I got bit!

[DharmasMom]

Dharma and Tessa were playing this evening and I guess Dharma got to rough. Next thing I know a fight breaks out. I jumped up to break it up and got caught in the crossfire. Dharma nailed my thigh- luckily she just bruised that pretty bad, I have the perfect formation of a large, open gsd jaw imprinted on my left thigh in purple. She then got my hand while going after Tessa's neck. All four of my fingers have puncture marks and the pinkie is pretty deep and now swollen. I went to the local doc-in-the box to get cleaned up, antibiotics and get my tetanus updated.

Of course they reported it, I knew they would. The AC officer came to my house and I couldn't find Dharma's freaking rabies certificate!!! So I got a summons. Yay. Of course he told me it would get dismissed when I got a copy from my vet and showed up with it. I just had to stress that I did HAVE it tonight. Jeeze, tonight sucked.

Anybody have any ideas on where I can get a breakstick, after this I am thinking about getting one and learning how to use it. I have never been bitten this bad before breaking them up. Plus any ideas on how I can PREVENT them from fighting would be nice. Let me say: they don't get into it very often. It is usually playing gone bad although once Dharma thought she was protecting me from Tessa. That was actually the worst fight they have had.

[ShenzisMom]

You don't need a 'real' breakstick. In fact, if you have one you might be accused of dog fighting.

‪How to use a break stick‬‏ - YouTube

‪How to use a break stick‬‏ - YouTube

Watch the video and grab a few of those orange things at home depot or another lumber yard/garden center.

I am sorry to say this. Tessa is getting old and cranky...you need to be more vigilant that Dharma is being careful and not hurting her. Has Tessa been checked out at a vet recently? Check her elbows and hips just to be safe

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Agree about older, painful or vulnerable dogs.

IF they've started fighting, and if you don't feel like they will listen to you, then they need to be separated until you feel like they will. Normally people say that will be never with two females. I like to feel it out myself.

I would say contact a behaviorist who can be an extra set of eyes and ears.

But separate for now.

Both on strict NILIF.

I would tell Dharma, listen miss, I don't need anyone protecting me, you need to step off. I don't care that it was just once. Doesn't happen.

You need to look at your body posture and carriage. Talk about this w/the behaviorist. Remember those teachers who would come into a room and everyone would shut up. That needs to be you now.

When I learned how to break up a human fight, they told us to pick the kid who was least invested in the fight, and push them off - they will be relieved. *They also told us the best way to stop a fight is to prevent it from happening in the first place.* So who is least invested in fighting? Then with dogs - I do the opposite - the dog who is more into starting things gets my hairiest eyeball. You need to look for the little hints of things and nip them in the bud, Barney Fife style if the behaviorist says to try them together. Bumping, invasion of personal space, eye contact, staring, even herding. Muzzle them if you need to.

I am a witch on a high horse - very indignant - how dare you - when my dogs think they have the right to overstep my leadership in such a way.

Right now, I need to do this with two of my girls, actually!

And sometimes, you can do all of that, more, and whatever a good behaviorist tells you to do...and they still need to be kept separate.

[TankGrrl66]

Well that just stinks! How stressful! I'm sorry you have to go through the AC drama. I personally have been bit by one of my own dogs (he used to be handler aggressive)...he has nailed me on my inner thigh before. I know the purple marks of which you speak

Give this article a read for next time. There is a video about how to break up a fight by yourself as well...without getting hurt.

http://leerburg.com/dogfight.htm


Or if they fight just hit them with a hose or make a loud noise. Yeah I know, it doesn't always work...but never get your body in there! If they have fought before they will fight again. $#!@ happens

As far as prevention, getting at least one dog to recall out of play works well. That way as the play escalates you can distract at least one dog. Easier said than done. But even if you get them to look at YOU instead of eachother, you have just won

I always watch my dogs play (as you were), and I intervene if they are turning play into prey or etc.

Again, sorry to hear about all that!

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Oh - that reminds me - one trainer I know has as a training exercise saying the dog's name, treat, over and over so that every time they hear their name, they are into it - not that it will work in a fight, but as you are working on little things to remind them that mom is in charge, that's a good one. I would do like 1 minute training sessions a few times a day, doing different things for each one. Tessa - a geriatric pace, and Dharma would be doing puppy pushups for sure.

[TankGrrl66]

Originally Posted by JeanKBBMMMAAN

Agree about older, painful or vulnerable dogs.

IF they've started fighting, and if you don't feel like they will listen to you, then they need to be separated until you feel like they will. Normally people say that will be never with two females. I like to feel it out myself.

I would say contact a behaviorist who can be an extra set of eyes and ears.

But separate for now.

Both on strict NILIF.

