It’s no secret that many people are afraid of dogs. This is because dogs can potentially kill or maim humans due to their sharp teeth. Not only this but trying to run or escape against a dog could prove difficult too, seeing as they’re naturally much quicker than humans.
This brings us to our main topic of this article, which is based on the possibility of using Brazilian Jiu Jitsu against a dog. Up until quite recently, there wasn’t much information on whether BJJ worked on dogs or not. However, recently a video showed a man choke out an aggressive street dog. In the video, a feral dog aggressively started biting the leg of a woman. If left unattended, there is a realistic possibility that this dog could have even killed its victim.
This stopped when a man came onto the scene and used a rear naked choke on the dog. Here, the dog went unconscious for a few seconds, before waking up confused and running away. Overall, this was a good example of how BJJ can save lives without harming people at the same time. This is because the man didn’t have to kill the dog or hurt it – whilst simultaneously saving the day.
Having said this, there are a few key points to discuss. Firstly, the man choked the dog from behind whilst it was preoccupied. Had the dog gone against the main in a 1 vs 1 scenario then it would have been far harder for the man to get to the back of the dog and submit it.
Still, there have been stories of people grappling dogs. Obviously, you have to be smart about fighting a dog as getting bitten is no joke. Ideally, you would choke the dog by either performing an RNC or even possibly a triangle. Interestingly, there is also the history of the bulldog choke which is based on a technique used to subdue dogs.
There’s also another point that is based on strength and size differences. For instance, Japanese Akita or American Pitbull breeds are notoriously strong and aggressive. Therefore, they could possibly beat a weak person in a fight. At the same time, a grown man could easily use BJJ on a Chihuahua to defend themself.
This shows that there’s a spectrum and the idea of using BJJ on a dog isn’t a fixed debate – it’s fluid with lots of variables. For instance, a grown man against a Pitbull could result in victory for the man or the dog, depending on how it played out. Having said this, even a very strong man would struggle against a Pitbull.
In conclusion, there’s no set result. However, clearly being able to grapple a dog would give you a big advantage compared to being untrained. On a similar, final note – having a good guard could also be useful when fighting a dog.
