Dogs, like teenagers, fight for many different reasons, including:
- Lack of social and play skills – one dog is too pushy or plays too rough and the other too shy and defensive or inexperienced, and you have a fight. Extensive socialization of your dog as a young puppy and through-out his or her life is the best way to prevent this scenario.
- Bullying – yes, dogs can be bullies too. A dog park or neighborhood bully may harass another dog to the point of fighting back. If your dog is a bully, a trainer can help you teach your dog to better control himself.
- Guarding a toy, treat, food bowl, yard, person from another dog – another easily preventable scenario if dog owners practice resource-guarding prevention exercises from puppyhood on.
- A genetic predisposition to fight – dogs selectively bred for a low dog-dog aggression threshold (i.e., bred for dog fighting) may provoke fights, or may be quick to fight back at the slightest provocation.
Preventing a dogfight is a lot easier than breaking up a fight. Most dogs give clear body language signals before a fight starts. Learn to read your dog and know when she is in a stressful situation and get out of dodge before a fight breaks out.
If you are likely to encounter loose dogs on your walk, carry some tools to scare off the other dog before they can attack your dog. Popping a big umbrella open will startle most dogs and scare them away, plus you can use it like a shield against the other dog. Make sure to desensitize your own dog to the umbrella ahead of time. Citronella spray is a great way to discourage a loose dog. Dogs hate the smell but it doesn’t harm them. Pepper spray is another option, but you risk severe nose and eye irritation to your own dog and yourself if you accidentally spray the wrong dog or spray into the wind. If you don’t mind startling the whole neighborhood, an air horn will work as well. If prevention fails and a fight happens, all of these tools can be used to break it up.
Okay, you are totally unprepared, have none of the above and your dog is in a snarling, lashing, biting, knock down, drag out fight. Now what? The worst thing you can do is to grab for a collar, kick, or put any part of your body near their heads. Fighting dogs are in a biting frenzy and will bite anything within reach, including you. Shouting and yelling will only stir them up more.
If there is a hose nearby, spray the hose directly into their eyes and nose. With luck they will release each other. Keep spraying one or both of them until they back off and cool off. If you can’t find a hose, grab a piece of plywood, a lawn chair, a trash can lid, anything you can force between them and use to fend them off of each other. Throwing a tarp or heavy blanket on top of them might smother the fight and let you safely pull one dog away.
As a last resort, grab one dog (the dog that is least likely to listen to you) by the back thighs near the groin area and start backing up as quickly as you can. If you keep moving and swinging the dog back and forth, he will be unable to swing back and bite you. As soon as they are separated, command the other dog to “STAY!” in the sternest voice you can conjure up.
In some cases a dog will lock its jaws onto another dog and refuse to let go. Jamming a stick in between the back of dog’s jaws and prying them open may be the only way to unlock the jaws.
Dogfights are terrifying. Having some strategies in mind beforehand will help you keep your wits and act quickly and effectively.
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