Dogs are social creatures who can fight for a variety of reasons, just like any other animal. Watching a fight between two pet dogs must be scary and worrying. Understanding the causes of dog fights, knowing how to defuse the situation, and knowing how to resolve the two are very important to anyone who owns a dog.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Break Up Fights
Step 1. Don't scream
If your dogs are fighting, your initial reaction may be to pull on the leash, shout his name, and shout "No!" Unfortunately, when your dog is angry, he won't listen to commands, and your yelling will only make him more stressed and angry. When a dog fights, he will feel threatened and only hear the sound of screaming, not what is being shouted.
- Use loud, firm commands, such as “Stop!”
- Snarl – it sounds foreign and wild. This will distract your dog.
- Keep in mind that dogs can be aggressive when they are afraid. Yelling could just make him even more scared.
Step 2. Make loud noises
Sometimes loud noises can distract a fighting dog. When outside with your dog, bring a whistle or other easy-to-carry sound-producing device. If your dog shows an aggressive posture in front of other dogs or gets into a fight, use the sound-producing device to startle the dog.
If your dog gets angry easily, bring an air horn
Step 3. Spray the fighting dog
Before going outside, take a spray bottle with you. Some people usually fill bottles with water, while others use a mixture of vinegar and water, or a mixture of water and a few drops of lemongrass oil. Vinegar and lemongrass have an unpleasant odor to dogs' noses. Like sound, water spray can distract a fighting dog.
If you are at home, spray the dog with water from a garden hose
Step 4. Use the harness
Dogs that are fighting are hard to separate. Do not place your limbs near his mouth because he will not be able to distinguish your body from his opponent. However, if you can, take a harness and make a loop by attaching the hook to the rope handle. Throw this loop of rope around the dog's leg, then pull it at least 6 meters.
- Other dogs should stop fighting when they see their enemies walk away.
- The dog you are pulling may turn around and bark. Keep your body at a safe distance.
- Let the dogs fight. Sometimes, you may not be able to separate two dog fights. The only option was to let the two of them fight, even if it was with a heavy heart. There are times when the fighting is too intense and you can't do anything about it so the dog has to sort things out on his own.
- This is the last step because there are many other ways to separate the two without getting hurt.
Method 2 of 4: Recognizing Signs of Aggression
Step 1. Pay attention to his eyes
One of the signs that a dog is feeling uncomfortable is a glare from another dog. This means that dogs always pay attention to nonverbal cues from other dogs. In response, the dog may look away, or feel uncomfortable, and then act aggressively.
- You may have heard that a dog that looks away is actually wanting to ask you to defend him or to ignore another dog. Don't trust this advice too much. Assume that your dog is still paying attention to other dogs unless his attention is completely distracted.
- If the other dog keeps staring at him, you should assume that the two dogs are acting aggressively and should be separated.
Step 2. Pay attention to the posture
Dogs, like any other animal, will show unique postures when they feel threatened or scared. If your dog appears to be standing still with his head higher than his shoulders, he is feeling threatened and you should keep him away from other dogs.
- Some dogs will lower their head while showing their teeth. This is an alert posture that indicates that he is ready to fight.
- You may see your dog on top of another dog. This is not sexual behavior, but a sign that he wants to show who is in power.
Step 3. Pay attention to his body language
If your dog's body movements appear stiff or extreme, such as baring fangs, raising or lowering the head, and moving aggressively, this is a warning. Get your dog away from there immediately to defuse the situation.
Step 4. Listen to the growl
Dogs communicate through a mix of verbal and nonverbal communication, such as growling and barking. Pay attention to how your dog interacts with humans, other dogs, strangers, and strange sounds and you will begin to understand the message he is trying to convey. This is especially useful for recognizing aggressive growls.
- Older dogs usually growl when they meet a younger dog to show their position in the social hierarchy.
- When your dog growls, pay attention to other physical signals to identify whether the dog is about to fight or is just making a normal sound.
Method 3 of 4: Finding Out the Reason Why Dogs Fight
Step 1. Don't assume
Your dog may be grumpy or very calm. However, don't assume that your dog can't fight just because he's calm. If the dog interacts poorly with another dog, there is a good chance that the two will fight to resolve the issue.
