How to break up a dog fight

[blackcob]

I think the back legs/wheelbarrowing technique assumes a perfect scenario of two people physically able to do it, calm and knowledgeable enough to co-ordinate it between them and one dog as the main aggressor that needs to be made to let go, rather than both equally gripping - probably not going to happen in the heat of the moment.

I've broken up two serious, not-stopping-until-someone's-dead fights (not mine!) and both times used a sofa cushion to push them towards a door, then closed it on their heads until they were forced to let go with one either side of it. There was absolutely no way you could have got hands anywhere near without a mistaken or redirected bite, and without a second person to keep them apart then getting one to let go was pointless as the other would just come back in.

I do think it rare that any two random dogs meeting on a walk would go at it hammer and tongs quite like that and kicking has been enough the few times it's happened to me in that scenario.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Cut off the air supply of the aggressor with whatever you can. My old trainer deftly threw a long line under a dog attacking mine, looped it and held it off the floor. Ninja skills.
As with BC, if you can, use some form of defensive item if possible.

If you look at what the special forces guys do, in some countries their dogs are not trained to let go. They use a break stick or a pull collar then immediately offer an alternative for the dog to bite down on, rather than them.

A piece of advice, pull up, do not pull back. Then it's a fight and skin gets torn. If you have to pull up and if you have help then make sure the other dog or the limb of the person is also lifted or supported.

Even when asking a dog to let go of a ball on a rope, I would never ask for an out if I was pulling back. The rope goes loose. Then out.
Opposition reflex.

When the other dog is back on the floor, expect it to come back again.

And agree, stay calm. Nothing high pitched, no prey movement.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Additional post as the forum is being a dick and putting in paragraph breaks I didn't ask for. I've also been bitten in handbags at dawn scraps where neither dog had a mark on them ?

 

[moosea]

Keep calm.

DO NOT EVER put your hands or face near fighting dogs.
As someone said earlier, dog fights are rarely fatal.

Water if you have some, or throw something to make a loud noise.

Take off your coat or find a stick and use it to hit the dogs if you feel that it is needed and it is safe to do so.

Do not pull them apart it can cause horrible tearing wounds.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Ive used my feet to good effect (and damaging effect) in the past. We always used to have a heavy chain lead as well. Ours never needed the heavy leads (excellent recall and not pullers) but they are good for leathering offenders human and canine.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Ive used my feet to good effect (and damaging effect) in the past. We always used to have a heavy chain lead as well. Ours never needed the heavy leads (excellent recall and not pullers) but they are good for leathering offenders human and canine.

You coulda done with that with your field neighbour lol

 

[Moobli]

Stay calm and no screaming or shouting. Easy to say, not so easy to do in the heat of the moment.
My OH has had odd bites over the years through intervening in squabbles, usually because he’s got his hands too close to the action while pulling one dog off the other.
The one time two of my dogs were in a serious fight, I rushed inside to get a pan of cold water but spotted the fire extinguisher so used that. I’d tried kicking, hitting, shouting, all to no avail. Thankfully the fire extinguisher worked a treat, although it freaked one dog out so much that he had to be put in the back of the truck for an hour or so to calm down.
I hate hate hate dog fights so try to quash any sign of friction or over arousal in the pack here before it gets a chance to spill over. Not so easy with unknown dogs.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Oh my trainer also told me, within reason, never to put the dog away straight after a dog fight or having a pop at a person. Even if the dog was not the aggressor,

So neither dog immediately retreats to a safe space thinking 'I showed him!! but is given a purpose/something else to think about.

This is not easy if you are crying and shaking from shock or dripping claret everywhere, but it's been done.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I so desperately want to move away from where we live. There are too many XL bully types around here, they are freaking massive, and if one went for Ivy I don't think we'd stand a chance with any of these methods. Not that breaking off a real attack from any dog would be easy or without risk, just from the sheer weight alone we'd be stuffed.

