What Tools Do I Need for Breaking Up Fights

One of the most often asked questions The Dog Gurus get is what tools should a pet care center have at its disposal to break up a fight. It seems there is an ever growing list of things you can use to stop a dog fight and safely protect yourself from getting bitten. So naturally concerned pet care facility owners want to do what is right to keep the dogs and staff safe.

But I’ll be upfront about one thing…the more you are worried about the proper tools you need to break up a fight, the more I get worried that you are focused on the wrong issue. Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely think it’s vital to keep the staff and dogs safe in the event of a fight. But fights should be so rare that just a handful of tools should suffice to keep folks safe.

The biggest two tools you should have in your toolbox to prevent dog fights in your pet care center are a formal dog evaluation process and an excellent staff training program. If you have those two things in place then you have the best tools available for minimizing and preventing fights. So start there.

Now, if you really want some other tools, here are the other ones I would include to help break up a fight:

• Kennel lead – Each staff member should be trained to carry a kennel lead with them at all times. It should be a part of their uniform. That way, if they need to leash a dog quickly, they aren’t wasting valuable time looking for a leash.
• Radio/Whistle – When a fight breaks out, it’s important to let others know so that they can assist in breaking up the fight. If you have a small center, the noise of the fight may be the only communication you need. However, if you have an outdoor area, or a very soundproof building, then you’re going to need some way of quickly communicating the fact that a fight is going on.
• Object to startle and distract dog(s) – One of main goals of stopping a fight is to startle the dogs so that they release their hold on one another. You can use this by making a loud noise (hitting metal bowls together or making a loud sound with a marine air horn), by dumping water on the dogs (if you have an accessible water hose or large bucket of water), or by disorienting the dog (by tossing a blanket or bedding over the dog). Decide the best way to distract them and have those tools handy.
• Object to move between dogs – If you haven’t startled them, then it might be necessary to try to separate them by pushing something in between the dogs. Good tools for this include a piece of plywood or other board, a small piece of playground equipment that you can push towards the dog, or even a chair that you can push in between then dogs.
• Spray Shield – If nothing else has worked, then try using this citronella based deterrent to get the dogs to separate
• Areas to confine dogs – You will want to separate not only the dogs fighting but also any dogs that are in the room with the dogs. Having a few extra crates, tethers or access to empty runs can provide these safe areas to put dogs until the fight ends.

With proper evaluations and staff training, these tools should provide you with the back up you need to intervene in the rare instance that you do have a fight. For a quick ready reference, check out this Dog Fight Checklist For Pet Care Centers. And if you don’t already have a fight policy, then use this Dog Fight Policy by The Dog Gurus as a starting point.