Ok so not medical but I want to know

[freakier_darkali]

My dog is great, but I thought to myself yesterday if another dog attacked him, I'm not sure he would fight back. I know you will probably say any dog can be provoked to bite but I am really concerned he wouldn't, although I may be wrong of course. He is not good at doggie behaviour it would seem! I am of course partly to blame but also a dog he has always been socialised with a lot really is mostly to blame!
I just couldn't stand by and watch something like that happen to him. So I figure best to have some sort of plan just in case, if you don't agree then as his pack leader it is my duty to him that I protect him and get him out of these situations and if you still can't comprehend why I am asking this then imagine if your child was mauled by a dog, that is exactly the same as I would feel about my dog.
Anyway so I know a good thing is to break a dog fight up with water but realistically, I am out walking my dog there are going to be no buckets of water.
So does anyone know of any safer ways of protecting your dog from another dog?
Thanks

[ginger899]

That's true what you say Jaybay. The last encounter Misty and I had with a territorial dog who 'had a go' at us....I did the same thing you said. No violence ensued at all after that. But the snarly dog kept following us!
The funny thing was I knew I had defused the situation. I wondered why he kept following us!
He wanted a game. I was carrying a stick. I threw the stick for him, and he looked delighted! We all played a while together in a field!
That was magic.

[freakier_darkali]

thanks for the tips! my dog is quite boisterous and playful and would easily agitate another dog with his antics! Well I guess, I know what to do in any situation now which is good and if all that fails, well my dog is a border collie and could easily out run most if I tell him to run!

[Jaybay]

Dogs never "attack for no reason."  There is ALWAYS a reason; the trick is to see an attack coming before the jaws open.  If a dog is staring fixedly without blinking at another dog, you'd better do something to break that concentration.  Look for stiff, up and forward-appearing ears and a stiff raised tail.  That's the advertisement to "get away from me or else".  

Another problem is that small dogs often try to dominate the big dogs.  They're spoiled and unsocialized because people think they're too small to do harm.  Maybe so, but I've had serious bites from tiny dogs and none from the medium to giant size dogs.  Go to any dog park sometime and it's usually the little dogs who charge the big dogs or even attempt to mount them in a show of dominance.  The big dog disagrees and gets blamed for the "fight" because he finishes it.

If you're walking your dog and a stray dog charges you, step in front of your dog as confidently as you can, lean forward, point to the charger and say, "NO".  I've had dogs of every breed just slink off with that technique.    Usually it's a territorial thing in that case.  Your own dogs also have to recognize that YOU are the one handling the situation and stay out of it.  I was never so proud of mine when we got charged by a stray and it all worked perfectly.  When the dog went back across the street with his tail down, I see both my dogs behind me just sitting there waiting.  LOL!

[freakier_darkali]

hey thanks malamuteowner! Maybe if we got our dogs together they would have a blast!
Thank you for your answer, I definitely appreciated your input as it would always be preferable for us to get away before any incident occurs! Its just sometimes I might not be able to get to brake it up on time if he is off lead chasing his ball! Thanks

[MalamuteOwner]

Hi just been reading your question,and last comment,i seem to have the twin of your dog! My dog is a big dog,but he is one of the softest i have ever known! He's been in a couple of brawls with a dog i used to live with,who was the same height but not quite as broad,and my dog basically laid on his back and wet himself! Thats how soft he is! I agree with ginger899,that it is usually a dominance thing,and by the soounds of it,your dog isnt very dominant! So there should be no need for doggy punch ups! But if you happen to bump into a very unhappy and not well looked after pup,that insists on taking a chunk out of your dog,doont be too quick on getting involved,a lot of the time (sounds silly but...)dogs are sending different signals to one another and wind each other up,so sometimes a dog needs a nip in the butt to be shownn he cant be a cocky little so and so. :) My dog literally jumps up at every person and animal creature to play,but some dogs are just miserable,(usually because of thier owners being the same)and dont like it,if you have to encounter a proper fight between two dogs,get yours on a lead quickly if possible and pull away,if the other owner hasnt got theirs on a leash quickly and doesnt seem bothered then you can legally take action,if any bites had incurred! Sorry I drabbled on!! :)

[freakier_darkali]

I would probably do something of that type, kicking the dog or picking it up. I actually read that somewhere!
Good for you though ginger899. When you are in these high adrenaline kind of situations i think your do get superhuman strength and your pain threshold lowers because you have absolutely no intention of losing! It hasnt even occured!

I am aware that it may never happen but just to be prepared, he does like to try and play with every dog that walks past us!
thanks guys

[ginger899]

I remember, in the past, I broke up a dogfight between my diminutive but pretty spunky Jack Russell and a German Shepherd. I do not honestly know where my strength came from but I lifted that German Shepherd by the haunches, and held him high in the air shouting "Whose dog is this? Come and get him"....all the while those big snapping jaws were kind of whirling round my arms like buzz-saws. (My Jack Russell was still trying to reach him, leaping off the ground, so I had to keep twisting and turning. After a few minutes the owner came up saying "What are you doing to my dog, you crazy b&%$@!!"
When it was over I noticed I was covered with dogbites, and after a while thought it weird that I had been able to lift that dog so high!
With a little herbal medicine the dogbites healed just fine.

True story, maybe a little light relief...but nonetheless, true.

Just goes to show the female of the species can be pretty mean if necessary.

I think you should carry a spray....something that wouldn't cause lasting damage, or is seriously toxic, but certainly would get an attacking dog off, make its eyes sting for a while....sneeze, etc.! I'm not certain what would be best. I wonder if anyone has any ideas?

There is a thought....it is just possible if you have a peaceful kind of dog, the occasion may not arise. Most skirmishes are connected with dominance. If the one who wishes to be dominant is obviously the winner without contest, a quick snarly kind of encounter can be all that will happen.

[lindapalm]

I know that this is dumb and not safe, but if I was walking my dog and another dog attacked her for no reason, and she wouldn't or couldn't fight back, I'd start kicking.  I know I'd probably get attacked then, but I couldn't stand by and watch.