seatbelt when I drive because my car beeps until I do. I joke. We carry guns, wear seatbelts, fly a dive flag when we go off the boat, and wear a helmet when we climb all for the same reason. I take my personal well being serious. 

Helping Others

I can’t fault anyone for wanting to help people. Instead of being a sheepdog, why don’t you volunteer in your community? Teach some basic gun safety to some neighbors. Work at a homeless shelter. Collect money for Unicef.

Porcupine stings

At the end of the day I don’t think you should be a sheepdog. If you want to be compared to some kind of animal, be a porcupine. A porcupine is an easy going animal.

 

Likes to be left alone, is passive. Until he’s threatened. A porcupine only acts defensively. A porcupine will often retreat when possible, and only fight when put in the corner. Sometimes the porcupine may lose, but he always strikes a blow. Be a porcupine.

Sheepdog or porcupine

Share This

About the Author

Travis Pike Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine gunner who served with 2nd Bn 2nd Marines for 5 years. He deployed in 2009 to Afghanistan and again in 2011 with the 22nd MEU(SOC) during a record setting 11 months at sea. He’s trained with the Romanian Army, the Spanish Marines, the Emirate Marines and the Afghan National Army. He serves as an NRA certified pistol instructor and teaches concealed carry classes.

See All Travis Pike Articles

More From The Loadout Room

Comments

Primary Sidebar

Most Read

  • Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
    Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
  • The Kaw Valley Linear Comp - Reviewed
    The Kaw Valley Linear Comp - Reviewed
  • The Biggest Little Roundgun: The 3-Inch Kimber K6s
    The Biggest Little Roundgun: The 3-Inch Kimber K6s
  • Mossberg Shockwave Versus Remington Tac 14
    Mossberg Shockwave Versus Remington Tac 14
  • Springfield Range Officer 1911: Full Review
    Springfield Range Officer 1911: Full Review

Find Us on Facebook

Recent Comments

  • Winston Smiths on Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
  • Jared Mize on The Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife: A Commando Blade That Changed Special Forces Forever
  • GomeznSA on MAC-10: The Wild History of America’s Most Iconic (and Overrated) Submachine Gun

Latest From SOFREP

News

Evening Brief: American Veterans Wounded in Gaza, China and Russia Snub Iran

Veteran Culture

A Former Navy SEAL’s Top 10 Tips on Transitioning From Military to Civilian Life

Body Armor

Why Every American Should Own a Plate Carrier (And Plates)

Editorial Cartoon

SOFREP Sunday Cartoon: From the Bund to the Boroughs

Military Content Group

© Copyright 2025 Military Content Group · All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertisers
 

Loading Comments...