Misty R H wrote:
Does anyone have any good suggestions about breaking up a dog fight? 

A few weeks ago 2 of my 3 dogs got in a fight and when I tried to break it up my hands were quite injured in the process.  My dogs were not trying to bite me and never have tried to bite me or anyone. I call it "friendly fire".  It was accidental when my hands got in the middle of flying teeth.

My husband was not home when the fight happened. My 2 female dogs are fairly decent size so it is hard for 1 person to break them up. Especially since separating them isn't enough.  If you pull one dog away by the back legs, the other dogs just moves forward so it doesn't separate them.

Try obedience training.

Mary Geraldine wrote:
Do NOT yell as this will only excite the dogs further. You can try redirecting their attention with a tug to the back of the collar but it doesn't always work and can just redirect the aggression to you. If you have another person with you, each grab a dog around the belly/by the back legs and swing them in circles while backing away. If you are alone, use a leash to loop & tighten around the belly of one and use this method to move the fight to a tree/fence/something to harness said dog to and then do the same with the other.

Gah that sounds so ridiculous...

Thanks...I know I react poorly because I panic and don't want my dogs to hurt each other. I am a dog mom and these are my babies. My hands were bitten while I was trying to grab their collars to separate them. They were not redirecting their agression toward me my hands were just too close to their mouths.  I tried pulling one dog from the back, but that didn't separate them as the other dog just followed. That really needs two people to pull the dogs if opposite directions.

Gianantonio wrote:
Try obedience training.

Both dogs have undergone training, that doesn't help break up a fight when it happens.

Gianantonio wrote:

Try obedience training.

obedience training will not undue thousands of years of instinct and evolutionary development.

step a. try making a lot of noise, and be forceful at it. don't scream. bang some pans together.

step b. spray them with water, or dump water on them.

c. if you are going to separate them, you need two people. grab either the hindquarters, or the lowest part of the neck. the collar area (as you know) is a no no.

most dog fights are 90 percent show, and will end on their own, without much damage. if the dogs aren't bred fighters, stay calm and do those steps. chances are, nobody (or thing) is going to get hurt.

if it's pit bull v. doberman (i witnessed that once...it wasn't pretty), then you've got a problem.

GK photo wrote:

obedience training will not undue thousands of years of instinct and evolutionary development.

step a. try making a lot of noise, and be forceful at it. don't scream. bang some pans together.

step b. spray them with water, or dump water on them.

c. if you are going to separate them, you need two people. grab either the hindquarters, or the lowest part of the neck. the collar area (as you know) is a no no.

most dog fights are 90 percent show, and will end on their own, without much damage. if the dogs aren't bred fighters, stay calm and do those steps. chances are, nobody (or thing) is going to get hurt.

if it's pit bull v. doberman (i witnessed that once...it wasn't pretty), then you've got a problem.

Thanks for the reply. The last time they were in a fight a while ago (no it doesn't happen frequently) one dog was injured and had to have surgery on her leg and we had a $550 vet bill.

The vet at that time told us that if 2 male dogs are fighting they will fight for dominance and when one dog submits the fight will end.  She went on to say that when 2 females fight it isn't for dominance and if they are determined that they will fight to the dealth if not broken up.  All of my dogs are girls.

This fight occurred in the upstairs bedroom and I didn't have any pans or hose near by.  I worried about taking time to find something. My first concern was to protect them.   I understand that I have to be seen as the pack leader and if I panic it can escalate things...but it's a hard because I don't want them hurt and I worry that I can't stop it.

Mary Thomson wrote:
Why are they fighting? How long have you had these dogs? It seems really weird to me that they would fight at all, even if it is just on random occasions. They must be really confused as to who their pack leader is. I would definitely suggest having them permanently separated, and I wouldn't allow fighting dogs inside the house.

It's actually pretty common in a household with 2 females to have fights.  A lot of rescues I know won't adopt a female out to a household with another female dog.

OP, are your dogs desexed? If not, it may be worth looking into as it will calm them down.

Loud noises, not screaming but banging or a rattling to distract them. In my house we have a glass jar full of change that I shake when my dog is misbehaving. You may want something louder. Also, loud but deep voiced firm commands. Dogs don't respond to high pitched or feminine voices as being the dominant. That means being the dominant in all aspects of owning your dog.

Is there any particular thing they seem to fight over? Is one pushy? Is one food and/or toy aggressive? Is it just a personal space issue? Figure out what's triggering it and you can better squash the behavior.

Seek a trainer for better advice and to find out what works best for your dogs.

Misty R H wrote:
Thanks everyone.  I appreciate all of the advice.  I am going to...

...work on being seen as pack leader. These are my babies so I am probably not exerting my command like I should.  Any hints on doing that would be appreciated.

