How to Break up a Dog Fight

Steps

1. Make sure you're safe, because as precious as your dog may be, your life is also worth something.
2. Look for something to separate the dogs, a piece of cardboard, net, and be prepared to use it to separate them from you.
3. Try and use what you've found to split the dogs. If you are in a room, try and run the other dog into the next room, so as to shut the door on it.
4. If you are not in a building, once you've separated the dogs you can try to put one (yours particularly) into a car.
5. Carry pepper spray and do not be afraid to use it, but see 'warnings' below.
6. If the attacking dog already has his/her teeth in a locked bite, place your palm on the dog's snout and with your other hand pinch just behind the snout. The dog will open its mouth to breathe. Be quick and forceful. When the dog opens its mouth pull back your dog and your hands quickly. Turn away and leave asap. If the dog bites you, do the same with your palm and pinch just behind the nostrils. The dog will open its mouth. Pull away and leave.
7. If necessary, grab the tail of the more aggressive dog and stick your thumb or a finger into its anus. This will almost certainly make the dog release its bite without harming the dog. Also, you can grab the hind legs of the attacking dog and lift them up. You then control the dog and keep it from attacking since you have its 'thrusters'.
8. One of the simplest ways to break up the fight is to throw a bucket of water on the dogs. It will break their attack instinct immediately, and each will forget about their aggression toward the other dog.
9. A very risky move is to try to grab the attacking dog's collar. You can try to grab it and twist it hard, which will cut off the air supply to that dog, making it release its bite. This is helpful if you can get one dog to stop attacking but the other won't let go. You also run a great risk of getting bit yourself with this move.

Tips

• Leash your dog when you're outside to be safe. Even trained dogs sometimes can't resist temptation.
• If your dog has a tendency to be aggressive, you might try and have him or her retrained.
• If you want a new dog but already have one, let them meet separately. This will prevent them from injuring each other.
• If the dogs are off-lead and you need to separate them, grab one of them by the body from behind rather than by the collar - Dogs find this less threatening and are less likely to turn on you.
• Get a garden hose and spray water at them (may not work all the time depending on the dog).
• Use an airhorn to startle the dogs. This will often disrupt the fight long enough to separate the dogs.

 Warnings

• If you are bitten, go the hospital. Be safe rather than sorry.
• Never run in between the dogs unprotected; you could be seriously injured, or maybe even killed.
• Carrying pepper spray is illegal in the UK and some other countries. Know your local laws applicable to you before carrying any kind of defence weapon such as this.