how to....

**fawkese1** · 10-18-2009, 04:09 PM

safely break up a dog fight...

so, i've been thinking lately...when i go to the dog park...dog fights sometimes happen sooo fast.....i try to be attune to what the dogs are doing...and if it looks like trouble is brewing, i just leave...but i worry that the time may come when i don't catch the signs in time...

my dog has not really been in a fight, but when the other dogs start, he definately wants to join in and so far, when another dog tells him off, he does all of the appeasment posturing etc...which is a relief bc he is big and strong....

anyway, just to prepare myself, how do you break up a fight and how do you do it in a way that is
#1 safe for you
#2 safe for the dogs

**Criosphynx** · 10-18-2009, 04:16 PM

grab the back legs...and pull the dog in a circle.

I've broken up two fights this way (not my dogs) that were raging for quite a while...I also saw a guy at the dog park actually PICK UP his dog this way to get it away from the dog that was attacking it.

If the attacker is VERY determined...this wont work without two people...one for each dog..but an average dog will stop if there is a moment of separation.

another...less savory one..if they are LATCHED...stick your finger in the dogs rectum. The dog will generally let go...

if you are desparate and need to HIT the dog a well placed elbow between the eyes works.

I have seen water work...I watched a woman throw her coffee on a dog fight too and that worked.

Ed frawley wrote a nice article.

http://leerburg.com/dogfight.htm

(btw the whole site has bits and pieces of good and bad stuff...a worthy read if you have time)

**fawkese1** · 10-18-2009, 04:36 PM

[quote=Criosphynx;14941]

Quote:

grab the back legs...and pull the dog in a circle.

I've broken up two fights this way (not my dogs) that were raging for quite a while...I also saw a guy at the dog park actually PICK UP his dog this way to get it away from the dog that was attacking it.

If the attacker is VERY determined...this wont work without two people...one for each dog..but an average dog will stop if there is a moment of separation.

i've heard this before, but is seems like the dog you grab would be put in a very vulnerable position, so you would need a second person???but it sounds like you are saying that you don't necessarily???? i guess tho, that if i tried, i could just let go again if it weren't working...

Quote:

another...less savory one..if they are LATCHED...stick your finger in the dogs rectum. The dog will generally let go...

this i will keep in mind...

Quote:

if you are desparate and need to HIT the dog a well placed elbow between the eyes works.

I have seen water work...I watched a woman throw her coffee on a dog fight too and that worked.

these things i have also heard...i'd like to avoid getting that close to a fighting dogs face, tho i'd do it if i felt it were necessary, and i've tried water before, and it didn't work...i think that may depend on the dogs...

Quote:

Ed frawley wrote a nice article.

How to Break up a Dog Fight without getting hurt

(btw the whole site has bits and pieces of good and bad stuff...a worthy read if you have time)

definately checking it out

thank you

**Criosphynx** · 10-18-2009, 05:23 PM

both times I used it it was just me and the fight stopped the moment I pulled them apart. Both times they were 50lb + dogs...You basically are pulling so fast that they don't know whats going on...they are fighting and suddenly the dog you didn't pull on is alone...and the dog you did is in a wierd position...in fact they instantly seemed baffled.

I think the article talks about an EXTREME case where you have to drag the dog away...tie it up (they are still fighting as you do this) and THEN go grab the second dog and pull. Iam thinking...wow now thats a fight.

The rectum thing I think will work too...I accidentally poked Emma once...I meant it as a *poke* hey you, pay attention to me...and she moved at the last second...I think all four feet left the floor and she yelped (she never yelps) I felt horrible about it all day...but I can imagine it getting a latched on dog to let go and I have seen it recommended.

**fawkese1** · 10-18-2009, 05:45 PM

boy those are extreme cases!!!!! but the fence tying thing makes sense...not that i really expect to use it, but knowing what to do seems helpfull thanks

Mikey · 10-19-2009, 02:35 PM

Great question and great tips!!! Dave fancies that he could easily pull apart a dog fight (he's well over 6 foot, and quite 'built' though all he does is eat deep fried food...) but I dont' think he realizes how fast they happen.

I was wondering about yelling.

Ceasar *ducks objects being thrown at my head* says that yelling adds to the bad energy in a fight....BUT I've seen it work and used it-when I volunteered in a shelter-we used to let ALL the dogs out to run in our field. Generally things were always fine, but if they got into it (not a big fight of course) the man (he used to train police GSD) would use this really deep yell and they would all stop. I've used it with much success with horses being jerks, and the dogs at the shelter-but somehow I agree with Ceasar on this on *ducks again*

What do you guys think?

**fawkese1** · 10-19-2009, 03:02 PM

i also agree, i try really hard not to use yelling with anything that my dog does...we are noisy people anyway so clover is used to loud voices...but yelling will exacerbate almost any situation...especially since the dogs don't understand what you are saying anyway....

Mikey · 10-19-2009, 03:18 PM

I think it works well with horses, because they are prey animals (you can make a horse run away by saying boo and raising your arms) whereas it may 'feed' into the fight energy...?

Krazy4Pets · 10-19-2009, 03:35 PM

I have just bought a book called "Play with your dog" by Pat Miller. The book talked about how important it is for dogs to play, no matter with other dogs or with human friends. In this book, there is a chapter discuss about how to prepare when a play turns into a dog fight and a method that I like is to use a blanket for each dog. Cover the dominate one first then the other. Pull the dog out while being covered under the blanket. It's also protect you from being the next target.

**fawkese1** · 10-19-2009, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikey

I think it works well with horses, because they are prey animals (you can make a horse run away by saying boo and raising your arms) whereas it may 'feed' into the fight energy...?

you can also make a dog run away by jsut raising your arms...and i'm not a horse person, but i don't know if "saying boo" is necessary w horses either...do you think you could make a horse run away just by raising your arms? i mean it would of course depend on the individual...

with dogs, yelling etc...they pick up soo much on body language and your tension...i think that yelling feeds into it...it is like when a dog is barking and you start yelling "shut up" and the dog just barks more/louder...he doesn't know what shut up means, only that you are joining him in barking....so if they are fighting they are usually snarling and growling loudly, your yelling would only add to it...also, if you yell a lot, dogs often will tune it out....

i think that in the situations you described, the yelling startled the fighting dogs and interrupted them...i wouldn't rely on this...maybe some other noise like an air horn would work well....