Fight Prevention

This is a Great post!!!!!! I'm late just read it...

 

Actually good that you're late, this seems like a timely bump...

 

Definitely good that this thread was bumped...I learn from other people and will share my unfortunate incident, this was before I knew exactly how bad a fight between two dogs can be...well it turns out that my Thorne is extremely dog agressive with females, the no warning kind of agression, nice then not so nice if you know what I mean...witnessing an unintentional fight was horriffic, something that I never want to experience ever again, it was dragged into several rooms, I had read something on a website and was prepared to break the fight up, unfortunately I had to choke Thorne with her collar to get her off the dog because I couldn't find my hammer handle and it took every ounce of my strength to hang onto that collar and drag her into another room. I was bitten and didnt even notice until the adrenaline wore off.

Supervision 100% of the time is a must, crate and rotate, we hear this over and over again on forums, and we can't say it enough because people continue to ignore the fact that dog agression is a breed trait and any dog can fight, we are not dogs and cannot treat our dogs like human kids...people humanize dog behavior then freak out when dogs act like dogs...

Thorne loves my other dog, at least she does today, but that can change in an instant...they are never left out alone together, never ever, and if an adult can't be in the room, one of them is put on the porch behind a locked door (heated, enclosed, with the dog couches) and they are crated when I am not in the house. I now keep my hammer handle hanging on a hook with two slip leashes that I can slip onto one of the dogs and secure to a closed doorknob and deadbolt the door to keep it from coming back for more while I remove the other dog for the room in case god forbid something happens while I am home alone...

At one point we had two pit bull fosters in the house with my resident dog and prevention in addition to breaking a fight was discussed heavily in our home with our teenage daughter, We were very strict about the rule that the dogs were never to be out together unless she had adults present to supervise because one person can break a two dog scuffle, but I know I would have trouble trying to break a three dog scuffle alone....it can be done but you have to be prepared to tether one dog, break one off and tether it, then break off the third dog...all while trying not to get bitten in the process...

 

This post is so sad but true today. Most people that I talk to are still convinced that the breed has 'locking' jaws, and the only way to stop a fight is to beat one over the head until you get tired of trying then shoot him. Had a similar situation happen... two friends dogs were visiting, and the male decided he didnt like the way she was lookin at him...needless to say, whole lotta yellin (BTW, doesnt help!) cussin and cryin ''please make him stop.." I just sighed, walked to the truck, got one of three sticks out (one might break) and seperated the dogs. Poured out some peroxide on cuts, gave a how to class and went home feelin better. Bottom line is, if you dont know how, learn how!! If your homeboy is beatin his dog to make him let go or pourin something in his face to make him leggo, its up to you "bulldogger" to assist and educate. Better the owner than the AC or cops breakin it up...you know how they do it.

 

I agree with this but I've always heard not to put peroxide on dogs.:confused: All around good post YM.

 

A large percentage of this board live in suburban lives and if their Bulldog(probably a cur himself) attacks fido the mixed breed next door, not breaking them up isn't an option. Your dogs, your yard, your rules; Otherwise do what's needed to solve the problem.

 

I was always told to do it.. My coach always said that the bubbling helps to push the infection out of the wound. *IM NOT GIVIN MEDICAL ADVICE*~~Disclaimer: But If a dog gets himself cut, I use peroxide to clean it, iodine to sterilize, stitch, staple whatever, and Flys off to prevent infection... If Im wrong, the dogs dont seem to notice. I use Vitamin E on the cut once it has started to heal. I mean nit together and start to grow skin, not the next couple days. VitE minimizes scarring n helps the hair grow back. Again, no advice given, take your pup to a VET if you have a problem. This is just what i do.

 

Why in heavens name would anyone have a pit or a pit mix and not have at least 2 break sticks and have training on how to use them??? I will happily break up 2 full pits but not mixes. They are on their own. I don't worry about full blooded pits letting go and grabbing me, but I certainly do worry about the mixes or any other breeds for that matter.
If you don't buy a car and drive without a license and lessons, why have a pit with no mentor or teacher to guide you? These animals are like no other. They can and do start a fight with no apparent reason. Most happily have their tails wagging the whole time. It is doing the animal a huge disservice and letting it down by not knowing how to take care of it and keep it safe from both itself and other dogs. Please don't misunderstand. I love them all. Mixes as well as full blooded. More power to those that save, rescue and house them. But for heavens sake, learn how to protect them, yourself and others. It is that little drop of bulldog that will get that mix in trouble every time. Peace.

 

Peroxide is good for wound cleansing but not for wound maintenance.

My preference is a 50/50 Peroxide/Betadine mix for the first cleaning/flushing of wounds. All subsequent cleanings are done with 100% Betadine.

The reason you don't use peroxide after the initial cleaning is that it will destroy the new skin cell growth which the wound needs to heal.

 

Great info! Especially the break stick. Anyone who owns an APBT should have and know how to properly use a break stick. Practice with it when you are playing with the dogs so you and him know whats going on. It may save the life of a neighbors mutt one day.

 

Hydrogen Peroxide is ok for initial rinsing of wounds, however when used repeatedly it will actually kill off the new tissue and any surrounding tissue around the wound.

Nolvasan solution is my fave followed by just plain old saline.

After a fight, getting a dog into the tub and rinsing his entire body with the shower head is ideal. For deep punctures, use a syringe (a turkey basting one works just fine for those who don't have access .....but NO needle folks!) filled with nolvasan or saline to flush the wound out with.

