The Use of Breaker Bars in Dog Fights

By Ed Frawley  |  Last modified: March 5, 2013

URL Copied!

Leerburg does not encourage dog fighting of any kind.

I have an article on my website explaining a safer way to break up a dog fight without getting bit This article was written from my experience breaking up fights between German Shepherds or other breeds of police service dogs.

Once or twice a month, I get e-mails from pit bull owners telling me that I am off-base on my methods. They all recommend that I include information on the use of a breaker bar. This article contains information on that subject.

There are a couple of issues that need to be made before I get into this article.

1. I like pit bulls as a breed. I have seen some great pits and if they did not have such a terrible reputation, they would make excellent service dogs. Unfortunately, I do not think the public would accept them.
2. I think that people who train for, endorse, encourage, or promote dog fights with pit bulls are nothing less than redneck assholes. These people are the scum of the earth. They are pieces of shit. I do not often use this language on my website but I want to make my views on these people very clear. I think people convicted of dog fights should spend many, many, many years in prison.

I do not agree with these people who say that all dog fights should be broken up with a breaker bar.

When pit bulls fight, they grip the other dog and lock onto them. They have extremely powerful jaw pressure and in many cases, are not aggressive to humans— although this is not always the case which is confirmed by the number of people that have been killed by this breed.

When you talk to pit fighters (and I get this from their e-mails), they recommend standing over the dog, (with it between their legs) and using the breaker bar the way you see it being used in the photo below.

It would be a serious mistake to try this maneuver if you were trying to break up GSDs or for that matter, most other breeds. When dogs that are not trained to fight get into a serious dog fight, they really get strung out. When they are pulled apart, most will turn and try and attack the person that has just pulled them out of or away from the fight. They do this instinctually. That's how many people get bit.

So with that in mind, if you put a dog between your legs and plan on using a breaker bar, you had better be ready to go to war with your dog when he releases (or is released) from the jaws of another dog.

Leerburg does not encourage dog fighting of any kind. In the event that a dog fight occurs, read our article on How to Break Up a Dog Fight without Getting Hurt.

Shop Training Supplies

Enroll in Training Courses

About Author

Ed Frawley

Ed Frawley is the founder and owner of Leerburg.com and has been producing professional dog training videos since 1982. Over the years, he has collaborated with some of the most respected dog trainers in the country. His body of work includes 194 full-length training DVDs and 95 comprehensive online courses. In addition to these, he has produced and published over 4,000 short training videos available free of charge on Leerburg.com and across the company's social media platforms.

Ed and his wife, Cindy—also a professional dog trainer—bred working-line German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois for more than 35 years. Although they retired from breeding in 2009, they had produced over 300 litters by that time.

Ed also served as a K9 handler for the local sheriff's department for 10 years, working in partnership with the West Central Drug Task Force. During his time in law enforcement, he handled multiple narcotics and patrol dogs and conducted more than 1,000 K9 searches. If you want to learn more about Ed, read about his history here.

Share this article on social media:

URL Copied!

Have a dog training question?
Ask Cindy.