You must use extreme caution if you attempt to break up a dog fight, especially when the dogs are pitbulls. While generally good-natured dogs, pitbulls are known for being aggressive fighters and are potentially capable of causing fatal injuries. In fact, their notorious aggression was enough for a device known as a "break stick" to be developed which is used specifically for pitbull fights. The break stick is effective, but other safer methods for breaking up a pitbull fight should be attempted beforehand to reduce the chance of injury.
Things You'll Need
- Water
- Break stick
Instructions
Clap your hands and shout at the dogs. This can sometimes stop a fight that has just begun.
Pour water on the dogs. Spray them with a garden hose if you have access to one as the high water pressure may be more effective than simply pouring water over them.
Stand behind one of the dogs and grab him by his back legs. Lift his legs -- much like you would a wheelbarrow -- and pull him away from the other dog. As you step backward, move around in a slow circle so the dog has to side-step with his front legs. This reduces the chance of the dog turning around to bite you. Ideally, you should have another person do the same thing for the other dog in the fight.
Put a break stick in the dog's mouth if he has a tight bite on the other dog. Have somebody else stand behind the dog and grab his hips tightly so he can't run away. Stand to the side of the dog, grab his collar and insert one inch of the narrow end of the break stick behind the dog's molars. Rotate the break stick as you would a motorcycle throttle. As the stick turns, the dog will be forced to readjust his bite, putting his force on the stick rather than the dog. Once you do this, the dog can be pulled away.