Step 2. Identify your dog's stressors
Dogs usually fight because of stress. Dogs are generally not aggressive, but when stressed, their behavior will change, just like humans. Dogs are very sensitive to their surroundings and can get stressed over something simple. Being aware of your dog's stressors can minimize the potential for fights. Some stress triggers to watch out for are:
- Snack or food he likes
- Bad weather or erratic weather
- Noise
- Humans who show emotion or fight
- Habits of the dog that are not done
- Less moving
Step 3. Be aware of dog fight triggers
All animals have triggers, or things that make them both feel uncomfortable and try to protect themselves. Knowing the triggers for your dog fights is very useful in preventing them from happening. It's also helpful for training your dog to deal with unavoidable stressors. Some of the common triggers are:
- There are dogs who do not want to submit to other dogs. This is a serious problem because dogs have a strict social hierarchy.
- Pain – dogs are very good at hiding pain and will be aggressive when approached by other dogs.
- Protection – if a dog perceives its owner to be in danger, it may behave aggressively to protect you and fight other dogs (or even humans) who seem like a threat.
Step 4. Remember that some of the postures your dog displays are normal
Dogs are very quick to determine their position in the social strata. Sometimes, he may behave aggressively to show strength. This can't be taken for granted, but it's actually quite normal.
- Showing an aggressive posture is different from being aggressive. Dog posture is usually indicated by jumping on the front paws several times, growling softly, or trying to chase another animal from one location to another.
- This posture does not make the dog show his teeth, gnash, bite, or do anything aggressive.
Method 4 of 4: Training Dog Behavior
Step 1. Train your dog
Dog training is very important because it can provide clear boundaries between a pet and its master. It can also enable you to communicate more effectively with your pet dog. Training a dog is tantamount to placing you higher up in the hierarchy than it is. This means that he will stick with you even when he is under stress or dealing with emotional triggers.
- Ideally, your dog should be able to respond to verbal or visual commands and stop any aggressive or fighting behavior.
- Train your dog with the "look" command as a distraction technique. This command teaches the dog to turn to you when you say "Look." Using this command can distract your dog from other dogs so that the situation subsides.
Step 2. Teach your dog to socialize
Dogs who are used to getting along with other dogs and humans will not be easily provoked into fighting because they don't perceive other people or dogs as stressors. It's very important to get your dog to socialize with other dogs after he's been vaccinated. Keep your dog socializing for the rest of his life.
- Most cities have specially built dog parks for dogs to run and play freely.
- Some pet stores allow owners to bring their dogs into the shop.
- Take your dog for a walk around your home.
Step 3. Feed the dog separately
Food is a stressor for dogs. Do not force both pet dogs to eat at the same time or to be in the same room. However, give each dog space to eat without feeling pressured or threatened.
If your dog fights at mealtime, you can use a divider board or feed the two in separate rooms
Step 4. Don't give special treats
Snacks can be a good workout reward if given regularly. If your dog fights a lot, don't give him special treats, such as pork ears, rawhide, cuts of meat, dried meat, or raw animal bones and knuckles. These treats can be considered as a “fight prize” so that the dog is more likely to fight and act aggressively.
If you want to give a special treat, separate your dogs first or give the treats in their respective kennels
Step 5. Don't let your dog walk face to face with other dogs
If one of your dogs is walking straight at the other dog, this can be seen as a threat. To prevent potential conflict, guide the dog to walk away from other dogs. You can also put a leash on to control the dog.
Step 6. Seek the help of a professional animal tamer
Professional dog trainers can train, provide guidance, and provide information on how to get your dog to get along well with other dogs. He can also identify trigger factors and your mistakes that indirectly make the two dogs fight. Ask your trusted vet for referrals for a trusted dog trainer, then schedule an appointment.
Ask a dog trainer for advice on neutering one of your dogs. Neutering both dogs probably won't solve the problem, and neutering an aggressive dog can actually make things worse. If you are considering this option, seek advice from a professional dog trainer to determine which dog should be neutered
Warning
- Never use your bare hands to break up a fighting dog. This will only get you bitten.
- Every dog is unique and has a different personality. All of the suggestions above can be used as a guide to stopping dog fights, but you must remain vigilant and should be able to make your own judgments.
