My GSD got in a dogfight...what happened? - Page 1

So my wife calls me this morning to tell me that my otherwise cool headed male GSD has gotten into a dogfight. Evidently, a pit bull entered the yard and was met face to face by my dog. The wife says she saw them face to face, and then my dog then sniffed at the other dog's nose, and then the brawl ensued immediately and ended about 15the seconds later when she fired a gun in the air chasing off the pit. Can someone help me understand the exchange between the dogs; what the sniffing was about; who the aggressor was? My dog is typically a pretty cool customer and I would like to believe he was just defending himself.

I think it would be too difficult to tell what happened without video footage.  There is a number of things that you have to see with regards to body language and all.

A dog entered your dogs territory, they sized each other up and a challenge was made, your dog answered that challenge.

I hope your wife is careful discharging firearms.

The Pit was the aggressor and the sniffing only one of many ways they read each other.

What Moons said. The dogs sized eachother up, neither backed down and so a fight started.

Moons,
Well said. 
I hope your wife is careful discharging firearms.

 
Remember what goes up must come down and does so at about the same velocity.

I wouldn't have my dog loose in a yard that other dogs could enter.  The main reason I don't like invisible fences is that stray dogs or other animals can wander into the yard.  I'm glad your dog wasn't seriously hurt.

Lol. Ok, I didn't think to but at this point I should probably mention that we live in an extremely rural agricultural area, where firearms are a much more integral part of life than let's say, the city of Orlando where we moved from. If she had shot into the air in the city, yes, the bullet would have come down (far slower than it went up, 9.8 feet per second I believe), along with a visit from the local authorities. Here, your nearest neighbor is a short drive, and you can hear gun shots all day long with all the hunting that goes on here. Having a dog loose in the yard is also a very different story. They do wonders to safe off all the racoon, feral pigs and dogs, black bear, and coyotes when you have small children running around.

Carlin,
I too live in the sticks and shoot a gun at will, just thought I'd mention it.
A woman was killed last year by her neighbor in such an incident and I too have had close calls, shit happens so don't take offense.
I would try to find out who owns the pit, but then again, if a dog comes onto my property and fights with my dogs it's usually dropped where it stands.
The same applies to mine should they go on someone elses property, it's happened to me before.
I live way out in the sticks.

Moons.

@slam... my dog is fine. Didn't last long before my wife intervened. The pit used his only mulligan.

  Read the thread "STOLEN DG ILLINOIS USA".  No fence where the dog was!

Lol. Ok, I didn't think to but at this point I should probably mention that we live in an extremely rural agricultural area, where firearms are a much more integral part of life than let's say, the city of Orlando where we moved from

 Based on Orlando's homicide rates and gun violence I'd say firearms are an integral part of life there also. 
   Based on Orlando's homicide