[Rosemary Westling]

What is the best way to stop a dog fight?

I know to keep it from happening in the first place but if one were to start I'd like some input into how to stop it.

Thanks

 

[Mark Sehon]

Wiffle bat or E-collar.

 

[Kevin Eskam]

I dont think there is a easy way!

If my males go at it when a female is in heat (hardly ever happens though as everybody is seperated), I just pull the top dog off and lift him up in the air so the other doesnt go at him and yell a loud STOP command..... and hopefully dont get bit.....

 

[windycanyon]

The Leerburg website (I believe that's right) has several articles about that. I think if you have another person handy, you're supposed to grab their rear legs and pull them apart... Anne

 

[dr_dog_guy]

pulling on the rear legs is the best way to avoid getting bit yourself

 

[greg magee]

You walk up and kick anyone of the two dogs as hard as you can in the gut. They can't bite or fight when their gasping for air. Anything else just leads to getting bit yourself.

 

[Guest]

There seems to be some foundation for the old wisdom about a bucket of water or a hose, but I'm not sure how well that works with, for example, a pair of bitches who are trying to kill eachother.

I've seen people bitten badly trying to reach in and pick up one dog by the scruff.

What seems to work pretty well is kicking right between them hard with your shin to get separation; that momentary redirection and uncomfortable surprise should be enough to physically restrain at least one of the dogs or get them back into "FOLLOWING ORDERS" mode.

Just my $0.02

I meet a lot of people who don't really have it in them to kick a dog, but if they have dogs that want to fight they had better find it in 'em to kick a dogfight.

 

[metalone67]

Being able to read the dogs helps but you can't watch 'em all the time. I've had my fair share and it's not easy. I will grab the top dog by the collar and twist cutting off the air supply while giving a no command. Problem is you have to be ready for the other dog to return fire. I'm not very big but show great strength when it comes to this. You have to rule the roost at any costs even if you get stitches.
If this is a problem watch for sharking, where the aggressor will walk beside but back a little, this will definetly start a war, interfere immediately.
I take in rescues and can be an issue. I've put a 130# Rottie on it's back when he got a little aggresive with the other male. I only got bit once but he didn't know me an found out what it was like to bite the Alpha.
Another thing you can do is if their into it and ones already down grab both be the neck and force them to the ground and hold them their till they release and then lift them off their front legs while twisting the collar. Some of this sounds cruel but it's what you have to do to have total dominence over them.

 

[EdA]

You walk up and kick anyone of the two dogs as hard as you can in the gut. They can't bite or fight when their gasping for air. Anything else just leads to getting bit yourself.

I would be very cautious about kicking a dog in the abdomen, either the liver or spleen or both could be damaged with potential catastrophic results

 

[bjoiner]

What is the best way to stop a dog fight?

I know to keep it from happening in the first place but if one were to start I'd like some input into how to stop it.

Thanks

Rosemary,

I've seen you handle dogs. You won't have any problem.

Kick, yell, shock, beat the heck out of them and don't reach in with your hands.

 

[metalone67]

pulling on the rear legs is the best way to avoid getting bit yourself

I tried that technique and it doesn't work worth a crap.
Sorry when it's nasty they will do anything to show whose boss. A guy I know did the same thing and ended up with a heafty vet bill for lig. damage and a seperated hip.
Any dog that comes to my house finds out right away that behavior is unacceptable. A swift correction is much easier than trying to break up a fight.

 

[metalone67]

What's kind of ironic is the one time I did get bit, now that I think about it, he grabbed my hand and I do believe he realized exactly what he grabbed. Very little blood and no need to visit the doctor. They are smart, or at least he was.

 

[metalone67]

Sorry for all the rambling. One of the major things that lead up to these fights is lack of activity. When we had really nasty cold weather for 3 days straight, they got cabin fever and started getting a little stressed. If you keep them active it can reduce these incidents. EXERCISE,EXERCISE,and more EXERCISE.

 

[mlp]

It's not always possible to do but I broke up a couple of hounds one time with water. To some labs this might just add fuel to the fire

 

[Rick Hall]

Never saw an e-collar do anything but escalate a dog fight. When we have 'em at the camp, I just get REAL loud and wade in.

 

[lennie]

I have 6 labs, all are house dogs, 4 males, 2 females everyone is intact. My one male will start a fight when the girls are in heat.....I watch him like a hawk and sometimes he spends as much time in his kennel as the girls do.

A couple times when I wasn't watching he has started fighting with the other younger male, because it is so alarming, I always jump in and grab them by their collars and usually throw one or both in the corner while yelling NO FIGHTING! I am surprised it has worked and I haven't gotten bit. Someone on here suggested a wiffle bat...I think that is a great idea, I will have one before my girls next heat.

Now that I have learned alittle more though, I look for the signs before something starts, posturing with tail up, ears back, and I will make them break eye contact with each other if I think I see things escalating. But it can happen in an instant if you are not watching.
I think it is the pure adrenaline rush that gives you the strength to break them up.

 

[Liv2Hnt]

Ive been told the same thing, the dog might associate the ecollar pressure as from the other dog and can cause things to escalate.

 

[Angie B]

I have had good luck grabbing a rear leg. They're suprised as heck and stop pronto. I've never had to have grabbed and pulled so hard as to hurt the dog. They're so shocked that their back end is up in the air they quit easily.

FWIW

Angie

 

[greg magee]

I would be very cautious about kicking a dog in the abdomen, either the liver or spleen or both could be damaged with potential catastrophic results

Not stopping a dog fight could have castastrophic results as well. I guess I shouldn't advocate this approach but it has always worked for me. I did have one that spit up blood for a day or two but recovered nicely and was never in another dog fight.

 

[metalone67]

We love our dogs so much that we don't think about our own safety. They are nasty to see and the screams that come out of them are horrifing. Labs aren't that bad, two rotts with the known head shaking going on is ugly.
I watched a special on wolves and the attacked a coyote trying to steal a meal and it was horrible to watch and this is why I throw my own safety to the wind when it comes to a dog fight.
Now to purposely let dogs fight, and watch takes one sick individual.