Closest we had was a French Bulldog pelt at us. It didn't get a chance to get near enough to her find out if it was properly going in for a bite. It was trailing it's lead so I grabbed that. It wasn't stopping coming at us from me shouting no and blocking it so if it hadn't been for the lead I think probably kicking it would have been the next line of defence.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Talking about the what if your dog/dogs got attacked @MrsMozart scenario, I think first of all, start with being aware about that it can happen. Do like athletes, prepare yourself, go through some possible scenarios, and imagine what you would do. Loud fights sounds scary, remember that when you imagine scenarios.

2: Try to be more mentally prepared for that it can happen in your daily life. Sometimes when you see another dog out walking on a leash, think What if it gets loose, and came at my dog now, what do I do? Hear other dogs approaching behind a hedge, maybe think What if?

3: Best way to stop a dog fight is to not let the other dog get close to your dog in the first place. The majority of dogs who want to fight with your dog, is not interested in fighting a human. Only some years ago a Saint Bernard came charging through the woods towards me, and my then trio. I dragged my bitches (fortunately on their leashes) in behind me, made sure I stood steady, and when the Saint Bernard came close I shouted/said No in a calm, deep voice. The dog stopped, tried to get around me, I moved to continue to be in his way, and to cut a long story short, when his owner caught up with him, he'd realised he wouldn't be able to get to my bitches, so allowed his owner to drag him away.

ETA If keeping my body between them hadn't been enough, I was ready to use my knees first, and second my feet... Though being in a wood, there wasn't many available sticks right where we were, but I would've done something. My inner Viking was ready for battle. /ETA

4: If another dog is attacking your dog, if possible, remember to don't bend down unless absolutely necessary. One of the biggest advantages we humans have is that we can look dominant simply by standing up straight, and making sure we're standing steady.
It's also easier for the dog to tell what's human, and what's dog, as long as they see something in the corner of their eye taller than them (most dogs fortunately aren't as tall as Irish Wolfhounds, and Great Danes).

4b: A knee in the ribcage have worked for me, it can get them out of balance, but it's also something most people can do whilst maintaining your own balance, and dominant body language. One of the advantages of perhaps using a stick or similar to either hit, or threaten to hit, an attacking dog is that (besides from maybe when picking it up) you can presumably use it without bending down.
If the attack happens in your garden (if you have that) using a water hose is both good because the water might stop the fight, and you'll probably be standing up when holding the hose.

5: If an attack is happening, and it's a male dog, aiming for the male genitalia with a kick/hitting with a stick/cold water from a water hose might be effective. Bending down to try and grab to twist a testicle sounds to me like a last resort sort of thing.

6: If a dog is attacking you dog, bending down to try to use your hands to try to pull the dogs apart, or get close enough to grab a a collar to twist the collar directly/put a stick inside the collar so you can use that to twist the collar, to try to choke the attacking dog, is a last resort sort of thing.

7: Whatever you do, use a loud sounding thingy, use your own voice + body language, smack it with a welly like @millitiger etc, try to not panic, try to keep calm, and act like you 100% know what you're doing. Fake it till you make it.

8: If a dog is actually trying to attack you, and your dogs are at home, forget most of the above, and just save yourself in whatever way you can think of.

 

[GSD Woman]

An air horn, such as used for boats, can break up most fights. Yes, it is going to hurt everyone's ears but it works. In pit bull type dogs a hammer handle can be used as a break stick. If you're close enough to a hose pipe turn that sucker on full blast in the faces.

 

[P3LH]

Oh my trainer also told me, within reason, never to put the dog away straight after a dog fight or having a pop at a person. Even if the dog was not the aggressor,

So neither dog immediately retreats to a safe space thinking 'I showed him!! but is given a purpose/something else to think about.

This is not easy if you are crying and shaking from shock or dripping claret everywhere, but it's been done.

My Dad always used to say this when I was small and it’s stuck. I’ve always made mine stay together and as soon as they’ve calmed down and have done something I would usually deem as ‘good’ give some form of treat in close proximity. Any bad words exchanged and we go back to square one and start again.

