Educator by E-Collar Technologies makes great e-collars that can help aggressive dogs learn to be more calm. Or if you prefer the old-school prong collars, Herm Sprenger makes the best collar on the market. Most dog fights are mostly snarling and snapping – there is a lot of noise but not much damage done. Almost all of these dogfights are easily ended with loud noises (shouting or air horns). Worst-case scenarios do happen, and although I do not condone the use of force on a dog, there are situations where it becomes life or death. If this is one of those instances, you need to cause injury or stun the aggressor dog. These fights can often be broken up by making a loud noise, using water or citronella spray, or by physically separating the two dogs.

If your dog is already an adult, take steps to socialize them better. You can still socialize your dog even if you missed the train when they were a pup. Improving your dog’s social skills will make them much less likely to both bite or get bitten.

That being said, as much as many out there don’t want to admit it, there are dog breeds that were bred for fighting or aggressive protection purpose. Spray citronella spray directly into the nose and mouth of the biting dog. The smell and taste can get them to release their bite. When they release the bite, immediately move the dogs away from each other, staying in control position until they are secured. When she's not geeking out about dogs, you can find her reading, hiking with her two Cardigan Welsh Corgis, or paddleboarding. If a dog fight starts, it's crucial to first take a breath and plan you're next move. Evaluate what type of dog fight it is, as that may mean you go straight to hands-on techniques versus starting with hands-off (and therefore safer) ways to break up the dogs. Look for what tools are nearby that can help you separate the dogs, and consider whether you need to call out for help from someone nearby. Dog bites happen for a variety of reasons, sometimes the dog is provoked or scared, or other times the dog is simply aggressive.

Be sure not to put your hands or feet between the dogs – get an inanimate object to take the blows instead! This is really, really important. Many very serious dog bites happen when people rush in to break up a dog fight without thinking. When a dog bites another dog, the waters can get a little bit murkier. A lot of dog fights tend to appear sudden in nature, so the location as to where the fight occurred tends to be pretty important in legal proceedings.There is usually time to grab tools or other props to help break up the fight or get help from someone. However, there are two cases in which time is of the essence in separating the dogs — when there are significant size differences between the fighting dogs (large dog vs. small dog) or when a dog has a gripping bite on another dog's airway or major blood supply. If you have pepper spray on hand, you can use it when the aggressor dog is actively charging at your dog before they actually bite. Every dog owner should know how to break up a dog fight in a way that is not only safer for them but also will help prevent worse injuries to a dog.