Dog Bites Dog: 7 Tips To Save Your Pup

It’s a reality that none of us ever want to face, the fact that your dog could be horribly injured by another dog. Some dogs are not friendly to other dogs and can get off leash. Sometimes fights happen at the local dog park or at your doggie daycare and the injuries can be severe.

If you ever find you and your dog involved in a bad fight there are some things you can do to help minimize the panic you’re feeling and the pain your dog is in.

1: Never pick up your dog to “save” him from the attacking dog. The attacking dog can react in two ways if you pick up your dog, she may leap up to try and bite your dog and bite you in the process, or attack you so you drop your dog. If you get hurt, you’ll be unable to help your dog to your full capacity.

2: Pull your dog, if possible, by his back legs if they are fighting face to face. This protects your hands and keeps your dog from accidentally biting you. If you are unable to break them up with two people pulling the dogs by their back legs, try using a stick to break them apart or make a loud noise to startle the attacking dog.

3: Comfort your dog afterwards. Be careful after the fight is over because your dog may be in a heightened state of arousal and try to bite. Dogs that are fearful or in pain will try to protect themselves and not understand you are offering comfort and trying to check how bad the injuries may be.

4: Talk to the owner of the other dog but keep it calm. Try to get details about the dog such as vaccines. Also get the name, phone number, and the address of the owner.

5: Note the date and time of the fight. This is important for later documentation when you file a report with the police and your local animal care and control facility.

6: Take your dog to the vet immediately. Any bite wounds and scratches your dog has need to be looked at and treated immediately to prevent infection.

7: File the dog fight with the animal control officers as soon as you can. Even if the owner is shocked and apologizes to you and even agrees to pay the vet bill, the town needs to know of the incident. It’s important in case the dog has bitten before or bites again and is not safe to the general public.