How to Separate Fighting Dogs

Dog fights happen quick, furious and even to the calmest of canines. To successfully separate fighting dogs, you have to be equally as quick and furious and definitely remain calm. Input from experts as well as my own trial and error have led me to the following tips on how to separate fighting dogs.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Lightning reflexes
• Water or other liquid
• Towel or blanket
• Something large and loud to kick and bang on

1. Yell. Making a loud noise that startles the dogs is a good way to get them disengaged from each other. Other loud noise options include banging on a garbage can, clapping your hands or kicking at something metal. If noise makes no dent, move on to Step 2.
2. Hurl a liquid. A bucket of water sometimes works, as did half a cup of coffee in my travel cup that broke up two dogs at the dog park. Make sure, of course, the liquid is not scalding hot. There’s no reason to hurt the dog further while attempting to prevent injury. If liquid falls flat, move on to Step 3.
3. Throw in the towel, blanket or some other large yet soft item to help distract the dogs and break up the melee. Tug on the blanket or snap the towel at them to get their attention away from each other. Beware not to simply cover them, however, so they just continue to fight in the dark. If the towel doesn’t take, move on to Step 4.
4. Go up to the dogs and shove them together. Yes, an expert told me this one although I’ve yet to test it in action as the earlier steps have worked for me. Rather than attempting to pry to two lashing dogs apart, which will just lead to the ripping of ear or skin, shove them together so they ram each other, their jaws unclench and you are able to distract them away from each other.
5. Get your dog to a safe area and make him sit down after the fight while you check for injuries and calm him down.

Tips & Warnings

• Know the difference between fight and play. Some dogs may appear or sound like they are ripping your dogs throat out, or vice versa, when it’s really all in fun. Signs to danger include an erect tail that whips wildly, a grimacing face full of teeth and crazed, glazed eyeballs.
• It is definitely a fight if there is bone fragment, blood or fur chunks hurling through the air.
• If the other owner is around, enlist his or her help. But don’t get a whole gaggle of people surrounding the warring pooches or it will just make them more frenzied.
• If it’s your dog that keeps starting the fights, please get some training.
• Keep your pet up to date with all his vaccinations.
• If your dog is injured, get the name, phone number, driver's license number and address of the other owner. That way you can sue them if it was their dog's fault and the vet bill went through the roof.
• Don’t panic. Swirling around like a lunatic will just make matters worse.
• Never physically get in the middle unless it is really a last resort. You are almost always guaranteed to get bit in the fray.