Fights average nearly an hour in length, although they often last more than two hours.
A dogfight ends when one of the dogs is no longer able or willing to continue fighting. The injuries inflicted and sustained by dogs participating in dogfights are frequently severe, even fatal. The American pit bull terriers used in these fights have been specifically bred and trained to be unrelenting in their attempts to overcome their opponents. These dogs have extremely powerful jaw muscles and are able to inflict serious damage such as broken bones or crushed cartilage. Dogs who survive a fight often die of blood loss, shock, dehydration, exhaustion, or infection hours or even days after the fight.