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Dogs 101: What is the safest way to break up a dog fight?
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PHOTO: Daniel Mackie
Dog fights can happen anywhere there are dogs, including your own home. Knowing how to safely stop a dog fight is every dog owner’s responsibility.
If you've ever witnessed a dog fight, you know that they are dangerous events. No matter how gentle or well-trained, dogs engaged in a fight are in survival mode and are no longer “pets.” They will do serious harm to anyone who gets in the way—and probably won’t know, definitely won’t care, who they’re biting. If you rush in foolishly, it’s like sticking your hand down the drain while the waste disposal is on.
So the first rule of thumb is prevention. Before a fight, there’s usually an interlude of body posturing: intent staring, hackles up, stiff legs and tail, domineering behavior. Don’t wait to see the results—calmly redirect and remove your dog. Yelling at or hitting the dog may actually spur a fight, so stay quiet and calm.
If a fight does break out, most dog-agression experts agree that the safest way to stop it involves two people. Each person grabs the hindquarters of a dog, pulls up and walks backward (as with a wheelbarrow) until the dogs loosen their grips. While backing away slowly with the dogs’ legs up, turn in a circle. By circling, the dogs have to sidestep with their front legs to avoid falling and won’t be able to whip around to bite the holders. Do not release the dogs until they are secured apart from one another and calm.
If you’re alone--and aren’t sporting a full rubber suit--here are a few approaches: Train a water hose on the dogs, aiming for the nostrils (they’ll have to release to breathe). You can also try the two-person method by looping a leash around one dog’s hind legs and pulling backward, then fastening it to a stable object. Grab the second dog's hind legs, circling with it until it’s turned away from the other dog.
In all cases, remember that shouting will exacerbate matters. Also, anything that enters the dog fight becomes part of the attack, so don’t stick your hands near the dogs’ collars or heads. Better to use anything else (a folding chair, broom, garbage can lid, etc.) to separate them and fling them apart.
Kelly B. Jason is the owner and operator of Pet au Pair of New Orleans, a local pet-sitting and dog-exercising service.
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