How To Do Just About Everything
By eHow Pets Editor
Rate: (8 Ratings)
Breaking up a dogfight can be dangerous. Depending on your size and abilities, choose from the following options.
eHow Pets Editor
How to Walk a Dog
By:
eHow Pets Editor
How to Break Up a Cat Fight
By:
eHow Pets Editor
How to Pack a First Aid Kit for Pets
By:
eHow Travel Editor
How to Calm a Pet's Fear of Visiting the Veterinarian
By:
eHow Pets Editor
How to Check the Respiratory Rate of Dogs and Cats
By:
eHow Pets Editor
Comments
Anonymous said
on 3/20/2006 I have a Boxer, and a German Shepherd mix. They are both bitches and always try to decide who is the alpha female. I used to try and break off the fight by dragging them off each other(usually the Boxer, though the other one always started the fight). Not anymore. I got my hand stitched after the last fight. I've noticed that if sprayed with a bottle of mineral water (after you agitate it) it distracts them and it gives me enough time to grab either dog, thus stopping the fight.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 As a rescue worker (and groomer) , I have been present during many a dog fight. Some fights really are just posturing and will play themselves out in a minute or two, but when a really serious fight breaks out, there's just no way to stay safe 100% of the time. With smaller, less aggressive dogs the wheelbarrow technique (grabbing the dog by the hind legs and pulling) is a pretty good measure, but if a dog is very tall or heavy, it can be tricky. Also, some dogs are very tenacious once they have a hold on another dog and the wheelbarrow technique may just compound the other dog's injury or pain.
While we're on the subject of pain, it should not be used as a means to break up a dogfight. Some dogs can take a lot of pain, especially when adrenaline is up during a fight. I witnessed one man hold a lighter flame to his pit bull's ear until it was charred, and the dog still hung on! To break up a fight by beating, kicking, or going for sensitive parts is just adding insult to injury. There are only two ways I know of to minimize injury - one is by cutting off air supply and the other is by introducing water (it has to be strategic though). By that I mean, one thing all dogs universally hate is water deep in their ears! I don't care if you have a dog that loves water, you may have the most dedicated hunting dog that will jump into a half frozen lake in February, he still cannot tolerate water down in his ear canal. As a groomer, I have learned it's pretty much involuntary for a dog to try and rid the water from their ears as soon as possible. If you squirt liquid down a dog's ear canal, they will stop whatever they're doing and immediately tilt that ear down toward the ground, if you do not restrain their head, they will close their eyes and shake vigorously. In the previously mentioned fight between a pit bull and an Akita, the two owners tried everything (some of it cruel indeed). Nothing was working until I made it back from my truck with some bottled water. The owner held the pit bull's ear up for me, and I squirted the cold water way down into his ear. It was almost comical to watch him try to figure out how to keep his hold and still manage to shake the water out. We had to do both ears, and then he couldn't take it; he had to get serious about expelling the water. If no water is available, but the dogs are wearing collars, or there is some kind of leash, rope or chain long enough to go around the dog's neck (above the trachea), you can cause them to faint long enough to pull them apart. You have to be careful not to get bit, and also not to use crushing pressure on the dog's lower neck or trachea. Any noose-like action has to happen between the area just above the trachea and behind the juncture of the jaws, and follow straight up and just behind the back of the ears. To minimize the chance of getting bit; keep the pressure on, keep your hands just behind their ears, and suspend as much of the dog's front end as possible. I include both dogs in this equation, as both dogs get limp & "woozy", it has a synergistic effect on the will to fight. Even if the aggressor isn't down for the count yet, he'll feel the other dog going limp and it'll tone him down quicker. The only problem with this technique is you have to be physically pretty strong and you have to be mentally calm enough to hang in there as long as it takes for the dogs to lose consciousness and be separated, but not so long as to become the "Boston terrier Strangler". OK bad pun, but the technique does work, even police K9 trainers have had to do it to their own dogs because of excitability during bite work.
Anonymous said
on 3/10/2006 I've had a good bit of experience stopping dog fights. My dog is very aggressive because I never socialized him with other dogs. I've had quite some trouble on my hands before.
Tip #1: Do not try to grab the dog's snout. You may manage to get the dog away, but if the dog gets loose it may go back. In the process, your arms may get badly bitten and scratched up.
Tip #2: It would be very wise to carry a break stick in case of a dog fight. It doesn't matter if the dog's a pit bull or not.
Tip #3: Do not try to kick, punch, throttle, smack, or anything of the sort to try to get the latched on dog off of the other. You may be it's next target.
Tip #4: Yes, water does work. Very well, I might add.
Tip #5: Yelling. I honestly can't tell you whether yelling is a good idea or not, and I don't think anyone could. From my experiences, my dog sometimes stops when I fuss, but also sometimes gets even more rowdy. It all depends on the dog. Some dogs may become more frightened, angry, or confused if yelled at, making the dog want to fight even more. On the other hand, you might have a dog who completely drops it when you fuss at him. So, this one, you'll have to figure out for yourself.
Tip #6: Protecting the neck- I know that sometimes a dog will go for the neck of the other dog. In order to prevent them from grabbing your dog's neck, I put a spiked collar on your dog. When my dog got into a fight, my dog had his spiked collar on. That was a very good thing because it looked like the other was trying to go for my dog's neck. But the collar prevented him from latching on. I highly suggest getting a spiked collar for your dog. A half inch spike is good, but a one inch is even better. That's one surefire way to keep your dog's neck protected.
I hope my tips have helped. Keep in mind that all these tips are from my own personal experiences. If you ever find yourself in this sort of situation, try remembering some of these, and hopefully they work for you.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 If your dog is aggressive, no matter what the cause, train it to an acceptable, social standard. There is no dog that can't be trained, just lazy owners that can't be bothered. Remember, don't let your dog come to the fate of being labeled aggressive and being put to sleep because of your laziness!
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 We own a mechanic shop and have 2 pitbulls that have always lived together, a male and a female. When they fight, neither of them will back down. I usually either wait until I have a good chance to reach in and grab them at the scruff of their necks (so I don't get bitten). Or, I take a metal folding chair and bang it on the floor near them, or push the chair in between them. The noise scares them and they stop fighting.