Hunting Dog Brawls...

[Jay]

Hey Guys;

I was just thinking of how many times I have had to "stop" an impending dog fight while out hunting with my English Pointer Bamma... Here in New Brunswick, it seems every area you get into near farmland has some idiot dog trying to assert their dominance over the "new" dog on the scene...

My solution to the escalating/impending dog fight is to fire a shot over the head of the dog(s)... To date, it has ALWAYS sent the "farm" dog running home... The funniest thing is that my pointer Bamma just stands there wondering why the hell that dog took off all of a sudden and puffing her chest out like she's the BOSS... ha ha ha... The truth of the matter is, she's a pussycat and WOULD get her butt kicked by most dogs, but dad is there to "save" her... :wink: :lol:

Anyone else have to deal with this issue? How do you handle it?

Cheers
Jay

 

[Foxer]

Wasn't much of a problem for us... all the dogs knew the other dogs in the area. But once in a while a big black lab we had would get into it with another dog. Dad had a simple solution - wade in there with a big stick and remind them both who REALLY is the 'biggest dog in the pack' and to mind their $#&% manners or they'll get another lickin'. :lol:

Seemed to work great

 

[canadian hunter312]

last dog that i saw in the bush ended up staying in the bush after it came after my dog. probly best for it though because it was pretty skinny and its collar was so tight i dunno how it was even breathing.

sometimes its the owners that need to put down rather than the dog

 

[X-man]

My Chocolate Lab Bruiser, at 125lbs doesn't really have to worry about another hunting dog tacking into him. He isn't aggressive even though he isn't fixed, as I don't permit ANY or my 5 dogs to show aggression. However, when faced, he mostly ignores the challenger as being beneath his attention, usually a short growl is enough to put the other dogs tail between his legs and he's gone with a couple of yips. We did have a saucy Pitbull Cross come after us one time while I was visiting friends in St. John's. The pitbull made for us, Bruiser grabbed him by the throat and picked him up off the ground and starting shaking him like a rag doll! :mrgreen: After a minute or two, I figured the other dog had learned his lesson and I commanded Bruiser to Heel and release. So he walked bact to me with the Pitbull still hanging from his mouth, walked behind me to stand by my left side and spat the Pitbull out at my feet! :mrgreen: Talk about a Pitbull having the wind knocked out of his sails. I felt sorry for the poor bugger. One growl from Bruiser and he ran off down the street with his tail between his legs.

My other dogs have had some knock down-drag out fights in the woods. They don't start it, but more times than not, they come out a head. However, if the fight is getting too serious, or if my dog is overmatched i.e., one of the beagles getting jumped by a Lab, etc... a good swift kick in the guts or 'nads is usually enough to dissuade the other dog from continuing his fight. Unless you have lots of experience handling dogs and dog fights, I strongly recommend new dog owners NOT walk into the middle of a dog fight, as your own dog is just as likely to bite you as the other dog! If one is available, a cold bucket of water or a garden hose works really good!

 

[John Y Cannuck]

I was riding in the back of Big John's Cadilac (a '73 with the rear seat taken out for the dogs) Bouncing over the ruts in the back roads, trying to keep my ass on what little bit of wheel well there was, when one of the labs fell over against one of the hounds, and all of a sudden I was in the middle of a four dog melay. John dodn't stop for a bit, just laughed, as I struggled to keep my arms and legs intact, bouncing, and being walked on and snarled at. Finally, I got ahold of the two collars of the hounds before they killed the labs, as I was sure they were going to ( I was young then). I forced the hounds with some difficulty back into the trunk. The two labs started to fight between themselves. Apparently it's something they did all the time.
John turned around, and bellered something to the tune of "Lay down of I'll wup your sorry asses" and all four dogs suddenly went quiet, and stayed that way. Much to the enjoyment of my battered tailbone.

 

[BIGREDD]

I used to carry a shooting/walking stick when we ran the Beagles... nothing worse than a Beagle fight. We used splitters on the leads and always had a male and a female together to avoid conflict.
I had a bigger cutting dog half golden/half collie that I used to keep the coyotes honest when running beagles. Her name was Easy and she was a vicious ##### that could catch and kill Jacks and Raccoons. I never seen her get cut when fighting coyotes and she killed more than a couple.
Easy had a presence that prevented most dog fights with strange dogs and she could be turned on and off like a switch. I remember one fight that really sticks in my memory... the idiot owner on the nieghbouring farm let his German Shepard loose to interfere with our rabbit hunt :shock:
I heard the beagle pup yelping and next thing I knew it was running up the fire cut right at us with this mental sheppard right on its ass :!:
I couldn't see Easy anywhere so I yelled her name and I was about to raise my gun when she came out of the pines and hit the interloper broadside
She rolled the Sheppard over and chewed on his face and eyes... she really knew how to disable an opponent... I called her "out " immediately but it was too late.
I didn't have the chance to put that dog down because it ran into the bush, but I am certain it's owner must have...
Having a dog that is aggressive is a huge responsibility and even the meekest dog will fight to protect its owner or itself :idea:
You should always protect your dogs by trying not to put them into a situation where they might fight. I realize that this is not always possible so carry a stick (to separate... not to hit with!) or some pepper spray (and losts of water!) and keep your hands and feet clear of the action :wink:

 

[beretta boy]

The hounds often "get at it" when at close quarters in the back of a pick-up when there's also a fresh deer aboard ( "My deer,not yours " I guess). Usually a gun barrel rapped smartly across the top of the head of both combatants puts an end to it. Watch your hands if you try to grab a collar - reflex bites are usually bad ones !