How do you break up a dog fight?

[Jadapit]

I'm hoping someone might have an answer to this. My husband has been working with Diamond every night teaching her to play dead. He was working with her last night and I guess Jada got jealous that Diamond was getting all his attention and she went at Diamond and the fight was on.

I hate dog fights so much. I'm really bad about freaking out and going into a panic when it happens. My husband was able to stop it. If I were ever home by myself and it happened I would really love to know the right way to get it under control. Jada is the alpha dog and she use's that sometimes toward Diamond.

They are best friends most of the time but they do have their moments when they bicker. Thanks in advance for any advice you all might have.

[cali]

here ya go

http://www.leerburg.com/dogfight.htm

[jackie]

i hate dog fights too...

when my neighbours dogs started fighting (a huge german shep and a cocker spaniel) i ran outside, and the owners weren't there, just he young sister. she was just watching the dogs and screaming. i ran over and did the first thing i could think of, i grabbed the GSD's head and tried to wrench his mouth open.

that is what you should NEVER do!!! i got a lot of cuts and bruises and a finger nail ripped off.

after that little experience a friend said that if you can, grab the attacking dog's balls. then i said "what happens if its girls or fixed???", then he said "ughh, i dunno"

[anna_66]

On a mastiff board I frequent they say to pull the dogs back legs out from under it (not sure how good that would work on a dog like Jada since she isn't quite so tall).

I'm sorry to hear they had a tiff. I know Roxey sometimes uses her position to push Bon around sometimes too

[lv4dogs]

Grabbing them by the back legs is a good one, I have always grabbed the dogs by their tails and it has always worked great for me.
Again it is best with 2 people but I've done it with just myself before and never had a problem.

[Scooby4]

There is always the option of allowing the dogs to fight if they are already co-habitating together. This is how Alpha is established and maintained. Scooby and Shaggy have done it a couple times a week. It last for about a minute and then they are the best of friends.
Right now it is happening a little more because Shaggy has a secret desire to be the "Alpha". Scooby is a little weakened by his stroke which henders him from being the strong Alpha he was.
My advice is watch HOW they are fighting. If they are going for the 'jugular" (Thoat) then don't get involved! This is "Kill" mode for a dog. They kill by ripping the throat out. (Sorry gross). That is how they would kill a a human as well. So STAY away from dogs who are this aggressive as they are acting on complete animal instinct and hurt you.
Emergency situation: Throw an object to distract them or throw water on them either hose or bucket. Don't RUN TOWARD the dogs!!! They will turn on you! NEVER MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH A DOG AND WALK TOWARDS IT!!! This is taken as aggression. Simply look above their head and backaway.
If the dogs are "Playful or Establishing dominance"Fight this can be handled differently. Usually this type of fighting involves gnarling teeth, teeth to teeth biting, and some wrestling. This perfectly normal and dog behavior. DON'T GET IN BETWEEN THEM IF BITING! Simply call the dog's name if they are being too aggressive to each other. Get a treat or a toy to distract them. Soon they will start playing nice again.
If they fight too often, and not over food/toys, then you may need to separate them. One has to be Alpha so let one always be "Dominant" over the other and let that one ALWAYS win the fight. I always treat Scooby as the "Favorite" and the other dogs know and respect that. It keeps the pecking order in line.
Sounds like everything is okay in your house. Just a little dominance behavior. My dogs have survived 5 years together!

[Glacier]

Loud noises. I grab something metal and bang it on the fence while yelling. Usually the noise will get their attention and they back off. Air horns work great too, but I can never find mine in a hurry! I always keep the combantants separated for a couple days.

I grab the back legs when noise doesn't work. I find that if it's two females, noise won't work and I go directly to grabbing. It works better if you have two people. One to grab a dog and one to keep them apart.

Grabbing the tail can be dangerous for the dog. Tails can be broken when pulled.

I never just let them fight. Fighting is unacceptable behavior in a sled dog. It's not tolerated around here. All dogs involved in a fight are punished, usually through being isolated. Nothing a husky hates more than being alone! I don't punish just the aggressor. Around here, if you fight, you get in trouble. I don't give a hoot what it was about. I am the alpha of this pack and I won't put up with fighting!

Considering the number of dogs here, we have very few fights. The odd snarling match, but on average, once a year there is a scrap that requires vet care. Once too often, but all things considered not bad!

[Jadapit]

Thank you so much everyone! Cali, that link is great. I saved it to my favorites. I'm really scared to let them fight because with Jada having pit in her I dont think that would be to smart on my part.

Diamond does know that Jada is the alpha dog it just happened so fast last night that no one saw it coming not even poor Diamond.

[pitc9]

Yep, lound noise or pulling on their back legs.

I'm lucky, when I have to break up a fight, it's between one of mine dogs and my neighbors dog, and they are fighting while standing up, fighting over the fence. So it's easy for me to grab the back legs of which ever of mine is fighting.

[PJ's Mom]

Interesting topic.

I'm wondering...doesn't pulling the tail make it easier for a dog (especially a large dog) to reach around and bite you?

[chocolatepuppy]

My Mandy will attack Lacey, usually a jealousy thing. I wrap my hands around her back legs and pull her away. Lacey fights back but when I pull Mandy away Lacey stops instantly, otherwise I don't know what I'd do!

[Glacier]

Originally posted by PJ's Mom
Interesting topic.

I'm wondering...doesn't pulling the tail make it easier for a dog (especially a large dog) to reach around and bite you?

Pulling the tail could make it easier to bite and there's a good chance of hurting the dog! When I break up a fight, I reach under the dog's back legs, wrap my arms together and lift straight up and backwards. The dog will turn it's head to see what is happening to his back end, but can't reach me to bite. It's also not a position that you hold for long, just long enough to get the two fighters apart and then let go. The only time I've been bitten breaking up a fight was when I reached in and grabbed a collar.

[cyber-sibes]

Thankfully there are no more fights now that we have our dominant female and a submissive male. But when we had 2 females, there was trouble when the second female matured, I've sice been told that female to female fighting is not uncommon. I yelled lot and would try to get between them (probably not the best idea), but lifting the hind legs off the ground sounds like a good technique. Thanks for the topic.

***I just took the time to read the link from Cali. Good article. Makes me realize that even in obedience classes at two different locations, no one ever discussed how to break up a dogfight.