I absolutely love having dogmeat as a companion while wandering the waste but as I progress in the game to higher levels he just can't survive the increased damage albino scorpions etc.

I've tried the good dog / bad dog commands however dogmeat doesn't seem to learn from them.

Does anyone know of a mod that gives us a command wheel like FONV where we can tell a follower to stay back or don't attack until I take the first shot?

I typically like to sneak in on a subject and having dogmeat just jump out and attack drives me crazy.

Yes, there are two mods for Dogmeat that are pretty cool.

This one I use not for the armor, but for the commands. It also adds things to the game like food bowls and such so you can set up a place for the dog to hang out. (Note, you have to tell him to stay, then tell him this is your new home or he will wander the entire cell). If you tell him to stay first, then this is his home, he will wander in a smaller area. Helpful for keeping him in a house. I use this to keep him in my Underground Hideout, he has a bowl and food dish and some food to nosh on.

http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/4474/?

The other mod makes him essential so he does not die. There are many of those on the Nexus, but the one I like makes all Followers and Caravan Merchants essential

http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout3/mods/867/?

Wow that sounds Great CCNA thank you I'm downloading the leather armor now.

I'll need to go read to see if there are any other mod conflict issues I'm running FOSE, Wanderers Edition and AWOP , AII, Fellout, DC interiors, Unofficial 3 patch, studder remover, and GNR Enhanced.

Thankis again for the quick response and suggestions. I can't wait to see how Dogmeat handles now that he has been to obedience school, haha

Isn't Dogmeat basically invulnerable with Broken Steel installed?

Yes and no. If Dogmeat is higher levels he does have an insanely high health level which means little in the game can kill him at that point. But he can still die under certain circumstances. It is the lower levels that he is more squishy. I am not sure what the mechanism is that levels him (tied to your character or how long you have him around).