Fighting two dogs - how to separate animals and end their conflict?

RESPOND TO THE PROBLEM In most cases, it is a harmless basketball in which there is no need to intervene. However, sometimes a fight between two dogs can be dangerous for one of them. How do you react if it is a dog you own?

You walk through the park while your dog runs around you. Suddenly, a local brawler, bigger, more dominant and more aggressive, rushed at him. What to do? Should you separate them or let the dog steel himself and solve the problem on his own? And how to separate them at all, and be sure that you will not get hurt yourself.

Here are some tips on what to do when a fight between two dogs occurs! Assess the situation

Not all dog fights are the same. In most cases, it is a harmless basketball in which no one will be injured and there is no need to intervene. As with people swearing and pushing, with no intention of seriously hurting each other. However, there are situations when you have to react so that your dog would not be seriously, maybe even fatally injured. Sometimes it is difficult to assess the situation correctly, but there are a couple of rules you should follow.

• If you know that one of the dogs has been aggressive and injured other animals before, end the conflict as soon as possible

• If two dogs of extremely different sizes were arguing, you should separate them so that the little one does not pull out the thick end

• Any quarrel involving a dog belonging to one of the breeds bred for fighting should be stopped immediately

Avoid risk

Any method that allows you to stop the fight and stay far enough away from the jaw is good and safe. Ideally, you can reach for the leash and separate the dogs. If the dog has bitten and is holding the opponent, wait for the bite to subside for a moment and then pull quickly. You can also try pouring cold water on the conflicting dogs, which will shock them and make them forget about the battle. Of course, provided you have water nearby. Otherwise, you can try to scare and separate them in some other way.

The closer you are to the jaws, the higher the risk of injury. However, if there is no other way, you can try to place an object between the conflicting dogs. Sometimes even a piece of cardboard can leave you enough time to grab them by the leash and separate. If they are not on a leash, you can try to grab them by the hind legs and drag them away, taking care not to turn around suddenly and vent their anger on you.
The most risky move is to try to grab the dog by the collar. If he has bitten an opponent, you can twist his collar a little, reduce the air supply for a moment and thus force him to open his jaw. Sometimes the only and very risky way to end a conflict is to push a short stick into the dog’s jaw and pull and push it until you force it to loosen the bite.

Preventive behavior

Some owners have discovered that the can can be a great help in canceling the started attack. If your dog is a brawler, or you know that in the park where you take him there is a dog with which he does not "smell", put small metal parts in a can of a drink, and the sound that occurs when it shakes acts as a great tool for correcting behavior. If you come across a dog that has already gritted its teeth at your voice, throw the can in front of it and that should be quite enough for that aggressor to give up such behavior. However, the safest solution for the prevention of street fights is the simplest one: keep your dog on a leash so that he is always at your fingertips and then there will be no problems.