Ive always found when it’s between your own dogs that the key is finding something positive after to use as almost a restorative point, without humanising the situation too much!

 

[P3LH]

I did see two staffies one time fight in a park and obviously they get lockjaw, the owner stuck his finger up his bottom. Not ideal but they immediately let go ?

We had Stafford’s when I was small. A good family friend who was a prominent breeder, who was already about a thousand even then - the Methusala of bull terriers, always said this was the only fool proof way. Not sure my personal thoughts on it but have seen it in action over the years and it….certainly had the desired impact.

 

[Barton Bounty]

We had Stafford’s when I was small. A good family friend, who was already about a thousand even then - the Methusala of bull terriers, always said this was the only fool proof way. Not sure my personal thoughts on it but have seen it in action over the years and it….certainly had the desired impact.

Yeah, I know someone else that used a pencil ? which is probably more hygienic to be fair ? we dont all carry pencils lol

My two staffs have only had angry words once! I just grabbed her by the hips and swung up the way, she let go. Now he just walks away from she ?? I have often wondered what they would be like with a stranger trying to grab at me, when OH and son used to have carry on time and they were wrestling and stuff, she used to bite at their ankles lol

 

[scats]

When I was groom training, two dogs from the same home (lab x and a shepherd) had a massive fight. The owner had told us they were fine together but later admitted she travelled them separately because they had ‘fought in the car’. We wheelbarrowed the attacker but honestly it was just a case of grab what you can before they killed each other.

 

[limestonelil]

Not read all replies. Seen one about loud noise, so personal alarm would be easy to carry at all times, is that loud enough? Also what about pepper/mace/something spray.

 

[Annette4]

I've had to split up many squabbles (Ginny is a cow in the house and Dobby is a git outside of the house) but only one true attack (between our own dogs....much larger dog....later found to have a brain tumour.....tried to kill our smaller dog). The only thing that stopped her was OH cutting off her airway...horrible yes but it stopped it quickly.

Squabbles in the house with Ginny are easily stopped with my 'I mean it' voice and removing her physically if needed....only needed to do it once but im not giving her chance to bite. Whenever Dobby has had squabbles (thankfully? With dogs known to us whose owners know he's an idiot....there was no actual biting just handbags) just pulling the offenders apart and my voice was enough.

 

[paddy555]

And honestly I'd rather me get a bite on a leg than my dogs (or my hands)

I'm afraid I wouldn't. A horse bite on my leg put me in hospital for 2 weeks, an operation to debride and plastic surgery that didn't work.

 

[Roxylola]

I'm afraid I wouldn't. A horse bite on my leg put me in hospital for 2 weeks, an operation to debride and plastic surgery that didn't work.

I know that on a rational basis you're right. But I have a duty to keep my dogs safe. I'd take a bite to fulfil that, even though I know how badly that can go. And I really do, I know that people die from infected bites but I'd still do it

 

[P3LH]

I suppose the other thing to factor in with the concept of dogs fighting, particularly in terms of strange dogs, is the drive of the individuals. It is this which truly terrifies me most. And that makes me very uncomfortable with some of the XL bully types and similar breeds, and their involvement in attacks. As I think in some cases, and I say this as a bull breed lover and someone who grew up surrounded by a variety of them, there will be some dogs you simply won’t be able to stop until they’ve decided.

Years ago I remember seeing a family friends German Shepherd savaged by a pit bull owned by another family friend, in the days they were legal. The pit locked/latched onto its throat and subsequently killed the GSD.

Several people tried to choke said dog off and resorted to hitting it with 2 by 4s, metal poles, shoes, anything. I actually recall the dogs head getting cut and blood literally running down its face, and it still didn’t let go until it was ready. The owner had him put down shortly after as the dog was a liability.

He was once hit by a double decker bus when running across a road to attack a dog. The pit got straight back up and more or less shook himself off to carry on across the road to try and attack the other dog, with a severely broken leg. Again demonstrating in some breeds that drive and resilience is not like dealing with your average dog.

