Part Three of a series on managing interactions between your dog who isn’t good with other dogs and off leash dogs.

If you have a dog who is reactive, fearful, or otherwise not good with other dogs, then an off leash dog running at you and your dog is probably your worst nightmare. Having a plan to deal with it can make any off-leash dog encounters more physically and psychologically safe for you and your dog and help you feel more confident taking your dog out.

This is a tough situation with a lot of variables, so I created a 3-post series to help you be as prepared as possible.

Part One covers how to stop the dog from interacting with your dog.
Part Two covers what to do if you can’t stop the other dog from reaching your dog.
This post, Part Three gives you options for breaking up a fight if one breaks out.

You may want to pull out a pen and paper and jot down your exact plan as you read through these posts. The more detailed you can be, the easier it will be for you to stick to the plan and make the best decisions you can in the heat of the moment. You’ll also want to make a list of any supplies you want to start carrying.

A Quick Disclaimer

Please bear in mind that this is my opinion, based on my education and experiences and those of other skilled trainers. Dog fights are inherently dangerous for all humans and dogs involved. There is no way to know exactly how a fight will unfold or to guarantee a positive outcome, so consider if this advice seems right for you and your dog and act carefully.

Is it a fight or an argument?

If your worst nightmare is coming true, and a fight breaks out, the first thing to keep in mind is that most dog fights fall into the category that Jean Donaldson actually calls arguments, not fights. In an argument, the dogs are noisy, baring teething, barking, snarling, and snapping in each other’s faces. They are each putting on a big show to warn the other to back down but not actually attempting to cause injury. They may have scrapes to ears and faces, but aren’t likely to have serious injuries. Most dog fights fall into this category and self-resolve within a minute with minimal injuries to either party. Not to say that they are risk-free or aren’t scary.

If the dogs go quiet and/or start going for legs, bellies, or throats, it’s a true fight in Jean’s lingo. One or both dogs are potentially trying to harm the other, and the stakes are higher.

Be Mindful of Bite Force.

Dogs tend to use the same amount of bite force if they bite multiple times. So, if your dog has been in a fight or bitten another dog before, and they didn’t cause damage, they are unlikely to cause damage this time.

On the other hand, if your dog has injured other dogs before, they are likely to cause injuries again. If that is the case, I urge you to use a muzzle when walking your dog. We have a link to a great muzzle training plan below.

How to Break Up Arguments and Fights

When you are outside on a sidewalk, path, or trail, here are your best options for separating fighting dogs. I recommend starting at the top of the list and only moving down it if the earlier strategies don’t work.

Make a loud noise. You could start to carry a whistle for this purpose. You can also bang things together, like smashing a metal water bottle or leash clip against a concrete sidewalk or a metal fence.
Spray them with water. Use your squirt bottle and aim for their faces. If there is one dog who is obviously the aggressor, aim for them primarily.
Wait it out. If the above contact-free measures aren’t working, you may want to consider that if they dogs are having more of an argument than a fight, that the safest thing to do may be to let it self resolve. The risk of a bite, redirected or not, is so high when you break up a fight. Remember from Part One of this series how high the stakes can be for dogs who bite people.
Employ the wheelbarrow technique. You should only attempt the wheelbarrow technique if there is one person per dog or if there is only one aggressor and the other dog won’t continue the fight once you get the dogs separated. If one dog has grabbed the other dog and isn’t letting go, don’t do the wheelbarrow! You will cause tearing and make the damage much worse.

If you are in a situation where the wheelbarrow technique could work, here’s how to do it:

Decisively walk up to your dog from behind and stay behind their body.
Grab them by the waist or thighs and quickly lift their back feet off the ground.
Walk backwards until you have a few feet of distance.
Switch your grip to their leash, if they have one on.
If you have two people, you should be moving in unison.

5. Break a hold. If one dog grabs the other and won’t let go, you can use a break stick, or a similarly shaped object that you have on hand, to release their hold. This is a rare situation, and I don’t think you need to carry a break stick for the off chance. If you have a dog who grabs other dogs and doesn’t let go, then I would recommend having them always wear a muzzle in public rather than carrying a break stick.

6. Don’t get bit. Never, never, never, never, never reach your hands anywhere near the mouths, faces, heads, necks, or chests of the dogs to try to separate them. When dogs are fighting, they are likely to issue a redirected bite on any body parts that come within reach. As we mentioned in Part One, these bites are often harder and less inhibited than a more intentional bite to a human. Redirected bites are not a conscious choice, which means your dog is just as likely to redirect a bite on you as anyone else.

Be the One to Call Animal Control.

Once the interaction is over, if anyone has any injuries, you should try to be the first person to call Animal Control. In my experience, the first person to report an issue usually gets to set the tone and is less likely to receive a citation. If you were in an area where dogs are either required to be on leash or aren’t allowed to greet others without permission, the other dog’s handler is the one who screwed up, even if their dog is the one who ended up injured.

Resources

If you think a muzzle is a good call for your dog, here is a great muzzle training plan from the Muzzle Up! Project.
If you want to learn more about breaking up dog fights, check out this PDF from the Pet Professional Guild.

Dealing with Dog Fights on Walks and Hikes