...try to learn not to panic when a fight happens.  I know that is the wrong thing to do and is not leader like.  But it is so hard because I am so worried I won't be able to break it up before they hurt each other.

...go out and buy some airhorns.  Or at least put a can with pennies in several rooms of the house.  I will also get some big thick gloves for up and downstairs.

I could never rehome one of my babies. I love them all. They have been together 5 years. The 2 that fight have anxiety issues and since they have been on anti-anxiety meds for the past few years they really haven't fought much.

This fight was over a toy. One dog put a toy on her bed and stepped away. The other dog went over to the bed to claim the toy and growled at the first one possessively.  All of the toys have been picked up.

The last fight was in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep. I don't know if one dog stepped on another dog in the dark and the other dog was in a dream but the fight was on and it was a $550 vet bill.

be a bit more dominant in your role. Nip stuff in ass before it gets aggravated. If you see them starting to get upright with each other, make some noise to redirect them, even if you need to bring one into another room. Maybe they are sensing your anxiety? Try and feel more at ease at home so they dont pick up on your fears or stress. Easier said than done. Show them positive attention as well. (not saying you arent). Best of luck!

Micyl Sweeney wrote:
A water hose with a sprayer works quite well. Simply spray them in the face or head area and they will stop.

I had two German Shepherds that use to fight and my vet told me to spray water on them from my garden hose. Worked everytime.

I wish I could do this, but so far any fight they have had has been inside the house.

Misty R H wrote:
Thanks everyone.  I appreciate all of the advice.  I am going to...

...work on being seen as pack leader. These are my babies so I am probably not exerting my command like I should.  Any hints on doing that would be appreciated.

...try to learn not to panic when a fight happens.  I know that is the wrong thing to do and is not leader like.  But it is so hard because I am so worried I won't be able to break it up before they hurt each other.

...go out and buy some airhorns.  Or at least put a can with pennies in several rooms of the house.  I will also get some big thick gloves for up and downstairs.

I could never rehome one of my babies. I love them all. They have been together 5 years. The 2 that fight have anxiety issues and since they have been on anti-anxiety meds for the past few years they really haven't fought much.

This fight was over a toy. One dog put a toy on her bed and stepped away. The other dog went over to the bed to claim the toy and growled at the first one possessively.  All of the toys have been picked up.

The last fight was in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep. I don't know if one dog stepped on another dog in the dark and the other dog was in a dream but the fight was on and it was a $550 vet bill.

Toy aggression can be solved. See a trainer. Our dog gets defensive over his toys so we remove them from the house when other dogs are around. When he's at his sitter he only gets them when he's in his kennel.

Misty R H wrote:
Thanks everyone.  I appreciate all of the advice.  I am going to...

...work on being seen as pack leader. These are my babies so I am probably not exerting my command like I should.  Any hints on doing that would be appreciated.

This is, really, what it is all about. If the obedience training you did failed to teach you how to do this then you might consider finding another trainer to teach you.

The dog is a different species, and expects to live in a pack with an alpha. If you are not the alpha, then one of them will be, and you are not going to have a happy relationship with your animals.

Gianantonio wrote:
Try obedience training.

This.

GK photo wrote:
obedience training will not undue thousands of years of instinct and evolutionary development.

Obedience training is also training the human on proper behavior. 

Misty R H wrote:

Mary Geraldine wrote:
Do NOT yell as this will only excite the dogs further. You can try redirecting their attention with a tug to the back of the collar but it doesn't always work and can just redirect the aggression to you. If you have another person with you, each grab a dog around the belly/by the back legs and swing them in circles while backing away. If you are alone, use a leash to loop & tighten around the belly of one and use this method to move the fight to a tree/fence/something to harness said dog to and then do the same with the other.

Gah that sounds so ridiculous...

Thanks...I know I react poorly because I panic and don't want my dogs to hurt each other. I am a dog mom and these are my babies. My hands were bitten while I was trying to grab their collars to separate them. They were not redirecting their agression toward me my hands were just too close to their mouths.  I tried pulling one dog from the back, but that didn't separate them as the other dog just followed. That really needs two people to pull the dogs if opposite directions.


Both dogs have undergone training, that doesn't help break up a fight when it happens.

Then the training wasn't done well. They need more training. They should stop at your command.

Gianantonio wrote:

Then the training wasn't done well. They need more training. They should stop at your command.

Often, it isn't the dog that needs the training.

Gianantonio wrote:
Then the training wasn't done well. They need more training. They should stop at your command.

For anything short of military- or police-dog training, dogs in a knockdown-dragout fight aren't likely to back off on voice command.

If the fight is outside, spray 'em with a garden hose.

If the fight is in the house, I'd suggest breaking out a broom or a vacuum cleaner. It gives you a way of safely shoving between the two dogs without getting bitten.

