How to break up a fight between a leashed and an unleashed dog?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Last week a neighbor and I were walking our dogs (on leashes), when a loose pit bull ran out of its yard and attacked my neighbor’s dog with no warning. No growling or barking–it just grabbed her dog by throat. I yelled “NO!” very loudly, my neighbor chimed in, and the pit let go. It looked like it was going to come after me or my dog next, so I just kept yelling “No” and pointing back to its yard, and to my intense relief the dog backed off.

So, yelling worked. But if it hadn’t, what could we have done to break up the fight?

2

You can beat the crap out of the dog that’s doing the damage. Sometimes they’ll let go. Of course, it could turn it’s insanity loose on you, too.

I personally don’t know why people don’t carry a knife or mace or something with them when they walk their dogs.

3

First, tell us what kind of dog it really was. Preferably with cites on breeding paperwork or a copy of the dog license.

4

Why on earth would I carry a knife or mace with me when I walk my dog? Are we seriously living in that kind of war zone?

5

My dog hates getting shot with squirt guns and will instantly stop whatever he was doing if I shoot him.

6

We’re dogwalkers, we know all the houses by which dogs live in them. There’s the house on the corner with the goldens, Benjy the cocker’s house, and this is the house with the white pit bull. I suppose it might be a mix.

My question is really what to do in any dog-on-dog attack, not just against pit bulls.

7

Irrelevant, as you know.

I think the OP behaved appropriately. Be loud and direct yourself towards the offending dog.

8

I carry mace with me when I walk… not to defend from other dogs or anything, but to defend from predators. Not that I’ve been attacked, but I could be.

9

You might after having an experience like shorin-ryu’s.

10

Not a war zone at all. The problem of dogs attacking other dogs is very real. My own dog dragged me across ice to get at some little Yorkies years ago. I was able to break them up, but if I couldn’t, I would totally understand if someone maced or stabbed him.

Dogs attract other dogs. If you are in a populated area and people are either letting them run free or they’re escaping, the threat is very real. The OP lucked out. She asked a valid question and I gave a valid answer.

11

I had the same thing happen while walking my leashed dog (Blue Healer) when a Collie looking dog came flying over a fence and attacked. I also yelled “NO” and just as he went to bite my dog I placed a perfect kick on the attacking dogs muzzle. At the same time my dog pulled back away from me to get away or so I thought. The Collie yelped, got up and ran down the street. I turned around to see my son behind me who had been following me without me being aware of it. My dog was standing in front of him facing the way the dog ran. I guess he realized his job was to protect my son. My son said “That was cool dad” but before I could even absorb that I realized what could have happened if the dog attacked my son instead. Needless to say my dog ate well that night for turning to protect my little boy.

I have only had one other issue and it was in a different state. Ever since when I walk my dog I carry a small Air horn I found at the lake. It works great for scaring the hell out of dogs.

12

No idea if this actually works but I’ve heard in an actual dog fight (not just where one dog is behaving menacingly) grab the dogs by their hind legs/paws and wheelbarrow away.

A dog can’t really reach around and bite (as a snake would) so you’ll be able to keep a safe distance from it and hopefully, it will be more concerned with maintaining its balance to concentrate on fighting.

13

Would you use the knife to kill or injure?

14

First off, even though you love your dog and everything, if two dogs start fighting, getting in the thick of it will result in you being bitten. Now, that isn’t so bad, but when you throw in a mention of a Pit Bull Mix, it ups the Pain and Damage Ante considerably.

Most of the damage that will occur from a dog bite is by a the person automatically pulling back from the dog, who is pulling away from them. Give the dog your arm/hand/leg and beat the shit out of its face until it lets go. use to be playfully bitten by a german shepard all the f’in tim as a kid. Fall on the ground, you are screwed.

Second, your first instinct to shout at the dog with a basic command was excellent. Established dominence. you stud!

Third, sans pit bull ( a breed I do like alot, but there are too many morons out there with them.) I would probably wade in ( If I had decent shoes on)and kick the aggressor dog in the stomach and grabbing mine by the scruff while shouting “No” and “Go Home”.

Fourth, I would report it to the police, regardless of the outcome.

Sidebar:

When my son was about a year of age and I was out for a walk with him along our back country dirt road, I found myself in the middle of the road surrounded by a pack of beagles.

They came silently, like beagles do when they are not being a bloodly noisy lot, upon us and surrounded us.

I froze. How to I protect my baby from these dogs?

Then, after a moment, the Statler and Waldorf who live in the back of my brain said, " THEY ARE BEAGLES! No one has ever been attacked by a BEAGLE unless they were covered in gravy!"

I stomped my foot on the ground and ZING! off they went, taking their reign of cuteness and stupidity with them.

Damned beagles.

15

I’d prolly just be concerned with making it stop.

16

For a while I rode a bicycle to work. It never failed that at some point a dog would run out snapping and snarling at me. I started carrying a squirt gun loaded with ammonia. Didn’t actually have to shoot the dog(s) with it; after a couple of spritzs, the smell alone made them run away yipping.

17

I’ve got a small dog and have considered what I’d do if she got attacked. It almost happened once, and I think i got my answer – I was ready to kick the shit out of the larger dog. I was ready to kill it that instant, Mama Bear style, with little concern for any injuries I might sustain. Luckily its owner came and got it in time.

18

A stout walking pole and a lawyer.

Use the pole to beat the offending dog into submission.

Then use the lawyer to sue the dog’s owner into submission.

19

No, have the lawyer walk your dog.

It is a known fact that pit bulls will not attack a lawyer.

Professional courtesy.

Regards,
Shodan

20

My dad walks his little bichon (sp?) about 4x a day, and one day (around dusk) a few years back, a nice 3-iron did the trick against a dog who had no owner…a coyote. Leaped right out of the neighbor’s bushes and wrapped his jaw around the back of the little guys neck…started to pick him up and carry him off, except my dad’s 3-iron made great contact with the coyote’s spine. The coyote was not so brazen after just one whack.

Hey, shouldn’t you rename yourself as Dog Fight?