A dog, more so than any other animal, could be your ultimate friend during the end of times. More than that, a canine companion could help you stay alive longer. I came up with five different ways that a dog is the most useful tool to help you during the apocalypse. You get an early-warning system, a personal trainer, protection and a fiercely loyal companion to help keep you sane. So here are my five reasons why a dog would be the best companion for the coming of the end.

1. They are a great early warning system.

Dogs have a super sense of hearing. It’s a helpful early warning system for the walking dead when they come close to your campsite or shelter. At 50,000 Hz, a dog’s hearing abilities give it an acute advantage — a zombie could be heard limping up from a far distance away. The extra set of ears could be your biggest survival tool. That is, if your dog doesn’t bark loudly and give your position away. However, that leads me to my next point.

2. They're the perfect personal trainer.

One word: cardio. One of the first “rules” of a zombie apocalypse is, if you’re going to survive an attack of the undead, you’re going to need to run A LOT. Guess who loves to run? Dogs. Plus, your dog will always be there to run ahead of you to motivate you to push even harder, kind of like your own personal trainer. That is incredibly valuable at a time when running just a little bit faster can mean the difference between life and “undeath.”

3. They can smell anything from a mile away.

Dogs have a super sense of smell. Imagine, for a moment, that small part of your brain devoted to sorting out various different smells. Now multiply that area times 40, and you have an idea of just how much better a canine’s ability to smell is than yours. Not only, then, would your dog be able to smell and hear (going back to point number one) a zombie approaching — but your dog might also be able to smell who among your other living companions has been infected before they turn into flesh eaters. Also another advantage (and a very important and tasty one, in fact): your dog can help you sniff out food and certain kinds of supplies.

4. Train your dog to follow commands.

Your dog could literally be trained to distract a zombie. This would work particularly well with herding breeds like border collies, cattle dogs, and corgis. I mean, some people train their dog to fetch them a drink from the fridge and bring it to the living room; think about how much easier it might be to train your pup to herd a zombie. These skills come naturally to certain dogs. If they don’t, then it’s very easy to start training them now to be prepared for the Armageddon. It’s never too late, you know!

5. Who can deny that they are man's best friend?

Dogs are incredibly loyal. They will be ‘till the end of time itself. They help keep you sane and grounded in reality by showing you that animals have to endure the same chaos you do. This is a huge psychological advantage in a trying time when people who have no idea what to do with themselves might completely lose their minds. Also, very few humans would provide the kind of loyal-to-the-death companionship that a dog would give you, asking nothing in return but a pat on the head. Simple as that.

So just in case if you ever thought to yourself, "I wonder what I need to prepare myself for the apocalypse." Don't forget that these guys will always have your back. They're always in your corner rooting for you. If you choose man's best friend as your number one companion, those zombies won't know what hit them!