Hi!

I think all the advice you have given sounds good thus far. Have the dogs always lived together and have they always been indoor dogs? Is Bandit proven to be the submissive or is that just an assumption? The reason I ask is that even the Bandit is neutered, if he is trying to gain an alpha position, he may be doing so by marking his territory repetitively. Not all dogs stop marking after altering, especially if they were neutered after they started the habit.

Rug-ripping could definitely have something to do with an anxiety issue. New dog? New schedule? New people in your life? Some dogs also display destructive behavior when they are not getting enough exercise.