How do I prevent dog fights?

Since I don’t care for large breed powerful dogs like Pitbulls, I’m hesitant to answer. Often there are some precursor behaviors to a canine fight, that sometimes humans miss, such as growling, air snapping, stiff body tension, eye stare, etc.

After reading that you’re pursuing becoming a canine massage therapist, I would suggest that you reach out to rescue groups for Pitbulls and other large breed dogs, as well as the shelters, to gain tips from them.

I sit all breeds and sizes. Males are actually the calm ones, I don't just throw them together and some dogs I always keep apart based upon their body language. What helps is crating, because if you have 2 that don't get along it is easy to safely keep them separate. I have a great dane and some of my regular clients are xl bully dogs (female is a whopping 157lbs) most of my clients have pits or pit mixes, I carefully supervise and watch body language. Interestingly enough, the shadiest dogs with issues I have sat are always labs/lab mixes......I'd take a pit over a lab any day.

I have heard spraying with water, mace, or air horn if a bad fight ensues.......However, I think most can be prevented if all dogs in your care including your own see you as alpha and reading their body language and stepping in before a fight breaks out.

Dogs have a pack order. If you are doing things out of order the pups will try to re-establish their place in line. So ask the parents about their order #1. #2 separate them while leashing, giving treats etc .#3 Dogs always let you know before they 'go' so when you see the signal be ready with a whistle, or lavender spray to disrupt their focus. Good Luck to you!

In 65 years of owning dogs, there have been 4 times with 2 different pairs of dogs that had a fight I had to break up. Was told to throw water on them, worked 2 times, (Once was throwing my orange juice on them, water did not work at all once, and the 3rd time had to put the hose right against their nose, and they quit right away.

I have fostered large dogs especially the ones who fail the behavior tests, so I have experience with this. I foster two PBTs currently. I separate them when feeding. I walk them separately. If one of them begins to act aggressive towards the other, I immediately focus on the one being possessive or cranky and make her or him go into a different room with me and lay down or sit, basically distracting the instigator as well as making him/her follow my lead as well as separating the two. Then I take a minute to identify the cause. What was it that caused the one to be snippy or growly? Then I create a solution so that the next time I am grabbing leashes or food, I FIRST separate them. It's easier, healthier and more peaceful that way, to work around and prevent conflicts. I had to move the food storage bins out of the laundry room and into the workshop, bec one was becoming possessive and thus aggressive over the laundry room. I work around their issues rather than fight to try to force them to change. It's hard being a dog. They essentially are our captive and lack freedom. I would never use a cage (so-called "crate" or "kennel"). I use a large comfortable room as a cage as long as the room has a window to the outdoors.

A few things I've learned from 25 years of raising large breed dogs is that you never have more than one male in the house no matter the size. Avoid sitting for the following breeds, bully breeds of any kind, huskies, great Danes, rottweilers, German Shepard, Belgian malinois, pugs.

When dogs are together even just playing, watch them at all times for triggers and warning signs. Such as mounting, stiff posture, staring, toy or space guarding. Don't allow faces to get close together when ground sniffing.

These are some of the things I've learned, and that I do while I'm sitting. But even after all that I've still had to break up two fights in the time that I've been pet sitting.

Fights can happen so fast when you least expect it.