Reasons Why Dogs Fight

There is a lot more to know about dog fights than just knowing how to break them up. Dog fights can cause long term physical and behavioral problems. If a fight occurs it is important to seek veterinary care immediately for physical injuries. Your veterinarian will also be able to help you deal with your dog’s aggression towards other canines.

Understanding the cause will help prevent future fights. Your veterinarian will want a detailed account of the fight; each small detail can uncover important clues to the cause. Be prepared to know where everyone and the actions and postures of the dogs themselves just before, during and after the fight. A dog that has been a “victim” multiple times or a dog that has instigated fights will benefit from veterinary behavior advice because severe anxiety may exist. Please note that habitual “victims” can turn their anxiety into aggression towards other dogs or people.
There are two different events that can occur; a scuffle or argument and a true fight. A scuffle may occur as a necessary process that teaches a dog about its social system. These usually will be loud and vicious sounding; however, it usually ends within a minute and most dogs come away with no injuries. During a scuffle, dogs often grab around the ears, sides of the neck and shoulders. In most cases however, even the scuffle should not occur as appeasement postures on the part of one dog, will usually cause the aggressor to cease.

A true fight can end in severe injury or even death. During a true fight, the aggressor will grab for the front legs, the throat and the belly. In reaction to the attack, the recipient may attempt to stop the aggressor by grabbing a hold of the aggressor’s ear and refusing to let go. This prevents the aggressor from getting a hold of the recipient’s throat. Dogs involved in fights need to be seen by a veterinarian immediately for medical and behavioral assessment.

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