Dogs need to be disciplined after a fight, right? Well, not exactly.

Owners whose dogs have instigated or joined a fight may feel that their dog needs training in Good Dog Behavior 101.

While it is right to start training after a fight, it is not easy to tell your dog what (not) to do right after it has happened.

The first thing you need to do is stay calm and break up the fight. Not sure how to break up a dog fight?

Now the reason for the fight and body language is crucial.

Make a mental note to form a training plan afterward.

Secondly, you cannot discipline a dog right after a fight.

There are some things you should never do right after an accident.

Big no go.

What you are looking for is not a disciplinary method, but a training method.

There are two reasons why “discipline” is not applied. Fortunately, I have the solutions.

This is the third point, we want to train our dogs to behave well over the long haul.

Prevention is always better than dealing with the consequences. If a fight does occur, take preventative measures from now on and investigate the cause of the fight.

But all of this might seem pretty confusing right now, so let’s dive right in.

How to discipline dogs after a fight

You can discipline dogs after a fight by showing a calm demeanor when the fight is broken and perhaps using verbal correction immediately after the fight. Start working on the root cause instead of the punishment.

The most important thing when a fight occurs between dogs is to break it up quickly and calmly.

How you do this depends on the situation, the cause, and the dogs involved.

If a strange dog attacks you, different measures may be called for than when your two dogs fight over food or a toy.

Do not use physical punishment or irritate canines.

Just use the force you need to separate the dogs.

At this point, you can use a verbal cue to correct the bad behavior if you entered it before.

However, this is not always appropriate.

If the cause and duration of the fight are unknown or if you do not know who instigated what, correction is usually ineffective.

But verbal corrections are the only way to discipline a dog right after a fight.

why is that?

Your dog will not understand how he is being disciplined because it does not connect him to the underlying cause and instead may react with fear or confusion.

This is where we get to the big no-gos.

Things not to do include corporal punishments or obnoxious techniques that are useless right after a fight.

It won’t do anything because it doesn’t address the underlying behavioral problem.

This is the third point, long-term training rather than disciplining your dog after a fight.

Never physically discipline your dog after a fight, but rather assess what happened and why it happened and start training.

But what should you do instead?

Should I punish my dog after a fight?
Never punish your dog after a fight. You can use correction but never use punishment because unexpected consequences may include making unwanted behavior worse.

Punishment is defined as “cruel, cruel, or catastrophic treatment” and has no place in dog training.

If you can identify what happened and feel confident that it is a training problem, correct your dog with a simple verbal cue.

The first component of a successful correction is timing.

Whatever stimuli you add (or subtract) the unwanted behavior should follow immediately.

So only use the quick correction if you catch your dog in the act.

With timely correction, you may be able to stop the fight, although the chances are slim if the other dog is the aggressor.

If you see a behavior pattern, meaning you know certain actions that will trigger unwanted behavior from your dog, you may even be able to stop it beforehand.

However, that won’t fix the underlying problem.

Ask yourself if your dog is fighting over one of these things:

Self-defense
Attack due to stress or fear
Fighting escalates with gameplay
Resource Guard
Food aggression
Pain caused by medical problems

The solutions and methods for disciplining your dog depend largely on the cause of the fight.

Fighting between two dogs in the same household is not as uncommon as you might think, and if you are not sure why, consult a dog trainer.

If your older dog attacks your puppy or if you bring home a rescue, read on for these specific issues.

What should you not do after a dog fight?
After the fight is over, you should never punish or yell at your dog, and instead start training your dog to avoid another incident.

Consider professional help if you are unsure about your dog’s behavior.

Disciplining your dog after a fight will not work because the dog is usually unable to connect the dots and instead learns to fear their handler.

You should never let your guard down after a fight.

This means not allowing your dog access to other dogs around him and separating the two.

Some trainers recommend walking the dogs together after a fight and this may be appropriate under certain circumstances.

Is it normal for dogs to fight sometimes?

No, it is not normal for dogs to fight, unless they are playing fighting or using calculated corrections to communicate which is not considered serious fighting.

Play fighting is very common, especially between dogs that are familiar with each other and puppies.

You can choose to restrict play to fighting with an emphasis on obedience training so that you can interrupt your dogs whenever you see they are getting too far.

Of two healthy adult dogs, it is normal to see corrections if one of them misbehaves.

If a correction is made and the other dog responds well, it’s not a fight.

This can seem very dangerous to non-dog people, especially if there are already breeds out there growing up.

What are the signs of the seriousness of the fighting?

Caresses, snarls, a tense or rigid body, a whale’s eye, and resources involved – all of these can indicate that the fight is serious.

If you get injured, consider professional help immediately.

Avoid future accidents by taking appropriate measures (such as a muzzle, training, socialization, and professional assistance).

How to discipline dogs after a fight

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