Breaking up dog fights - Page 2

Anyone who works with dogs of any breed, should have breaking sticks (parting sticks).  The instructions for their use on the internet is OK, but incorrect when its stated that other breeds dont lock and work holds like Pitbulls. There are many dog aggressive dogs of different breeds and mixes. I have needed sticks to break up fights between dogs that had no Pitbull blood at all.

When dogs are in hold, there isn't much room to get anything inbetween their jaws. A strong, sticklike device with a thin blade like end is needed.  Breaking Sticks have been covered on this forum before.

http://www.pbreporter.com/superstick.htm

I could have used one of those once.  Ding bat dogs would not let go.  I have a scar where one tooth sliced me to the joint on my thumb.  Still bothersome.

Good advice on how to deal with this situation best and hopefully safest.  I hope I remember even a kernel of it if the need ever comes up.  I just hope the need never does again.

I havent had one for years but a long cattle prod is a damned handy thing to have around.     My brothers and I used to sword fight with them..LOL     I know they will drop you to your knees.

There are a lot of devices on the market today even handier.

i no only cook  i also master of Baxian (Eight-Immortals), sword. cook long time  maybe sweet and sour pitbull on bed of rice with green peppers? chop chop   light the stove 

Great info GARD, thanks for sharing.

I've had to break up a couple fights and found that choaking off works the best...although grabbing a male by the nuts and squeezing hard has also worked. 

Unfortunately when my bitch fights she fights like a Pit, she locks on and doesn't let go until choked off.

Wanted to share how NOT to break up a fight:

My Dad moved in with me between selling his old house and buying a new one and brought with him "Pom-a-poo" (eye roll).  The one day I wasn't home and his little Mutt growled at my bitch over something.  She snached him up and my dad freaked out.  He tells me he GRABBED THE LITTLE DOG AND PULLED.  As you can imagine she tore the mutt up pretty good, leaving him with stiches, staples and tubes...she nearly killed him.

I could not fathom why the hell he'd grab a hold of the little dog.... the victim.... and pulled!!!!????  All I can picture is a horrible tug of war. 

If you are by yourself and only one dog is the aggressor, always grab THAT ONE and do what you need to do.  In my experience the victim runs the hell away once he/she is free.

Oddly enough, everytime I've breaken up a fight and ended up with injury it was from the victim, completely unintentional and totally my fault for getting near it's mouth.

Now that is a funny name singaporesam.......but on a serious note it was a good thing that you were around GARD never know when someone would have actually decided to help her.

There is a product called Muzzle Spray that you can carry with you or attach to a keychain.  J-B Wholesale Pet Supplies carries it.... http://www.jbpet.com/Muzzle-Race,2713.html.  

 I haven't had any fights among my OWN dogs, I generally stay pretty on top of them. I get some posturing between my two 2-3 year old males at times but they're never near each other unsupervised and pretty good about listening. I HAVE worked with several clients with dogs that fight each other, and seen my share of dog fights. 

Good that everybody remained calm, I've seen people panic over what would have just been an argument, that then turns into a fight. THere is definitely a difference between an argument and a fight, not quite sure how to explain it. Arguments to me seem a lot more "show". There's noise and maybe even hair flying but no real damage being done. It's when the noise changes that I grow more worried. 

I used to always tell people to grab back legs/or back leg and tail and swing out on the aggressor. The last client I recommended doing that pulled on the leg and tail when her female attacked her male and she ended up with a dog with a broken leg and an animal hospital bill. I now don't tell people how to do it particularly. SHe never blamed me, but I don't risk it. I have used pepper spray type sprays before and on a medium intensity it can help, OR it can tick a dog off and make them more intense. Same with Direct stop citronella spray. Only stops the dogs that weren't sure they wanted to be at it in the first place. Break stick would have been nice:-) have used a hose and even thrown dogs in a pool before. Have used a blanket as well to get over one of the dogs so they can't see so well, it gives you at least a second or two of confusion to get them apart, and helps protect you. Of course, not everyone carries a blanket around. I've used physical barriers before, managed to get one on one side of a fence or door and close between them. And have choked out. I think you just do what it takes and try to avoid getting yourself injured or making the situation worse. There's no "one way" that does it perfectly. 

One thing I TRY to get into my head is once getting a hold of the attacker and pulling off, try good and quick to emergency muzzle (particularly if I have a leash in my hand). May make it worse if the other comes at them, but prevents further injury or injury to handler and gives a better chance to get the other dog off without injury. IF there's time and inclination. 

Good on you for helping that young lady. She must have been panicked and nobody was coming to aid. I'd be a bit wary with the breed and the propensity for the fighting, but wouldn't have been able to resist jumping in to help out either...definitely good on you!

Unfortunately, with this last litter, I've had to break up a few fights.  And it was always the rest against the same victim.  This poor litter girl had several trips to the ER! :(  The worst was 5 littermates on one.  Took 8 staples in her head and ears (now she looks like yoda)! 

I was always taught the grabbing of the hind legs with just enough tension to keep them from "getting deeper into each other".  I was told that forceful pulling only made them want to fight harder.  With the worst fight, I actually grabbed the most aggressive and choked her out to have her let go of her sister and it worked great.  Since it was just me and my daughter against the six of them, we couldn't really do the hind leg thing,   Once we got the most aggressive off, we simply took one in each hand by the collars and choked them out until they let go.  It was entirely my fault, and I know why it happened.

I agree that the most important thing is to stay calm. 

If the litter all go for the same mate at once there is something they know that you dont.

JMO