I had an amazing guy make one of me and my dogs fighting off monsters in a post apocalyptic city. https://imgur.com/01ZgAe5 You can also craft your dog armor for fairly cheap if you are willing to do the chainmail yourself.

Historically, they were most effective as a psychological weapon against unarmored people in skirmishes or raids. The Spanish conquistadors considered their dogs to be vital assets during the colonization of the Americas and utilized them in brutal fashion. Edit: Another thought.

The use of medieval dog armors wasn’t confined to Charles V’s court – they were crafted throughout Europe between the 14th and 16th centuries. Fashioned from leather, steel, or even boiled wood, these canine suits of mail served practical purposes.

As you noted, trained military dogs in medieval Europe had various roles in attack, defense, and as sidekicks. The centralized training, equipping, and distribution of the dogs shows that they were states' investments and did not just belong to individual nobles.

From noble hunting hounds to humble shepherd‘s dogs, from pampered lapdogs to fierce guard dogs, the medieval world was full of canine companions and workers. By examining the ways in which dogs were bred, trained, and treated, we can gain insight into the values and beliefs of medieval culture.