There is a bit of a power struggle going on in my house at the moment, and I don't know what to do about it. Ellie (18 month old, GR, spayed bitch) has decided she wants to be top dog but Megan (2 ½ year old BC, spayed bitch) isn't going down without a fight. I know there can be a problem with bitches but up to now there have only been a couple of minor arguments over zealous playing. It all seems to have started when Ellie decided that she can take toys and food away from Megan,. If Ellie finishes her food first she will go and intimidate Meg until Meg gives in. She usually doesn't and a fight ensues. No one has been hurt yet, apart from a few scratches on Meg, but each time the fight is broken up and the dogs separated. They now eat separately if not supervised. This weekend I went away for 36 hours. When I came back both dogs came running up to greet me and I went to cuddle them, but Meg being a bit of a control freak told Ellie off and Ellie wasn't going to stand for that and they had to be separated again. Tonight on return from work the same thing happened and I had to separate them. Afterwards they are fine together, although Meg being quite sensitive usually goes off by herself as she knows I am not happy. I don't know what to do as I don't want it to get to the point that I need to separate them or re-home them, but I am not sure what I can do.
Just out of interest I have recently installed a DAP diffuser and this seemed to coincide with the start of the problems. I read somewhere that it can lower inhibitions, so I wondered if that was the cause of the problem.

If you think there could be a connection between the change of behaviour and the DAP diffuser could you not switch it off for a while and see if there is a change for the better? I don't know anything about them, so can't help there.

As to the bitches arguing this can be caused by several things. Only they really know what sets them off. I must admit to rehoming a bitch as she couldn't let her aunt move without trying it on. If things don't change it may have to be an option :( Your reaction to them arguing is also something that can trigger it. Especially if you favour the 'underdog'. I would keep a close eye on them and see if you can read their reactions. If they have to be fed seperately then do it. I know it's a pain, but better than a fight. When you come in try to ignore them until you are ready to speak to them and say hello to the top dog first, if you can figure out which one that is ;)

Someone else should come along with more help but I would start by switching off the diffuser.

The DAP defusser can reduce inhibitions.  Danny Mills at De Montfort university is studying DAP and it's uses -he might be able to tell you more......  It may be simply as the younger bitch is now coming to full adult hood that they need to sort this out once and for all.  I would say that if nobody has needed vet treatment that they are coming to a conclusion - but I woulnd't keep ending the fights, or the process is going to take longer :(

I'm sorry digger I have to disagree with what you say about not breaking up the fights.  This may be the case in dog to dog fights, but with bitches it could escalate out of control and result in serious injury if not worse.

Dogs will normally sort out their differences in a fight and a top dog will emerge.  Bitches will not do this.

I personally have a similar situation going on at the moment, with a bitch of 3 who is working her way into top dog position, quite successfully with the older top dog backing out of her position, without the need for fighting.  But unfortunately I also have a 15 month old bitch who  is leader material, they have had some minor scraps up until now, but I am very aware that this could escalate and that the only way to stop this happening is for me as top dog of the whole pack to step in and sort it out.

Having watched how a very successful leader of my pack (now gone unfortunately) stopped any disagreements almost before they began,  I believe this is the only way to keep harmony, if harmony can be reached, unfortunately in a lot of cases, when bitches start this sort of fight it sometimes cannot be sort, even with the best will in ther world and the only answer is permanent separation.

I agree with Lady Dazzle. Just had a similar problem with 7 mth old taking on 8yr old over food/toys/me possession. Made it clear to the puppy that I won't tolerate fighting & now we just get raised hackles - for which she gets a warning from me. Except for feeding, I never seperate them even after a fight - believing that absence definitely doesn't make the heart grow fonder in the cases of bitches! Maybe it was easier for me because the challenger was so young & I agree that sometimes there is no other solution than rehoming. So much easier when there is a really dominant bitch who no-one will challenge (since she went - I suppose that's now me :D)

Well, things seemed to have settled down a bit. Yesterday they were ok when i greeted them, I was much more low key, there was a little bit of eyeing up but i was quick to divert their attention and that was fine. Tonight was very interesting. When i got home ellie was waiting at the door and megan was at the top of the stairs. I said hello to ellie (as i think she is now top dog) and then called meg because i felt a bit sorry for her. She came down, but was quite scared and wouldn't make eye contact with ellie, and was all stiff. She had this look in her eye that she gets when she is about to argue with another dog, but i think she was worried about what was going to happen. Later on, ellie actually took the ball out of megans mouth and meg didn't complain at all, even though she really wanted it. Although it is nice that they weren't fighting it was quite sad as meg is usually so pleased to see me and tonight she wouldn't have anything to do with me. :-( I suppose i can't have everything!

Just a quick question do you leave them alone when you are at work or is someone else in the house with them?

My mum and dad are with them all day, except for the odd hour or so when they might go to tescos of something, and my two sisters are home at 4pm. Its very rare that they are alone, but they are no problem when left, they just sleep upstairs in my room. Sometimes they do this when others are at home too.

t just occured to me that they may have had a spat just before you arrived home, in which case would explain the stiff pose etc.

Have to be honest at this stage I would not be inclined to leave them alone together for any length of time.

The worst spat my two have had up to now has been in the garden over a toy when no-one was out with them, do you leave toys around when there is no-one at home, if so I would be tempted not to at the moment, just in case.

The most possible time in my opinion for a spat is when you arrive home or any excitement (i.e. someone knocking on the door, etc.) 

I would be thinking more on the lines of cooling the greeting mode down so that neither bitches is greeted by you, it can be very difficult to determine who is likely to be packleader whilst a power struggle is going on.

You may find that different dogs have different resources that are most important to them - the problems start when both dogs covet the same resource to the same degree.  In this house Bonnie is the 'foodie', and Missy likes the fusses and cuddles and toys.  Most of the time there isn't a problem, but occasionally there will be a bit of eyeballing is Bonnie is having a fuss from somebody and Missy wants some too.  We solve that by stopping the fussing session and NOBODY gets any attention, although this needs to be handled carefully, as it could lead the dog that's being fussed to try and drive away the other dog to prevent the session coming to an end......

Have to say I also agree with Lady dazzle.  YOU have to be boss and make it clear in no uncertain terms that you will not tolerate bad behaviour, scirmishes and scrapping between the ranks.