 

Just one last word on breaking up the fight, and this is NOT ideal but will work.
If someone does not have a breakstick, and no one to do much assisting,, if one person can hold a collar from behind the dog and the other person gets behind the other dog, it is possible to choke the dog down that has the better hold. Believe it or not, if one dog completely lets go, the other one will probably let go as well. Put your forearm against the trachea and just apply all the pressure you can. When the dog faints, pull him away and the other person can pull the other one away. Again, not ideal, but will work.

 

HAHAHA i Agree a hundred percent. I take my dogs to the dog park here and everyone knows them as the nice pit bulls they have been in a few scraps but the only ones i break up immediatrly are the ones where the other dog is game too. I won't even break up bully fights after i saw a man get his finger damn near taken off by a "GR.CH." razors edge hippo and the other gotti dog was biting the dog and snapping at the people trying to help. I sat on the table and smoked my cigarette like it wasn't even happening lol

 

I understand that but the people dont understand dogs or how to handle them. Not that i know everything but most everyone in the parks yells and screams and run as hard as they can hitting kicking throwing water and making the situation worse. If my dogs in it at the park i tell everyone but the other dogs owner to stand back and i tell them to to grab there dog once they have there dog I pick up a piece of mulch and break my dog. At my house i'm first in at the park things are a little different for me. depends on the situation.

 

I think the best way to prevent dog fights is to be able to read your dogs. Watch their body language. Are they keeping eye contact? Are they posturing? Is one dog being overly dominate?
I've been with other people and their dogs and had to tell the people to watch their dogs cause a fight was about to break out.
A good example is the other week I had my male APBT, Jolly and my female Doberman, Ginger in the backyard. They were running and playing fine then I noticed Ginger was getting a little annoyed by Jolly. He was nipping at her legs trying to "catch" her but she wasn't having it. He nipped her hard one time and she nipped him back on the nose...I intervened quickly and removed Jolly. If I hadn't of I knew they would have ended up fighting.

 

If your dogs are fighting at a dog park you really might want to evaluate your current position. Your APBT does not belong at a friggin dog park we'll start with that. Allowing your dog to return to the dog park after being in an altercation shows that you indeed need to learn more about these dogs. Having a pit bull at the dog park can only lead to bad things for your dog and possible our dogs too.

There is a sticky here about dog parks , you might want to read it.
http://www.game-dog.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16449

 

In 3 years of going to the park shes only been in 4 fights. That's because I pay attention just like it was said....I think the best way to prevent dog fights is to be able to read your dogs. Watch their body language. Are they keeping eye contact? Are they posturing? Is one dog being overly dominate?.....I pay close attention to her and everyone that's there usually knows me and her. At the first sign of trouble i'm right there the only fights she gets in is when the other owner says something like "....he can take care of himself" or " she's too little to do much....." or something ignorant like that She has never started a fight but she won't be dominated and she won't back down if they start. I leave most times before it gets that far and i go at a time when people i know are there. I don't go at peak times and defininately not on the weekend. I think if you are on top of what your dog can do and how to see the warning signs then you can minimize your risk. But you are right and i am new. thanks for posting that thread i will definatly read it.

 

According to my calculations that would be 4 fights too many. Most people would have figured it out after the first fight that our dogs do not belong at the dog park. Our dogs were genetically altered for K9 combat, what did you think was going to happen ? Honestly if you love your dog and the breed then keep it far away from the dog parks, nothing good can really come from it.

With all the BSL and the haters of our breed you putting your dog in situations to fail only gives them the ammunition they need to pass bans on our breed. So by your actions not only did you put your dog at risk but you put everyone elses APBT in your city at risk too.

I hope you do read the article on APBT's and dog parks, its definitly worth living by.

 

I look at it like this there are 2 golden retreivers that have been in 4 fights this year and they go every day. They need no provcation and no pushing they are happy one minute then they flip. There is a 100 lb lab that killed a dog and has fought 2 times this year and he comes every day. There is a german pointer that mamed a miniature poodle yesterday and a newfie mix that dislocated a dogs shoulder last weekend. There is one doeberman that has been banned in all this. My dogs are looked at as model citizens at our park and anyone there will attest to there temperament. Any time people come in and are scared of pit bulls they are directed to read the article that's posted on the kiosk and anyone whos been around a while will usually tell them to talk to me. I undersatnsd there are haters out there but I think you are a little to over zealous about my dogs. Any time i talk to anyone about bulldogs the first thing I tell them is there not for everyone the second thing I tell them is I never trust them not to fight the third thing I tell them is I never take my eyes off them ( they usually stay around me anyway). A few statistics that are posted in our dog park. ".....Last year there were 322 reported fights in ------- dog park.........and pit bulls accounted for 7." There aren't that many pits that go to our park and any time some one that comes in that has one me and another guy usually talk to them and try and educate them. It's a public park and all are welcome but we let them know people are looking at you (with a pit) more and harder than anyone else there. You have to be aware of that and instead of living in those stereotypes help to change them by being responsible. Yeah I know you can't be responsible if you go... that's valid but it's also an opinion. I think i do more good IMO going and being on top of things than sitting at home like the haters would like but that's MY OPINION.

 

I really am ashamed, I live in a part of the world where people who've bothered to feed and own a pack animal would be uneducated enough to bring their pack animal to a dog park. Let's not mention the people who bring their multiple dogs, i.e. pack, to the dog park. If you bother to feed and take care of animal the least thing you can do is learn something about them. Disease, fights and just about everything else that can go wrong while owning dogs will happen at your local dog park.