Just like humans, dogs use body language to communicate how they’re feeling. Learning to read a dog’s body language—and when to remove a dog from a stressful situation—is the best thing you can do to prevent dog bites.

Dogs show a series of warnings before they bite, including:

• Body going stiff (especially if their tail is held high)
• Curling their lips
• Growling
• Warning snap (a bite that doesn’t actually touch)
• Snapping at another dog

Even if a dog is wagging their tail, they could still be trying to tell you they’re feeling anxious or aggressive. Especially if you don’t know a dog, stay tuned in to their body language to make sure they’re feeling comfortable.

How to Safely Break Up a Fight

Hopefully you’re never in a situation where you have to break up a dog fight. If you are, try breaking it up by:

• Shouting or making a loud noise with objects you have handy.
• Placing a barrier between them, like a chair, board, or other object. Never grab a dog by their collar since they can reach back and bite you.
• If you have two people, pick up the dogs by their back legs, wheelbarrow style, and walk them backwards away from each other. As soon as you can after that, turn them away from each other and keep them separated.

Of course, intervene only if it’s safe for you.