 

[P3LH]

I'm afraid I wouldn't. A horse bite on my leg put me in hospital for 2 weeks, an operation to debride and plastic surgery that didn't work.

Agreed sadly. My mum was caught in the crossfire by mine last year when trying to break up a fight (not in the right way admittedly) by getting in between them on the ‘rather get hurt’ mantra, and was in hospital for a week and needed surgery on her calf as the bite was deep and got infected. It was a tiny bite, fingernail sized yet she almost lost part of her leg.

 

[blackcob]

As with BC, if you can, use some form of defensive item if possible.

First time it happened the nearest thing to hand was a magazine, do not recommend, it might as well have gone through a shredder. Cushion, thick coat, long stick etc.

Forgot to add that both situations were complicated by the dogs not wearing collars, and as they are seldom walked on leads there wasn’t one to hand to make a loop with either, so no way of cutting off air and on separating them there was no way of keeping them apart anyway. Learned my lesson on that one and I want a collar on any dog I’m looking after, and I take my own leads.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Yeah, I know someone else that used a pencil

Could always use a key if you have keys with you. I usually do. Just very glad that I rarely need to walk my dogs anywhere but on our own land.

 

[paddy555]

Could always use a key if you have keys with you. I usually do. Just very glad that I rarely need to walk my dogs anywhere but on our own land.

I stopped taking mine out quite a while ago.. Just no pleasure in it.

 

[Aperchristmas]

I suppose the other thing to factor in with the concept of dogs fighting, particularly in terms of strange dogs, is the drive of the individuals. It is this which truly terrifies me most. And that makes me very uncomfortable with some of the XL bully types and similar breeds, and their involvement in attacks. As I think in some cases, and I say this as a bull breed lover and someone who grew up surrounded by a variety of them, there will be some dogs you simply won’t be able to stop until they’ve decided.

Years ago I remember seeing a family friends German Shepherd savaged by a pit bull owned by another family friend, in the days they were legal. The pit locked/latched onto its throat and subsequently killed the GSD.

Several people tried to choke said dog off and resorted to hitting it with 2 by 4s, metal poles, shoes, anything. I actually recall the dogs head getting cut and blood literally running down its face, and it still didn’t let go until it was ready. The owner had him put down shortly after as the dog was a liability.

He was once hit by a double decker bus when running across a road to attack a dog. The pit got straight back up and more or less shook himself off to carry on across the road to try and attack the other dog, with a severely broken leg. Again demonstrating in some breeds that drive and resilience is not like dealing with your average dog.

I can't believe they let that dog anywhere near other dogs (or tbh had him pts) after the bus incident.

Our dogs have only ever had small squabbles so thankfully this isn't something we've had to deal with. I saw two collies having a proper fight once and the owner (a very large man) quickly scooped one up and hurled him across the yard. It worked because he was so quick about it (and because of his size & strength) so I'm not sure it's a technique I could recommend.

 

[paddy555]

I know that on a rational basis you're right. But I have a duty to keep my dogs safe. I'd take a bite to fulfil that, even though I know how badly that can go. And I really do, I know that people die from infected bites but I'd still do it

I used to think that way and maybe I would still do for a couple of my horses. Someone pointed out that I wasn't going to be able to keep my dog or horse safe from a hospital bed or worse still from a coffin.
The other point of course ATM is that it may be quicker to drive a wounded dog to the vet who will have a 24 hour emergency service than an ambulance to A & E and then a 10 hour or even longer wait. Sorry, just being practical here.

 

[Roxylola]

@paddy555 I know what you say is right. It would be a last resort, and I do know the wheelbarrowing our by back legs works and keeps me out of harms way so I'd tackle that way first. But if I had to I'd take the chance and stick the boot in

 

[paddy555]

I suppose the other thing to factor in with the concept of dogs fighting, particularly in terms of strange dogs, is the drive of the individuals. It is this which truly terrifies me most. And that makes me very uncomfortable with some of the XL bully types and similar breeds, and their involvement in attacks. As I think in some cases, and I say this as a bull breed lover and someone who grew up surrounded by a variety of them, there will be some dogs you simply won’t be able to stop until they’ve decided.

