If you are worried about aggression between dogs who live together in your home, or if you teach group training classes, or work in a shelter, rescue, veterinary clinic, or dog daycare, I recommend building a dog fight kit. If you have a large facility, keep a fight kit easily accessible in each area. What to Keep in Your Fight Kit If you’ve got dogs that aren’t predictable around other dogs, know an aggressive dog that lives around the corner, or know your dog doesn’t like your cousin’s pup – just keep the dogs separate. 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. Breeds such as the various Pit Bulls, the Cane Corso, and Dogo Argentino were bred for fighting and (very sadly) were used for dog-fighting. As a result, these breeds are predisposed to aggression if not well socialized or trained as puppies.

Some dog fights escalate to a bit more serious – the dogs still aren’t latching onto each other and holding on, but they’re not just threatening each other anymore. They mean business.

It is best if there are two people to break up a fight, but you can do it by yourself if you have no choice. If both dogs are fighting and you are alone, you might need to tie one of the dogs to something solid. When one of the dogs is tied up, you must "break" the one that is not tied first, and pull him/her off right away. 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. A friend who is in the police force said what I should have done was grab the collar and twist it, otherwise pulling it off like I did could have meant the other dog had a mouthful of my dog when I pulled which would have meant a much more severe wound.

Use a water or citronella spray, make loud noises and physically separate the two dogs if you can. You can also try throwing a blanket on them or using other inanimate objects to create a physical barrier between the two dogs. 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. Immediately separate dogs in their own secure areas. This allows you time to evaluate whether either or both dogs need veterinary care. Any puncture wounds — even small ones — or lacerations in the skin require veterinary care as soon as possible to prevent infection. If the puncture is not bleeding profusely, you are able to flush and bandage it, you may be able to avoid an emergency veterinary visit and instead go to your regular veterinarian for care. If the dog bites a person, the law is strict. The dog owner is legally responsible. Depending on the severity of the bite, criminal charges may be pressed. Otherwise, it’s usually a legal obligation to pay for medical expenses and report the bite. 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.I also like to use citronella spray for these fights – it’s easier to aim, meaning you won’t scare the crap out of the rest of the dogs in the vicinity! This initial separation after a dog fight also gives you the time and space to remove items that may have triggered the altercation and consider whether you need to change any management strategies. For low-level scuffles, you may not need to keep the dogs separated for long, especially if you remove an item that they were fighting over. Following more intense fights, allowing time to decompress and for the stress chemical cortisol in their bodies to return to normal levels can be helpful. Be aware of their body language and whether they seem on edge or worried about the presence of the other dog when and if you reintegrate them. If in doubt, keep them separate and connect with a certified canine behavior consultant for support. Some breeds of dogs are more predisposed to biting than others, but this doesn’t mean an individual dog will. What matters the most is the dog’s upbringing and training. As such, even the most aggressive dog breed can act ideally given the proper treatment.