"How To Seperate Fighting Dogs" Bloodlines, 1940

Bloodlines

August, 1940

How to Part Fighting Dogs
By Phil Ford

I notice a brother fancier up in New Jersey writes in to know how to separate his dogs when they have a friendly difference on the European plan. He suggests two or three methods he used but seems to suspect that a more practical way might be found.

First friend fancier used snuff on them. In all probability he used the wrong brand, as it seems this ruse didn’t work so well! I know the Rooster brand would not induce his Pit Terriers to lay down their arms and forget old grudges. This particular brand would cause one or both to “crow” about what he would do to his antagonist, if he fooled with him. In this case the fight would just be started! And if friend fancier used more than one kind of snuff, his dogs would probably have a “falling out” over which was the better.

Failing with the snuff method, friend fancier next tried squeezing the dogs’ paws. Now he should have known human nature better than to think this would stop two vicious Bull Terriers. They simply thought they were being congratulated on the job they were doing!

The brightest idea advanced by the perplexed mediator was thrusting his hands in the dog’s mouths! I’ll say he has more confidence in the discretion of two excited pit artists than I do. Just suppose his hand had not been too tough for Tige’s and Black Devil’s sharp fangs! Brother, let me nervously suggest you try a nice juicy sirloin steak next time instead of your fist. That might run their temperature down and their appetite up so they would be willing to agree to an armistice.

While I lay no claim at being an expert in the coveted art of separating fighting dogs, I shall, for the good of the cause, suggest a few methods. However, down south we fellows never think of being able to stop our dogs once they lay their chops on each other. We just go on with our work and return to the place of conflict in a few days and pick up the pieces.

About the simplest method I can think of is to clamp a clothes pin on each dog’s tail. This causes them to chase their tails and forget their anger. I never knew this method to fail when tried!

I think one of the most dignified ways to divorce to battling terriers is just to sit down and calmly reason with them. Tell them that a fight never settled any difference. Try to shame them by reminding them they are acting like their masters do when they have differences. When this method is used the dogs invariably stop the battle, drop their tails and sneak off.

Another way to “put the fire out” is to call the fire department. When the hose is turned on the dogs gradually “cool off” and decide to call off the fight. The boys would leave a fire downtown any day to see a good dog fight! So don’t hesitate to call them.

Then I’ve read of an anti-fight serum that gets the job done. If friend fancier tries all the above methods to no profit, and will write me the next time his pups run together, I’ll be glad, at my convenience, to send him the address of the firm that manufactures this anti-fight and sure-stop serum.

Coming to think about it, I believe that the “New Deal” has appointed some brain trusts to do some research along this line. If it hasn’t, it will if one ever suggests it! Write the “Fighting Dog Department” for their bulletin the next time your dogs become vexed at each other.

In case none of the above suggestions prove successful, try this: Call a couple of wreckers, park them in opposite directions, get some strong ropes and loop them around each dog just in front of his hind legs, tie the ropes to the back bumpers of the cars and yell for the drivers to step on it. Now, laying all jokes aside, I’ll guarantee that the dogs will stop fighting. Mind you, this method may not separate the dog’s heads, but it will put such a distance between their hinder parts that the fight will stop.

Judging from the reports of contests, some of the boys have no trouble stopping their dogs. What some of them need is some guaranteed way to keep their pups going! Maybe some obliging fancier will suggest, in contrast to my practical suggestions on stopping the fight, how to keep the fight going. Feeding the pup on gun-powder doesn’t seem to work so well.