The dog trainer my buddy is working with seems to have informed her that when the dogs get into a fight, she should hit them to break them up. I do not really have any references or evidence, but I am very confident this is incorrect. Please provide a hand.
When the younger, larger male, who is not old enough to be fixed, tries to take a toy or treat from the smaller, older female, they frequently get into little skirmishes. They have never drawn blood, I believe.
For my part, I try to apply the “wheelbarrow” approach. Pull them away from the other dog by grabbing their hips or their legs. They separate the two dogs while evaluating the circumstances.
A bucket of water does wonders in this situation. just a quick splash and BOOM, fight over.
Source: volunteering with stray/abandoned animals.
We usually have boards with handles (like ambulance stretchers) on hand at our dog daycare. When things get heated, they separate the dogs. I wonder if any kind of barrier board—like a big cardboard box—would be effective. I have not really done this myself, so it is purely theoretical.
Give each dog their own space and toys to prevent conflicts over treats or toys. Use separate feeding areas.