Misty R H wrote:
I wish I could do this, but so far any fight they have had has been inside the house.

A spray bottle with a good stream works well.  With just a few associations, they will learn that you just picking up the bottle means that they should stop what they are doing.

My dog got good use out of a bottle a hair stylist left at my house after a shoot. 

ArtisticPhotography wrote:

Often, it isn't the dog that needs the training.

Indeed. That's partly what I was getting at...

Fergy wrote:
Your dogs are resource guarding.  First of all, all toys are put away unless YOU are there to over see them.  If they are like that with bones, or treats same thing. 

There is a book by Brenda Aloff, called Aggression in dogs.  Its a GREAT book!  She also has another one out called Canine Body Language, I love that book!  I work with a rescue and it gave me some great input on dog body language.  Now just looking at my dogs I can tell if a fight is going to break out (or if one is getting irritated).  See if your library has them.  Honestly though, they are a great buy.

My dogs aren't allowed toys together, unless they play well together like my Doxie Mallory and Piper.  They play great together, and can have treats together without getting shitty with each other.  Brandy on the other hand, I need to be with her and the other dogs are either in the house or in their crates while we play.  Same thing goes for bones, they all go by themselves in either their crate or in different areas where they can't bother each other. 

Here is link to Brenda's Aggression in Dogs book-  http://www.bookdepository.com/Aggressio … on-in-Dogs  at the very least I would get this book.  I love it. She also has a DVD out from what I understand but I would rather have a book.

Good luck!

You can also try NILIF  (Nothing In Life Is Free) with your dogs.  I have to admit I have a hard time doing this.  But we did do it with our boy Zeus when he started being a shit after we went to training. 

http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm

Thanks.  The NILIF was very interesting.  I am pretty mushy so it's hard to not giving into big brown eyes.  I don't give food at the table or treats when the dogs are excited, but I am guilty of giving a tummy rub anytime Princess flops over or an ear scratch anytime Ashley comes up and gives me the paw. I love petting them but I need to do it when I want and not when they ask for it.

I will try the book as well.  I definitely have to build up my big brown eye resistance and take a strong leadership stand.  It is training for both me and the dogs.

Misty R H wrote:
Does anyone have any good suggestions about breaking up a dog fight? 

A few weeks ago 2 of my 3 dogs got in a fight and when I tried to break it up my hands were quite injured in the process.  My dogs were not trying to bite me and never have tried to bite me or anyone. I call it "friendly fire".  It was accidental when my hands got in the middle of flying teeth.

My husband was not home when the fight happened. My 2 female dogs are fairly decent size so it is hard for 1 person to break them up. Especially since separating them isn't enough.  If you pull one dog away by the back legs, the other dogs just moves forward so it doesn't separate them.

push a chair or other object between them.  never hands.  once they are apart it is pretty easy to calm things down.  Not a bad idea to leash them afterwards for a while until the adrenalin is down.  And they definitely need to know you guys are the alphas.  I had a couple that I had to feed apart from each other.  Had to also be cautious with toys.  They were great together any other time.

Damianne wrote:
Honest to god you just need to train your dogs better.

Remember to constantly be praising them for the things they do right as well as scolding them for the things they do wrong.

They shouldn't be seriously fighting, only ever play fighting. That means they're in a stressful environment and that's either a leaderless scenario as others have suggested, or they're only getting negative reinforcement and never any positive, so they're always afraid, or just the home is really stressed and has been long enough to develop habits for them.

The dogs have gone through training, but even well trained dogs can fight.  This is not a daily occurrence or even a frequent thing. But it has happened a few times in the 5 years they have been together.  I just want to be prepared when/if it happens again and do what I can to prevent it.

The dogs are well loved.  Good behavior is recognized and praised. Incorrect behavior (like jumping up on people) is not rewarded. Bad behavior is addressed accordingly.

I recognize that I need to work harder at being the Alpha leader so that is what I am working on.  I tend to pet the dogs whenever they want, versus it being on my terms.  I need to work on everything with the dogs being on my terms so leadership is consistent.

Misty R H wrote:
I recognize that I need to work harder at being the Alpha leader so that is what I am working on.  I tend to pet the dogs whenever they want, versus it being on my terms.  I need to work on everything with the dogs being on my terms so leadership is consistent.

yes

and if they ask for affection, you can assert control, make them sit or lie down, then wait, then show affection

We've got 2 dogs, and they know "what do we do?" means stop, sit and look at me.
They sit before food, they sit to go out, they sit to go up or down stairs. 

If you see them as your children, would you let your 2 yr old run the house?

The Grey Forest wrote:
Water spray bottle: part water/part Tabasco sauce ~ also works as a tactical advantage in playground watergun fights with the kiddies; including obnoxious pets.

Tabasco sauce?  That wouldn't be cool if you sprayed it and it got in their eyes.