Split up my First Fight.... (Lab and Pit)

[Konotashi]

A little update.

I took Sania to the vet the day after, just in case. Turns out there were a few (deep) holes I missed when I was looking at her, so it's a good thing she went in.

They found that she has a heart murmur when they did the general exam. They said that we could just see how she does on pain killers and antibiotics for now, but if her neck gets very swollen, we have to take her back in to put drains in.
We're keeping a close eye on her, since given her age (and heart murmur, apparently), we want to avoid putting her under if we can.

She's doing good though. Very minimal swelling (I expect there'll be some swelling regardless). She's been drugged up on pain killers. Thankfully she takes her pills without a fuss - pretty much just swallows the whole hot dog piece we give her.

Gracie's doing fine, too. She just had a hole between her eyes and scrapes under her jaw.

I think I hit my thumb on a tooth or something, because it's swollen and sore. :/ I'm just glad I still HAVE a thumb.

[Kyleigh]

Glad to hear that everyone's doing well, under the circumstances.

Dog fights are NOT fun - for anyone. Thanks for the update, and hope everyone heals with no setback! (including your thumb - you will need it!)

[pets4life]

people keep saying why keep the dogs? Why doesnt someone from here step up and take one of her dogs in then? Right no one will take them. Look at how many unwanted problem dogs there are out there. You cant just get "rid" of dogs like these cause no one wants them. The dog is 14 years old and the other one is a problem dog. So if someone is not going to step up and keep one of her dogs i would not say "why are you keeping the dogs" its not like there is a line up for these dogs. Most people are not going to take them if you paid them to take them. The op is doing the best she can mistakes will happen. Myabe there is more advice people can give her so future issues can be prevented more. People who had this issue before.

[pets4life]

Originally Posted by Kyleigh

I've never had to split up a dog fight with MY dogs ... but I've split up 3 major dog fights at off leash parks (while the owners stand there and point and scream).

It is a HUGE adrenaline rush, and it is terrifying.

Crying is a completely normal response - you're releasing all those emotions that you just held in check and then everything is safe ... BAM out the come ... no stopping them. And you shouldn't.

I didn't cry at the dog park, I just took it out on the owners ... LOL ...

I'm happy to read that all is well with you tho, no bites, and hopefully everything will be fine with the dogs ...

You really put yourself at risk and split up someone else dogs? Grown men have been killed trying to split up 2 shepherds that they didnt know before.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-turn-him.html You can lose your fingers in a second also. Its not worth the risk unless it is your own dog.

[Konotashi]

We've already agreed that if they ever get into it again, we're putting Gracie down. We wouldn't be comfortable rehoming her.

Hopefully, for the sake of both of them, it'll never happen again.

Ever since I split them up, I have a mini heart attack every time the gate opens....

[Konotashi]

Oh, and the swelling in Sania's neck is going down.
She's figured out that the hot dogs have pills in them now, so we have to force them down her throat.

I was looking at where the puncture wounds were again, and if Gracie had a more full-bite, she probably would have ripped her throat out....

We're being extra diligent now making SURE the gate's shut.

I can't wait until I can move out. No more rotating, no more worry, no more stress....

[hunterisgreat]

When training dogs we always put them up on a "win". If a dog is lame in protection we put them up "hot" without winning their trophy. They come out on fire the next time. This final memory they take to their crate becomes a long term memory as they stew on it alone. I firmly believe the same applies for dog fights.

When my two bitches got into it, I put them back together seconds after a fight. No fights in a year and they spend nearly 24 hrs a day together... Even eat side by side. I don't let them form a memory of fighting. When I put them back together, they always groom each other and lick their wounds.

[Kyleigh]

Originally Posted by pets4life

You really put yourself at risk and split up someone else dogs? Grown men have been killed trying to split up 2 shepherds that they didnt know before.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-turn-him.html You can lose your fingers in a second also. Its not worth the risk unless it is your own dog.

Not worth the risk? Sorry, I don't see it that way. And quite frankly, SOMEONE needs to step in and take control of the situation. I have no qualms about doing it. And I have always had someone "with me" to help break up the fight.

I've noticed that most people are too "stunned" to do anything, but then once someone moves in, and starts yelling orders, people move in and start taking action.

I'm one of "those" that will jump into action and start yelling orders.

I like my dog park - it's huge, there's a ton of trails, lots of trees, etc. Most people that attend the dog park haven't a clue about dog behaviour - this is why dog fights happen.

Once all dogs and people are calmed down, a couple of us will explain to the "uneducated" what happened and why it happened ... and it's always the same thing ... too many dogs, too much energy in one area. Instead of people leaving angry, they apologize to each other and walk away with shouts of "see you next time."

It doesn't always end "on a happy note" ... but at least people are slowly getting educated as to what to look for.

[Konotashi]

Originally Posted by hunterisgreat

When training dogs we always put them up on a "win". If a dog is lame in protection we put them up "hot" without winning their trophy. They come out on fire the next time. This final memory they take to their crate becomes a long term memory as they stew on it alone. I firmly believe the same applies for dog fights.

When my two bitches got into it, I put them back together seconds after a fight. No fights in a year and they spend nearly 24 hrs a day together... Even eat side by side. I don't let them form a memory of fighting. When I put them back together, they always groom each other and lick their wounds.

I guess we could have tried that... and got Sania killed....

[Liesje]

Yeah I adopt that attitude when my dogs are fighting ABOUT something, like one stuck his face in the other's food bowl and there was some flashing of teeth, or stuff like that. I intervene, tell them to knock it off, and then we all go about our normal business. But when you own one dog who has decided it is his personal mission to KILL the other dog then yeah....the end result of letting go of the dogs and letting them right back at it would certainly be a "win" for one of the two dogs and a maimed or dead dog.