#Everydogmanshouldknow about the Parting Stick or as we call it the "Break Stick"
What are Break Sticks?
If you've been involved with Pit Bulls, you've probably heard a term of "break stick or parting stick". This is a safety item every Pit Bull owner should have on hand. It is a hammer handle-sized piece of sturdy material typically made of wood, but you may also see them made of other materials. This tool is used to break a Pit Bull off of another dog during a fight. The flat end is then twisted like a motorcycle handle to open the jaw and allow for enough leverage to pull the Pit Bull off of the other dog without doing any damage to either dog. By using a break stick, a Pit Bull can be broken off of another dog quickly and safely, with as few injuries as possible.
Why are they needed?
Pit Bulls have been breed for hundreds of years to be grip dogs, used in bull baiting, used in hog hunting and used in dog fighting, and the truth is they are still bred today, in the underworld, to be grip dogs.
Therefore they fight a little differently than most dogs. Even the best behaved dog can find itself in a fight. Pit Bulls are strong dogs, they have strong jaws, There is no physical locking mechanism in the jaws of a pit bull, their jaw physically is no different from any other breed. What is different about Pit Bulls is their mind, which is why you can not train the fight out. The jaws of a pit bull do not technically lock but pit bulls often grab hold and refuse to let go. They have been bred and are hard-wired for this behavior, just like retrievers "retrieve" or herders "herd" it can't be trained out. They are strong, tenacious, determined dogs, just like most terriers, and it can be extremely difficult to get them to release another dog once they have a "grip". Break Sticks facilitate that process with less damage than any other methods.
How to Use a Break Stick
Dog fights can be dangerous. If you have never experienced one you really don't want to. Preventing them is much easier than breaking them.
Before Grip
If the dogs don't have a hold yet, you may be able to break the fight using other methods. Jerking the dogs back by their collars, a loud and firm break command, a bucket of cold water, a water hose, or placing a barrier such as a baby gate between the two dogs may be enough to stop them. Be safe: don't put your hands anywhere near the mouth of the dogs.
DO NOT try to pull the dogs apart as this will cause tearing and a lot of damage.
How to Break Up a Fight
If one of the dogs has a grip, it’s time to use a break stick.
It is easier if there are two people to break up a fight, but you can do it by yourself if you have no choice. If both dogs are fighting and you are alone, you might need to tie one of the dogs to something solid. When one of the dogs is tied up, you must "break" the one that is not tied first, and pull him/her off right away.
1- Remain calm - I know, this can be nearly impossible, but screaming doesn't help.
2- Walk over to the dogs, straddle one that has a hold, and then lock your legs around the dog's hips just in front of the hindquarters. Make sure your legs are locked securely around the dog. Your break stick will be in one hand, so with your free hand, grab your dog firmly by his collar and pull upward slightly. (This is a good reason to always keep collars on your dogs)
3- Insert your breaking stick behind the molars where the gap is found. Sometimes you need to work the stick in just a bit if the gap is small. The stick should be inserted from ½ to 1½ inches into the dog's mouth.
4- Turn the stick as if you're twisting the throttle of a motorcycle. This action will cause the dog to readjust its grip, and it will bite onto the stick, releasing the other dog. If both dogs have a hold, you will then have to break the second dog from the first.
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