My two Flattie boys had a bit of a scrap on Boxing day as I stupidly threw something for them and they both got to it at the same time, clashed heads then went for each other. They split after about 10 - 20 seconds and despite the noise and look of it no damage was done. They returned to normal and have been fine since.......until yesterday when we were out in the field and one found a stick and dropped it teasingly in front of the other then when he went to get it the original 'owner' wanted it back and the clashed again. They once again seperated and harmony returned.
This morning there was another very brief incident over a stick. Don't tell me to avoid sticks as we live in a forest!! They are together now and are fine but I am worried in case they are likely to start a grudge against each other. The older one is 4 and the other is 2. The 4 year old is very highly strung and is very much a Mummy's boy.
I've had multiple, up to 4, entire boys in the house for the past 16 years with no trouble before. Would neutering the highly strung one calm him, I've never considered this before and don't really believe it will help but any experiences welcome.

What ever you do, don't get the highly strung one neutered, there's a good chance it would make him worse.

Personally, it wouldn't worry me over much, it sounds as if its just a lot of shouting and shoving, could you possibly give each boy a ball or something to carry so they'd be less likely to pick up sticks in the first place.

I would say neutering the older one will only reduce the social distance between them making scrapping for top position more likely. 

Accepted wisdom would have you neuter the younger to reduce his status.  I don't think I truly believe this as I have known a neutered top dog in a household with several males, all bigger than him.

The four year old has only really just reached social maturity, so being top is a bit new for him and he isn't handling it as well as he might trying to keep the young pretender at bay.

At this stage with just spats it is easy enough to get them to cool it, and I bet they re quite relieved when the true boss stops things.  Distract and reduce excitement.

I have found that if there is a disagreement both parties need to be told off equally, don't take sides, a spat takes two.

In any relationships you will get times when individuals will push and test each other, and try their luck.

Thanks for your replies. They are both told off as it happens so quick it is hard to say for sure who kicks off first. Most of the time they play with each other fine and we stop any rough and tumble if it is getting too much rough than tumble.
Neutering the youngster is not really an option as he is shown but as you say it is not likely to help anyway.
I could give them both balls to carry but i know they would probably want what the other had, honestly they are like a couple of kids!

> honestly they are like a couple of kids!

and in some ways that's how you need to treat them. ;)

I'd be working on a good 'leave' so you can stop them picking up sticks, and give them a good couple of weeks at least where they don't have a chance to clash.  A lot of the tension should abate just with doing that.  I've had this with two of my bitches over toys right from the start - I just don't have toys if they are out together and we have no toys at home, and on the odd time they are walked together now, it's nice and sensible because they have a good, long history of happy walks where they aren't annoying each other (they are walked separately mainly because of different exercise abilities, but it does mean they can have toys on walks then too) :-)