Stop a Staffie

This morning while out with the dogs my friends dog was attacked by a Staffie which got it by the throat and wasn't letting go.

My friend unhelpfully stood there panicking while the Staffies owner screamed and wet hersefl. This of course left yours truly to try and sort it out and save my friends dog.

I knelt on the attacking and got a good hold of its collar but I wasnt able to prise its jaws open as I had nothing but my hands available and I wasn't about to put my hands in the bitey end. This went on for quite a while. The only help I received was from  a nice old lady who took my labrador to the end of the field and out of harms way.

Eventually and after much trying to cut off the dogs air supply with its collar I got if off the other dog and of course it wasnt best pleased with me but fortunatley I managed to keep a hold of it until it eventually started to calm down and I could get the owner to shift her useless backside and get involved and get a harness on the hound.

The point is, what should I or could I have done to get this dog to release. I seemed unable to cut off its air supply with its collar and I couldnt have started kicking it as it had my friends dog in its mouth and that may have made matters worse so I used my bodyweight to stop it tugging and pulling chunks out my friends dog. I couldn't get off the dog as it was taking all of my weight and strength to keep it it pinned especially as everything was slick with blood.

What could I have done better........ apart from not get involved of course!

Well that's a dam sticky place to be for sure. In my area, a dog attack of sorts, primarily pitbull, is at the top of my list to watch out for.

Seems to me you did all you could, with what you had. The only thing I might mention is a news report I read. Where a boy saved his brother from a dog attack by putting it into a rear naked choke and the dog passed out. I have not forgotten that and I believe it would work as it did for him.

A Staffie doesn't seem all that different from a pit bull. Granted I know nothing of them personally, but they appear to be quite similar in physical stature. How's their temperament? I think you are very brave for getting hands on as you did with a dog of that nature and by trying to pry open his jaws.

Shoot it? Probably not a good idea over there though... lol



P.s. How's your friends dog. I would be pretty dam pissed off to be honest about it.


P.p.s.

You had me curious so I looked up Florida law in this regards, and it turns out if it were here, you could have killed it if you wanted to. Not that you should have, just that you could have.

Good on ya for getting stuck in mate! 

I don't know if it would work on a staff,but one technique i know (don't know how i know,it's one of those things i've just known "forever") is to try to push the dog's "cheeks" in between it's back teeth...the mutt'll soon realise that it's chewing on it's own face and loosen it's grip a little.Used it a few times on my dogs,and others,it's fairly effective.

I think you did pretty well Peter!

Thanks for the kind words guys.

Shooting it did cross my mind but my shotgun was safely locked up at home a few miles away  

I had considered the choke but ruled it out as liable to get me a chomping as the dog had a very short snout so I reasoned that I would struggle to control it. interesting point though.

Pushing the dogs teeth in between its lips sounds like a plan but I was definatley wary of getting my fingers in its mouth in any form! I had tried to pull its jaws apart briefly but became quickly nervous of that.

I have owned a bull terrier in the past and seen plenty afrays with other dogs from them but yesterday was the first time i have been so close to one in full attack mode.

It seems to me that adding a short pocket size steel rod, think kubotan, to my dog walking kit which I can (hopefully never) use to prise a jaw open would be a good idea. Not sure if thats would be classed as carrying a weapon in this country though? Anyone know for sure?

I'll be calling in to see my friend and to see how he and his dog are this morning as my friend is a nice lad and was quite badly traumatised.

Oh, just as an aside. it all worked well for my dog as when I went to get her back she was quite happily sharing a packet of biscuits with the old girl and has now been renamed "fat lass"

Hey mate,

just some thoughts.

- A kubotan would be illegal to carry in the UK. There are some metal ones available on ebay. Personally I think something longer would be more useful.

- I've been reliably informed that chokes and strangles will work on dogs. That said, throats are the prime target in a fight when it comes to dogs and as a result they do have physical and emotional protection in place. i.e. they have developed to resist damage to the throat and they are emotionally charged to "fire up" even more should the throat be attacked. They can quickly move from scrapping to achieve dominance to fighting to protect their lives. Also, don't expect any indication that they are going out until they go out... and blood restriction is better than air restriction.

- Longer stick (something eskrima sized or a little longer) would be better and allow for greater leverage and adaptability in applying a choke or strangle. Either slipping it through the collar and twisting or applying the stick as a bar and using your arms to tighten.

People without control over their animals are a real pet peeve of mine. I have lost track of how many times I have watched people with absolutely no control over their untrained animals let them run free causing havoc to other animals and their owners. Makes you want to set their faces on fire and put it out with your foot.   I hate seeing animals come to harm because of negligence.

One additional thing to bear in mind. You damage someone's dog and you are effectively damaging their property so you have to be justified in what you are doing to protect yourself and your property or someone else and their property. i.e. you can't crack someone's dog unreasonably.

I had the neighbor's staffie come over into our yard in Oz and have a go at our two mutts. It had one pinned by the throat on the ground and was going for it and I stepped in over the top and stuck a sleeper on it. Just like a person it was out in about 2.5 seconds and I carried it over to the owners still in the sleeper hold. (a lot easier to maneuver than human equivalents  )

You probably wouldn't have had too much to worry about re being bitten because their gobs should be full of the dog they're fighting.

Nick

PS: Intervening like this is way easier against a dog than when the dog is trying to fight you.

Some useful info here.

http://leerburg.com/dogfight.htm

Having owned a Stafford bitch I would suggest the main problem is crappy owners rather than vicious dogs.if they are trained properly they are very placid and rarely attack other dogs.The only way you will prise the jaws apart is with a very strong stick or steel rod.The grip is incredible for such a small dog and that is when it is playing tug of war rather than being in full on fighting mode.

I have had success ( though in a less full on situation) by twisting the dogs collar like a tourniquet, happened by accident with two dogs fighting, as I grabbed the collar the two dogs spun around underneath me which twisted the collar really tight like a tourniquet, stopped the dog but a bit painful on the hand too

I did think of slapping a choke on but then decided that my face was close enough to the sharp end already. I porbably would have tried it if the dog had a longer muzzle. My mistake obviously.

I agree about staffies tony they are lovely lovely animals who have a bad rep caused by some utter berks who own them.

Anyway, just an update. I have now seen the dog which was attacked and he is fine. A bit battle scarred but ok. The owner is wreck still and it has obviously affected him as he was nervously scanning for other dogs constantly and not letting his off the lead. He was also embarrasingly grateful to me, bless him.

A couple of things.

I've got a large staffie cross and an american bulldog. From time to time they go hammer and tong on each other and with other dogs. Usually hormones or food related situations.

As with anything there's various levels of force.

-A strangle or facebar will work but your likely to get bit trying to lock it on.
-A pry bar to open the jaws is preferable.
-I've used my hands in a pinch to separate the jaws and got bitten a couple of times.
-kicking the dog may get their attention but remember a big dog may jump towards your throat in instinct  

Next escalation is incapicate the dog:
-blunt trauma to the head, with an object.
-something sharp....

Professionals use pepper spray and a big rod with a hoop to keep away from the bitey end.

If I walk my mums dog a runt of the litter westy I take a big stick, she'd only only last seconds if a big dog went for her.