Hello everyone,
I have two labs, one chocolate who we got first she is 13 months old, and a yellow lab who is 8 months old. We got our yellow lab so our chocolate lab would have a play mate. They have always been fantastic together always played well and never got into fights. Until just recently our chocolate lab has been being aggressive over her food. Which we have been understandable about because our yellow lab is a bottomless pit so to say. He eats his food and then tries to eat Bailey's food (chocolate labs name is Bailey) at first bailey was fine and just let him eat it, until recently she growled and attacked him! She had him pinned on the ground and we couldn't get her off. A few weeks later she has started growling whenever I give Axle attention. She wont let him up on our bed, she lays over my lap and just growls. This all started with her food, but it hasn't happened again with their food just over my attention! I'm not sure if this is just a jealousy thing or if something happened and they just aren't getting along anymore. I need help! I love both of my babies and I would hate it if we had to get rid of them because of their fighting. 

Thank you!!

They are a bit too close in age but you can't do anything about that. Think this is fairly typical bitch behaviour they have to be boss, are either of them neutered?

This is resource guarding - all this behaviour.  I would suggest you speak to a trainer or local training club.

Also your dog should not have to share or defend her food.  I would ensure your other dog does not get the opportunity to steal her food.  That is a training issue with him not her.  You will have to work on her resource guarding, my springer puppy does this and it is an ongoing thing but her worst issue is food so I make sure she does not have to compete for it.

As the other poster has said you have inadvertently encouraged this behaviour by allowing the younger pup to steal the older pups food. 

The older pup being a bitch will expect to be pre-eminent over the male anyway, but is probably a bit young and to inexperienced to manage being in charge well, so goes over the top.

You need to ensure she does not feel challenged by the younger dog and that she has no need to guard her food etc as you will ensure it is safe from being taken.

To late now, but it was not really wise to have two puppies together an age gap of two to three years makes for a much more harmonious multi-dog household, as the older dog feels well established when the younger reaches puberty/adulthood.

After the first time of him stealing her food we had them in separate rooms, she actually stopped eating her food for a few days when we did this. I'm not sure why. So now I have them in the same room and I have him to where he goes and lays down when he is done eating his. But when she attacked him he it was because he made a run for her food when she walked away from it. I had assumed she finished her food. That was the only time that has happened and now they eat in peace together. She only gets jealous when I give him attention though. My husband can give him all the attention in the world and she could care less. Also I'm not sure if this would have anything to do with it, but when this started shortly after we found out that I was pregnant. Since then she lays her head on my stomach as if she knows? I wouldn't think that has anything to do with her acting protective around me but it is a coincidence.

> Since then she lays her head on my stomach as if she knows? I wouldn't think that has anything to do with her acting protective around me but it is a coincidence.

Yes she will be aware of your condition and many dogs will be protective of their owners at this time.  I also find my own dogs are more careful of one of the bitches when they are pregnant so certainly they are aware of something different about you.

Then maybe that is why, I guess I'll just have to wait and see if things get better. Thank you for the advise!

I would feed them in separate areas or police the situation to make sure the bolshy youngster doesn't try to steal the other one's food. Also, when my older Ellie grumbles at the other dogs and tries to guard my lap, she gets pushed straight off it and loses the privilege of being on the lap.

>she gets pushed straight off it and loses the privilege of being on the lap.

I'm in total agreement.  I have a breed that can easily fit a gaggle of them on the sofa with me.  They learn very quickly that if they growl, they are the one on the sidelines!