Well-trained and socialized dogs are not aggressive towards other dogs.
They never roam around to attack animals, but Pitbulls are hunting species and can become aggressive in certain situations.
They might also try to dominate your dog because of their nature or any uncomfortable situation.
You might panic if your dog gets attacked by a pit bull.
Even if you have a dominating breed, the fight can lead to injuries to both of them. Your concern about your furry friend is genuine, and that is why you need to know some vital things in case your dog gets attacked by a pit bull.
My dog was attacked by a pit bull; what to do?
There are a couple of things to remember in such a situation.
1. Be calm and do not panic
We understand that panic is a natural emotion in this situation, but you have to be calm. Your panic can make things worse rather than cooling the circumstances. It can make your dog or the attacking pitbull more aggressive. Stay composed to help your dog to remain out of danger.
2. Do not get into the fight yourself
Staying away from the scene after seeing your furry friend in danger can be difficult. But jumping in between the dogs is not the solution. It will make the attacking pitbull more dominating, causing injuries to you too.
So are we asking you to stand and watch? No, in place of this, try to distract the pitbull from a distance. Do things like making loud noises or clapping.
His owner should also be trying to do the same.
Remember that you must not make direct eye contact with the pitbull as he can feel more threatened this way. It will make the situation worse.
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3. Call your dog away and report the incident
Your dog obeys your instructions, so call him away from the fight. It might be possible that your dog is strong enough to fight the pitbull, but this will still cause many injuries to both of them.
It is wise for both the owners to call their dogs away. If your dog gets injured, you can report it to 911, or you can also report it to your local dog warden.
They will try to know the reasons behind this behavior and investigate whether the pitbull did this unintentionally or has a disorder.
You can prevent future accidents by informing the dog wardens.
If the pitbull has any aggression issues, he can hurt other dogs too.
Your steps can prevent this from happening again in the future. They will speak to the owner of the pitbull and will also advise you on how you can prevent this from happening again.
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4. Gather information about the pitbull
Try to get the contact details of the owner of the dog and a photograph of the dog. If your dog has any serious injuries or tooth bites, knowing the pitbull history can help in the treatment.
Gather information about the availability of any pet insurance with them as it can cover any veterinary care required for your dog.
You can also gather the contact details of the eyewitnesses so that the owner of the pit bull could not make any false claims.
5. Wash his wounds
Wash all the wounds that you can see thoroughly. Clean all the blood and mud from your dog’s body. Give poor species some water to drink and pat your furry friend so that he stays calm.
Make him feel comfortable and secure.
Some bacteria might probably have entered from the mouth of your pitbull into their skin. This immediate step of washing the wounds can prevent bacteria from seeping deep into the tissues and muscles. It will save him from infection.
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6. Take your dog to his vet
Immediately take your dog to his vet and inform them about the incident. Even if you do not see any injury, a check-up is a must. You do not know any medical history or vaccination reports of the attacking pit bull.
Only your vet can confirm if your dog has gained any infections from the other dog or not.
The doctor will thoroughly check the presence of any bacteria in the tissue of your canine that might get transmitted from the pitbull’s mouth. Some bite wounds can be more dangerous than they appear.
A dog becomes aggressive only when he finds himself in a difficult situation.
A playful activity between two dogs can turn into a fight when any of them feels uncomfortable or ignored. Pitbulls do not attack or bite without warning.
You can see signs of aggression and prevent any mishap or accident. Some symptoms include growling, snarling, snapping, lunging, and baring teeth.
Before all such activities, they show signs of anger and discomfort. If you see any such signals or indications, then the best way is to walk away. It will calm the situation down.
You have to take this action of walking away quickly because this can also seem threatening to the pitbull.
If the circumstance gets out of control and moving away is not an option, try to put a physical barrier between the dogs like a gate, a fence, or a car.
Wrapping it up
No dog attacks another one for any reason. You have to make sure that your dog is well-trained and does not try to dominate other animals. Learn signs that your dog might give you to show the discomfort.
Licking lips, yawning, turning the face away, trying to move away from the pitbull, bending ears, showing the whites of the eyes, and many more are some common indications.
If you have heard about behavior concerns of any dog near the surroundings, do not let your dog come near them. All these are preventive measures that you can take to avoid any harmful incidents.
Hi There, AJ Oren here. I am the founder of this amazing pet blog & a passionate writer who loves helping pet owners to learn more about their pets through my articles. I am also the content manager of this blog. I have experience in pet training and behavior, sheltering, and currently working for a veterinary clinic.