[shepherdbydesign]

Yesterday I went to help a fellow breeder break her dogs and during the process a female popped her latch on her run as I was letting another in. Well needless to say we had a dog fight on our hands and of coarse I stepped in to break it up and got my right arm tore up. Talk about feeling helpless, finally got it broke up and dogs back in their runs when I realized that I had been bitten 8 times. So I spent the afternoon in the ER and with a number of stiches we are almost back to normal except for the pain from the bits. Never had this happen in our kennel and felt so responceable for her dogs and not to worried about myself. So my Sunday was real eventful.

 

[shilohsmom]

I'm so sorry to hear this happened to you. This must of been very frightening for everyone. I'm glad your ok.

 

[Ewilliams]

Ew. I am sorry that this happened to you. Sounds very painful. How did the ER staff handle it? Was AC called in to be sure the dogs were vaccinated? Just curious. I hope you feel better soon.

 

[shepherdbydesign]

Well I refused to give info on the dogs due to it not being their fault and or their owners fault too. As for rabies being updated thay are and was more worried about the 2 girls welfare than my own. So now I get 2 days off of work and and return to work wednesday. I have never had that helpless feeling like that before knowing if I didn't break it up one would have been dead if not both. Man I have witnessed males fight, but females are way worse.

 

[big_dog7777]

They don't call 'em bitches for nothing!

 

[Brightelf]

GEEEEZ, Chuck!! OMG.. I sure am so sorry this happened to you! You must have been so frustrated, scared, worried all at once! I am so very sorry that this happened to you. Are you keeping the wounds very clean? I hope that you are eating well and drinking enough water. It is tough to heal from so many bites. my gosh, eight! Poor thing!! Oh, Chuck-- I so wish this did not happen to you!! Are the pain meds helping some? Hand, arm, and foot bites seem to be most painful because of all the nerves there. Are you dizzy from the meds? Do you have kennel help there, so you don't have to feed/turn out all your own dogs right now, with only one usable arm? Is Cathy managing okay.. do you have friends who can help with some of the chores maybe? I so wish that I lived closer!!! (((((HUGS Chuck)))))

 

[RebelGSD]

I have been bitten a few times in this way (breaking up a fight) and it hurts, especially later with all the bruising and swelling.
Once the ER reported it and AC called me. I also did not give them the info of the owners (my neighbor whose dog got into my yard). AC kept calling me about the owners (many times).
Other times I just took antibiotics on my own to avoid dealing with ER and AC.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.

 

[Ewilliams]

I understand about not giving the information. I would not either, in your siuation. You are exactly right in that it was not anybody's fault. I just hope you feel better soon and heal quickly from your wounds. I agree with you that female dog fights are worse than males. The few I have witnessed (and had to break up) were definitely going to be to the death of one or both of the girls. I got hurt as well, but not to the extent you did.

 

[shepherdbydesign]

Patti I will heal and as for kennel help the girl that owns the dogs that did this is also helping us with the dogs and I'm able to handle some of the chores and what I can't do Cathy is doing. It seems like one thing after another the last few weeks. Thank god it was only my chest and right arm that got bit. Like I said the main worry was the dogs and not myself. Helpless is a under statement as the were tearing each other up. Last night one went to the ER vet due to her one K-9 stuck in her lip and the girl no matter how she tried could get it out and now the older female is going today. I feel so bad for the girls since they are real nice girls. I can't believe that this girls mother would think that we would be sueing her daughter. we are not like that and this kind of thing happens and when I heal up I told her that I will come over to fix the latches so that they don't spin and open again. Its probably a good thing that I was there instead of her or her daughter cause they would have never stopped the fight by them self.

 

[selzer]

eight times? Uhg! I have broken my own dogs up, and dogs I was caring for on a semi-permanent basis and have a couple of bites to show for it, but so far they have only gotten me one time per episode where I did get bit.

It is very easy to slip up and let another get out when one is out. It happened to me this morning. I let Tori out as she was inside my room for the night, turned and must not have closed Jenna's crate properly last night. Luckily, Tori cam right in with Jenna on her heels and I was able to divert Tori into her crate and Divert Jenna away while I shut the crate door. Neither was trying to fight, but leaving a two year old and three year old out together is a big question mark.

You can advise grabbing the tail all day, but if it is only one person, that doesn't do a whole lot of good. What usually works for me is to pull them by the tail or whatever until I have a gate between the fighting dogs. I am on one side, and I force the gate more and more closed everytime the dogs pull back to get a better grip. I pull back on the one i am with, closing the gate between them. I will use my leather covered foot to help if necessary.

Bitch fights are the worst and getting them apart with the least amount of injuries to you and the dogs trumps using extreme force. They do not care, and they remember nothing but that they HATE the other bitch. I cannot imagine trying to separate other people's bitches.


I hope you are feeling better soon. It is amazing how much power those little bitches pack.

 

[shepherdbydesign]

Thanks Selzer, I'm finally able to use my arm with little pain today. I just can't get it out of my mind how helpless I felt. One of the bitches had to go to the ER Vet to get it K-9 out of her lip other than that they both have war wounds and are fine As for me I think I was the one that got the worst of it. Animal control contacted me today trying to get the dogs and kennel that this happen at. Of coarse I told them I wasn't releasing that info due to it not being the dogs fault. They were a bit angry but Oh well

 

[selzer]

I hope that someone does you a good turn one day for that. We who own multiple dogs, breeding dogs, working dogs, understand pack dynamics and bitch/bitch, dog/dog issues. The people at AC don't want to cut any intact dog or their owners a break ever.

I hope the owner of the dogs realizes, and I expect she does, what you have done for her regardless of the accident. Fixing the kennel latches is an added touch.

I know that helplessness. I also know the super-human strength given to women when their babies are in trouble. I have experienced it.

I hope the bitches heal quickly as well, with no lasting marks. Sometimes, I think they forget too quickly.

 

[fourdogsrule]

OMG, I am glad to here you are ok and the girls are ok. I have had to break up many fights between my girls (3). I have only been bitten once. Since then I have learned that when there is a dog fight, to grab one of the dogs back legs, take one step back and then start to circle (that is so they don't turn on you and bite you). When going in a circle they lose there footing and can't turn to get whoever has there back end. If there is 2 people then each person grabs the back legs of each dog( pull back and circle), if only one person then you grab a leash, hook the back legs of one dogs and then attach that dog to something secure and then grab the other dogs back legs and pull and circle.
I hope you never have to go through this again, but if you do I hope this helps you and anyone else that reads this.
Take it slow and keep those wounds clean for fast healing.
I would have not told AC who the dogs or owner were either.

 

[RebelGSD]

I had to break up a fight between a retired policedog with bitework training and a schutzhund trained dog. They had a nice firm grip (good bite!) on each other and would not let loose. I got bitten while prying their jaws open. Nice, deep bitewounds on my arm but no tearing. My arm was swollen and turned blue from the bruising.
I feel for you chuck. Sending healing thoughts your way.