Using the Enemy to Your Advantage

I have to say, one of the coolest things I've seen is Michonne in The Walking Dead using zombies to her advantage.  By keeping them on a leash and near her, she masks her smell and can walk safely from one place to another.  It is a very practical solution to an impractical situation.

I started writing a story a few years ago, right after the horrific earthquakes in Haiti, about using zombies for defense.  That story was put away and I worked on other things, but I think it's about time to pull it out again and finish it.  Using zombies as tools fascinates me to no end.

There are inherent risks using zombies.  First and foremost is catching one.  It's rare that zombies travel solo.  They are usually in packs.  And how do you stop it from alerting others to your presence or attacking you?  Michonne obviously overcame that hurdle by removing the zombies' biggest threats:  the arms and mouth.  That works since she is only using them to move from one place to another, but what if you need those intact?  If you're using them to defend yourself or your property, you need their "weapons" fully functioning.  These are some issues I haven't worked out quite yet, but I plan to when I write.  Hopefully, my characters will have some good solutions to the problem.

If the world is going to end because the dead have risen from the grave, the survivors are going to have a long road ahead of them.  They'll need to use every tool they have at their disposal, and that might include using the undead.  Using zombies might have advantages that haven't yet been explored.  It will be interesting to see what those are.

Would you ever use zombies to your advantage?  If so, what would you use them for?