I would tell Dharma, listen miss, I don't need anyone protecting me, you need to step off. I don't care that it was just once. Doesn't happen.

You need to look at your body posture and carriage. Talk about this w/the behaviorist. Remember those teachers who would come into a room and everyone would shut up. That needs to be you now.

When I learned how to break up a human fight, they told us to pick the kid who was least invested in the fight, and push them off - they will be relieved. *They also told us the best way to stop a fight is to prevent it from happening in the first place.* So who is least invested in fighting? Then with dogs - I do the opposite - the dog who is more into starting things gets my hairiest eyeball. You need to look for the little hints of things and nip them in the bud, Barney Fife style if the behaviorist says to try them together. Bumping, invasion of personal space, eye contact, staring, even herding. Muzzle them if you need to.

I am a witch on a high horse - very indignant - how dare you - when my dogs think they have the right to overstep my leadership in such a way.

Right now, I need to do this with two of my girls, actually!

And sometimes, you can do all of that, more, and whatever a good behaviorist tells you to do...and they still need to be kept separate.

What she said!!!!

Also, that video is a very helpful one. Study it.

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

That Leerburg article - I read when I started fostering and really appreciated it. I had a foster dog who attacked my own dog. My mother was there and I was yelling grab her legs, grab her legs as she was on the foster's side. She thought I was yelling grab some eggs...I have no idea why I would be yelling that...obviously neither did she! Finally what happened was I got to the foster's legs and was pulling back and fell backwards over the water bowl. The force of me falling on my back finally pulled the foster dog off of my dog (she was grinding her teeth into his skull after not getting through his neck fur - chow neck) and back over the top of me, so my dog could get away. It was terrifying but the only funny part was the egg thing...

[DharmasMom]

I watched that video and that was helpful. I will have to pick up one of those things.

DeathMetal- we already know Tessa's hips are VERY bad, so is her spine. And she is at the vet almost monthly she has so many issues. Most of the time they play very well together and Dharma seems to know to be careful. Every once in a while though she accidently hurts Tessa and it turns into WWIII. Tessa is usually the bully and Dharma submits to her all the time. Not in the occasional case like this though. And the one time she thought Tessa was growling at me- HOLY COW, she went for broke on that one. Yeah, she needed to be taught that I do not need her to protect me and certainly not from Tessa.

Puppy push ups are great idea. Dharma is going to be doing a butt load of them over the next 10 days since she is officially on house quarantine since I couldn't find her stupid certificate.

It is almost funny though. I can get Dharma off of her and begin to get her attention back on me but because Tessa's hips and spine are so bad and because she gets whooped so bad by Dharma her pride takes a beating. I pull Dharma off and try to distract her and Tessa get up, with her hurt pride and she starts to bark and go after Dharma to put that "uppity puppy" in her place. Then it starts all over again. That was when I got bit. Tessa decided she needed to actually try to put Dharma in her place and Dharma turned to go back after her- got my thigh instead. I grabbed Tessa's collar while I still had hold of Dharma, to keep Tessa away and Dharma went for Tessa and got my hand instead. It would have been over much quicker if Tessa would just accept defeat and let it go. Any ideas on how to sooth Tessa's wounded pride and convince her to just walk away?

[CarrieJ]

I am sorry this happened to you. How frightening. I'm with JeanKBBMMMAAN, on this one; strict NILF.
Sometimes when young dogs play it will escalate but if you're right there almost standing over them a fight can be avoided. The sound diversion, a hand clapping or a firm, "hey" can break the eye contact and issue avoided. Other times you have to grab the escalating one.

I actually enjoyed that first video as I really hate to hear "grab the back legs" for one that's only effective with two people. Secondly like the man said, you may be able to get away with it on a pit but not a GSD, Mali, or Rott. It's a great way to have a dog spin and sink it's teeth into you.

That's a drag that they reported it on your own dogs. But they do that in CA. I wouldn't even go to the doctor as I don't have insurance. I'm kinda a antiseptic wash, hydrogen peroxide, neosporin, butterfly tape or duct tape kinda girl.
(my last tetnus shot, was a seven hundred dollar bill at the county hospital...fifteen minutes...one nurse one, PA for seven hundred bucks...no more doctors unless I see a bone sticking out)

It would have been over much quicker if Tessa would just accept defeat and let it go. Any ideas on how to sooth Tessa's wounded pride and convince her to just walk away?

Not to be Mr. Spock and super logical, but dogs don't really think that way. The best thing would be to grab the main offender (quick decision at the time of incident) and remove...even if you have to swing open a closet and toss a dog into it or a bathroom anything. Once Tessa's in that state she needs to calm down and Dharma in her face or visa versa won't help the situation. The key is to be very FAST about it.

[Stevenzachsmom]

Oh Debbi, I'm so sorry. Heal quick!