Dog Fights / Aggression & Leashes

[TrishB]

Hypothetical situation:

You're walking your dog and another, off leash dog approaches - no owner in sight. The other dog attacks your dog.

Do you try to pull them apart by pulling your dogs leash?

What I do know is that when we pull our dogs back, it puts them into an aggressive stance - up straight, head up. So pulling your dog back:

- affects his ability to defend himself and allows for greater injury
- also forces him into the 'aggressor' role by changing his stance / body language! :o


In which case, pulling them back would be a bad idea. However, you would have to do something. If you're by yourself, what do you do?

I'm really interested in what you guys recommend.

[Bruce Lanthier]

Where I live this doesn't happen. But...If I lived where the possibility existed I would carry sturdy pole approx. 4 ft. long. If the dogs were fighting I would maintain a loose lead to allow my dog room to maneuver and I would whack the other dog with the pole and make loud noises. More than likely the other dog would figure he was outmatched (he would be) and run. If I did not have a pole and this happened I would do the same things except deliver some sturdy kicks to the other dog instead of whacking him with the pole. I also would assume at the outset that I may get bit by either dog so that I could just go ahead and do what I had to do.

Of course, this is assuming I didn't place myself between the other dog and mine to begin with. I would deal with the other dog, polewise, before he could get to my dog.

This raises another question - what if the dog attacked you and not your dog? And what if your dog ran away? What would you do?

There are a ton of variables to a hypothetical situation like this and it would be impossible, really, to address all of them.

[TrishB]

Originally posted by Bruce Lanthier
Where I live this doesn't happen. But...If I lived where the possibility existed I would carry sturdy pole approx. 4 ft. long. If the dogs were fighting I would maintain a loose lead to allow my dog room to maneuver and I would whack the other dog with the pole and make loud noises. More than likely the other dog would figure he was outmatched (he would be) and run. If I did not have a pole and this happened I would do the same things except deliver some sturdy kicks to the other dog instead of whacking him with the pole. I also would assume at the outset that I may get bit by either dog so that I could just go ahead and do what I had to do.

....

There are a ton of variables to a hypothetical situation like this and it would be impossible, really, to address all of them.

Well, the reason this situation came to mind is because it's come up a few times in the forums where people's dogs were attacked. What I haven't seen is if they realised that they may have (not by choice) aggrevated the situation by pulling on their dogs leash. Do you think people even realise the roles they play?

I would hate to have to hit or kick a dog - but if it was attacking my dog - you bet I would if I had to.

Hmmm, another good point would be if you injured the other dog, if you could be held liable for it. I wouldn't think so because the other dog was off leash which shifts all of the responsibility onto that dogs owner. Just a thought.

[New NJ Mom]

Unfortunatly this has happened to me 4 times with my GSD. 1 by a little dog that my GS just picked up and tossed aside every time it attacked until the owner could grab it. The other times were pitbull (1) and dalmation (2). Each times I grabbed a large tree branch and kicked at the other dog. Until driving them off or help arrived. It's a very scary thing.

[Sansano]

Here is a great article that explains somewhat how to do it :

Link

Basically, you need to anchor the dog that is on leash to something and then pull the other dog off by it's back feet using a wheelbarrow type method. I have done this with 2 people and it is very effective. By far the best way to break up a dog fight.

That being said, if I cannot do this and my dog is fighting with another dog that is off leash, I would do whatever it takes to protect my dog including maiming or killing the other dog.

Also, I carry mace when I walk my guys for this exact type of incident. Any strange dog that comes towards us and doesn't back away when I attempt to scare it, would probably get maced and thus save the dogs from hurting each other.

[Bruce Lanthier]

Originally posted by TrishB
Do you think people even realise the roles they play?

One can only hope so.

Originally posted by TrishB
I would hate to have to hit or kick a dog - but if it was attacking my dog - you bet I would if I had to.

Ditto.

Originally posted by TrishB
Hmmm, another good point would be if you injured the other dog, if you could be held liable for it. I wouldn't think so because the other dog was off leash which shifts all of the responsibility onto that dogs owner.

I wouldn't think so. But as out-of-whack as our systems seems to be sometimes, you never know. When I took the pole to the idiot owner then I might have a problem ;) .

[Miabella]

I would not recommend this, as I did end up getting bitten and could probably turn quite dangerous for the person breaking up the fight. Some of you might remember that my on-leash dogs were attacked by an off leash Labrador Retriever a few months ago. Without thinking it through, I grabbed the Lab by the collar and lifted him off the ground. Like I said, I wouldn't recommend it because the Lab did bite me on the hand, but it sure did break up the fight quickly.

[TrishB]

Originally posted by Bruce Lanthier
I wouldn't think so. But as out-of-whack as our systems seems to be sometimes, you never know. When I took the pole to the idiot owner then I might have a problem ;) .

Nawww - I don't see a problem with that at all! ;)

[laraque27]

TrishB,

First of all, do everything you can to protect your dog. secondly, go to your outdoors type store and p/u some of that pepper spray that will keep a bear at bay. That should stop any fight before it starts. My dogs were always attacked by some dog off-leash, when the owners took their time getting there to get their dog I would definitely let my dog defend himself. What kills me are those people who believe that because they "have a Lab", that it is okay for them to be off-leash anywhere and everywhere.

[Roscoe's dad]

Someone posted a while back about using a small airhorn to scare off the offending dog, I see that as a better deterent than the pepper spray or mace. I would not have a problem using either one on another dog but would hate to get my dog by accident.

[Judi W]

Not only the risk of spraying your own dog, but if the wind is just right you can spray and disable yourself.

[Bruce Lanthier]

Originally posted by Judi W
Not only the risk of spraying your own dog, but if the wind is just right you can spray and disable yourself.

Precisely why I chose a pole ;) . Not that I disagree with carrying the spray, it has its uses, but the pole can't be affected by so many outside variables and it will be very "discriminating" as to who it inflicts pain on. another use of the pole is to keep the agressive dog at a distance and give it something to bite besides you and your dog.

[tilerspop]

I agree with Bruce! I just posted this to another thread but I'll repeat it here.

A couple of years ago I was having a problem with aggressive strays and loose dogs. Our 14 yo Australian Shepard "Teddy" needed to be walked by the vets order. She was quite feeble due to her arthritis. After several incidents I took to walking with a cane or staff. I would drop Teddys leash and take on the offenders myself. A good poke or two and alot of loud shouting would generally disuade any further aggression.

I did have one person come running and hollering about my hurting his dog. When he saw my feeble animal and my cane he shut up fast. Who is going to press charges against an old dog and a guy using a cane. It also helps if you use the cane and limp a little when you walk away:D

[Sansano]

Originally posted by Judi W
Not only the risk of spraying your own dog, but if the wind is just right you can spray and disable yourself.

I agree Judy but I am talking about using it when the offending dog comes at you and not in a middle of a fight. Pepper spray is useless once the dogs engage unless you want to get both of them.