You’re walking you dog on the lead in the park, minding your own business, when all of a sudden, in a flash of black and tan, another dog races up and launches its teeth into your dog’s neck. You panic, and try desperately to pull the attacker off but to no avail.
Situations like this are not uncommon and can be very distressing for dog and owner alike. But what can you do to help? Well here are a few important do’s and don’ts for breaking up a dog fight:
- Screaming and shouting won’t help!
- Never get anywhere near the biting end of either dog – in the heat of battle even your own dog might inadvertently bite you.
- The best technique is to grab the dogs by their back legs, lift them up like a wheelbarrow, and pull them apart.
- If you are on your own, loop a lead around the back legs of one dog and tie it to a solid object like a tree or fence. Then move around to the second dog, and pull him away by the back legs.
Make sure you secure both dogs before letting go of the legs – otherwise they’ll be straight back at each other.
