Hi All,

Thanks for the responses. I had both dogs for a yearly check up about 3 mths ago and both were fine (glands were checked) and I did ask if there was anything I should do about the issues. This vet said it was obviously an issue and to call a behaviorist as he didn't have suggestions.

Yes, they do get along fairly well "to my eye" in general. They sleep right next to each other, play outside, etc. I don't notice that there is an obvious cause to the fighting. My Dobe does eat first (although I have two dishes in seperate areas), she will often pace from one dish to the other (which I have started to get on her about so that my bully will eat at the same time). The bully does give her the eye if the Dobe is standing in a room, etc. It is like they dare each other to move and if one does...a storm breaks out. The Dobe licks the Bullys head a lot...which the bully hates, and she puts her paw on the bullys head, back, etc. If the bully moves...a growl or fight will start if we don't snap at them. In turn, the bully will randomly walk up to the Dobe and get in her face (well, as much as she can for being so much shorter) and stare her down (her tail puffs up as well), if we try to pet the Dob the bully will charge over and start growling and nipping at her legs (usually the dobe will just walk away). It is strange though...they can fight, then 20 minutes later do the play bow at each other and chase around the yard. I did notice my bully tends to pee in the yard and then do the kicking/scratching of the ground with her back legs (which I though only males did?). She just seems to REALLY have a dominant personality.

So when I let them out, who do I let out first? They already know that we go out first, then they can...but they don't fit out at the same time. Since my bully tends to charge the door to beat the dobe out, I have (for the past two days) made her sit at the door until after the dobe goes out and if she freaks out I roll her over (with the thought that I'm the Alpha and say when she can go out). I don't want to make the issues worse though. I'm going to start feeding them in seperate rooms and trying to make sure they get attention time seperately instead of at the same time. I'm just really afraid of doing things that would potentially make the issue worse in any way. Last night they didn't fight at all. I think they each started a growl session seperately (different times) but we got on them about it right as it started and it stopped immediately.

Ughhh...what a nightmare. Hate seeing my girls not get along!
Deborah