Years ago I remember seeing a family friends German Shepherd savaged by a pit bull owned by another family friend, in the days they were legal. The pit locked/latched onto its throat and subsequently killed the GSD.

Several people tried to choke said dog off and resorted to hitting it with 2 by 4s, metal poles, shoes, anything. I actually recall the dogs head getting cut and blood literally running down its face, and it still didn’t let go until it was ready. The owner had him put down shortly after as the dog was a liability.

He was once hit by a double decker bus when running across a road to attack a dog. The pit got straight back up and more or less shook himself off to carry on across the road to try and attack the other dog, with a severely broken leg. Again demonstrating in some breeds that drive and resilience is not like dealing with your average dog.

I agree with so much of this. There are breeds walking around the streets that I am honestly scared of. Bull breeds and Akitas being top of the list.

We cycled into town, sat on a bench having lunch and a male akita leaded came past. It was not out of control as such in that it was badly behaved, jumping around etc, it was simply in control due to it's size and temperament, walked in front and the man walked behind. No loose in the lead. Where it went he followed.

A short while later a couple with the tiniest GSD bitch came past. The girl was in tears so we stopped them. The bitch was a rescue from a breeding farm. There was no way she would hurt a fly and no way she could fight in any way.
The akita had passed them, fortunately the bitch was not dinner that day but they had had an encounter with both the akita and it's extremely unpleasant owner who had told them to get out of the way of the akita etc. I'm sure he realised he had just about no control.

Couple of weeks later same seat and the akita appeared (leaded) next to us was a small fluffy dog on a string, possibly a Maltese type. It was very very scary. The akita had spotted it and luckily the owner managed to drag the akita past. We had a very short while to sit there wondering what we would do if the akita attacked the Maltese. I had always thought if I saw a dog trying to kill another I would step in but the only conclusion we reached was we could have done nothing to save the small dog if it had happened.

The world seems to have gone mad over these "pet" dogs.

 

[P3LH]

I can't believe they let that dog anywhere near other dogs (or tbh had him pts) after the bus incident.

Our dogs have only ever had small squabbles so thankfully this isn't something we've had to deal with. I saw two collies having a proper fight once and the owner (a very large man) quickly scooped one up and hurled him across the yard. It worked because he was so quick about it (and because of his size & strength) so I'm not sure it's a technique I could recommend.

We are talking decades and decades ago, a dog like that wouldn’t survive for longer than five minutes today. they were somewhat naive I think as to what their dog really was/was capable of. He had been discarded at a site after travellers left near their house. There was no denying what he was, and all their best will in the world would never have changed that.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I recall many years ago my son's then girlfriend had two staffie X dogs. Lovely gentle friendly dogs. One day for some reason they got into a red mist fight, my son tried to (unwisely) prise them apart as the larger one had already pinned the smaller down and inflicted huge wounds on the smaller ones throat. He also got a very nasty bite himself on his lower arm, although he did succeed in removing the larger one and literally throwing it out into the garden. The dog then apparently ran off through the open gate.

His girlfriend put the injured one in the car and dropped my son off at the doctors on the way to the vet with the badly injured dog. On his way home heavily bandaged and a tetanus boost later, walking on the footpath he saw the big one running towards him but obviously totally lost the plot and no intention of being recalled, he was terrified it might attack someone or even another dog so he threw himself at the dog and managed to bring it to a halt - the Bl**dy dog bit his other hand, again very badly. But he managed to get his belt through its collar and take it home and shut it in a shed to await euthanasia. He walked back to the doctor and they could not believe within half an hour he was back again with the other side injured from the same dog.! It took him a good three weeks to be able to use both hands/arms again.

The vet came out and the bigger one was PTS out in the shed. The smaller one did eventually recover. My son is adamant now he would not try to stop a dog fight of any sort, and would let them fight to the death if necessary, and frankly I dont blame him.