Dog Fights

Prevention

Make slow, careful introductions. Having dogs wear harnesses and drag a leash can give you a way to separate them if needed.
Prevent resource guarding by keeping resources such as toys and food bowls picked up. Feed dogs separately.
Supervise interactions between unfamiliar dogs. Look for body language that may signal trouble (e.g. a hard stare, raised hackles, closed mouth).
Create breaks in play to prevent over arousal from progressing into a fight. Make sure both dogs are consenting to play. Watch this video for more insights on Consent Testing Play.
Pay extra attention when a dog is highly aroused (e.g. reactive on leash).

Types of Fights

Different types of fights:

“Scuffle” fights - Loud with barking and growling but little contact.
“Scissor” fights - Noisier, more motion, lots of snapping but without gripping and holding.
“Grip” fights - Quieter, but where a dog has a firm grip on the other. Greater damage is likely to be done by bites where a dog grips and shakes.

Breaking Up a Fight

Know ahead of time what to do (and not do) if the dogs get into a fight.

Take time to access and to get tools. Stay Calm. Jumping into a fight will put you at risk of a bite.
- As scary as a fight will seem, the odds of serious harm are relatively low, especially if the dogs are of similar size.
- You can do more damage by pulling the dogs apart. E.g. if one dog is gripping another’s ear, you may tear the ear by pulling them apart rather than waiting them out.
- A redirect bite that is aimed at you may be a more significant bite than the initial bite directed at the other dog.
Hands off options are the safest.
- Make a loud noise such as clapping, thumping the wall, ringing the doorbell, banging pots and pans or using an air horn if you have one available. Don’t yell, hit or kick the dog.
- If you don’t have dogs who are significant resource guarders of food, try a treat scatter to get them to separate. Scatter treats in different directions to get the dogs to move away from each other.
- Throw a blanket over the dogs. Be mindful of where the bitey ends of the dogs are when you remove it.
- Use water such as from a dog bowl, spray bottle or hose.
- Use a barrier such as a chair, baby gate, dog bed, large piece of cardboard, etc. to insert between them.
Hands on options are riskier. Being in close contact with fighting dogs puts you at risk of a bite.
- Separate using leashes. Create a slip lead by creating a loop from a leash and slipping over the dog’s head. This won’t work for a grip fight.
- Use the wheelbarrow technique. Lift the dog’s hind legs off the ground. The dog may be more concerned about losing contact with the ground than continuing the fight. Lift straight up, not back, to avoid doing further damage. Not recommended for a grip fight. Best with two people. If you attempt this alone, be sure to wheelbarrow the aggressor.
- Use Spray Shield (citronella spray) on the biting dog. You may have to spray directly at the dog’s nose and mouth.

This is a good resource that includes videos. Please take the time to learn before you need to defuse a fight. Refer to How to Break Up a Dog Fight Safely | Preventive Vet and the PDF handout.

Other Factors

Gender dynamics can play a role. Males & females are the most likely to get along, followed by males with other males, and lastly females with other females. If two females really dislike each other, it can be difficult or impossible to fix.

A female in heat is more likely to be snarky with other dogs.

Additional Resources

How to Break Up a Dog Fight Safely | Preventive Vet

How To Break Up Dog Fights - Pet Professional Guild

When Sh*t Hits the Fan: Defensive Handling or Emergency Scenarios (Michael Shikashio)

Podcast “Bitey End of the Dog” episode from September 18, 2023. Decoding Dog Bites and Aggression: A Deep-Dive with Janice Bradley from the National Canine Research Council

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