I have two problems.

One.  My puppy will NOT STOP BARKING.  He barks to go out, he barks when he wants food, I can't help thinking its some kind of pavlovs dog in reverse, he's training us!  I've been leaping up because he's only just toilet trained and I want him to go, however, he's not going when he's out there he's mucking about.

Two.  My dogs are having FIERCE fights when they are eating dinner.  I haven't got a big enough flat to feed them in completely separate places.  When they fight there is no stopping them and I wondered if anybody had any handy tips.  my boyfriends arm got bitten tonight.

I am at the end of my tether and I really dislike both of them right now.

In reply to the first problem, if he needs to go to the toilet, then it is good that he asks.  Don't just let him out to do his own thing, put him on a lead and take him out quietly and give him a command to toilet.  If you haven't been using a command, start it off when he goes by giving the command and praising him.  If he barks when he wants food and you feed him, yes he is training you.  Ignore him until he is quiet, he will soon learn the barking doesn't get him anywhere.

The second problem, I am rather concerned that a puppy and I guess an adult dog are having 'fierce' fights.  You have to separate them at mealtimes, end of story.  I assume although you live in a flat you have more then one room, or alternatively have a garden as your pup is asking to go out.  Feed one in the garden and one indoors.

If you really dislike them both, I would rehome the puppy as I assume things were alright before the puppy came along or you wouldn't have got him/

Can you give us some more details?

What breeds, ages and sexes are we talking about?  Neutered or entire?

If you have two rooms, you can feed them in seperate places - maybe one in the bathroom, one in the kitchen......

Once a dog has learnt that barking brings you running (as they will if you rely on barking to alert you that they want to go out) then a smart one will turn it into a game for their entertainment.  This is why I always advise puppy owners to train their puppy to ring a small bell to signify they want to go out, and NOT to rely on barking, as the dog will then reason this is the signal to tell a human they want something (I know - I learnt the hard way.......)  The answer is simply to retrain the dog to ring a bell (perhaps hung on a door handle?) and to distract them from barking by calling them to you and running through some training moves (sit, down etc.) before rewarding them for the good stuff, and sending them away again.....  I wouldn't allow ANY Barking for any reason, as it's asking a lot of the dog to learn when it is and when it's not appropriate ;)

The bitch is three years old and has been dressed. The dog is five and a half months old and will be getting neutered next month. They are standard Schnauzers

More info - i have never heard of them ringing bells, this is a new one on me!  The elder schnauzer is very good, although we have since found out since buying the puppy that she has resource guarding issues (although not with us but definitely with him).  There is a definite power struggle going on here at the moment, they are jealous of each other and of each others possessions.  Food is the main problem.  Poppy doesn't eat hers quickly, she likes to stand over it, throw it about a bit and then get down to it.  She doesn't like Lubo eating whilst she is not.  Lubo (the puppy) has finished his mere minutes after putting it down.  Poppy will stare at Lubo whilst he is eating which in turn will make his hackles rise.  He gets more regular and smaller meals during the day whilst poppy has two.    If we can move somewhere with a bit more space, which we are looking into, I am hoping this won;t be such a problem.  My dogwalker does not have such a problem with them during feeding times. 

I do have some problems with them right now but I know its animal, not personal, and no matter how cross I feel, I love them both with all my heart.  I really won't be getting rid of either of them but I want to solve this and they are wearing me out! 

It may be worth finding out what your dog walker does that is different.  Also why feed them together?  I would ahve her out of the room while he eats, this will mean he wol no longer get defensive, and she won't have a chance to growl at him.  when it is heer mealtime he is out of the room, or they are fed in different rooms.

The bell ringing would get on my wick more than the dog barking - personally.

I think with my dogwalker its the fact that she has lots of hungry dogs (well, about 4 or 5) and its eat up or lose your food!  I can't help thinking its not just about food, its more about them pushing one anothers limits and he's now getting to the age where he will stand up for himself (he used to hide under the table).  I also wonder if its because this has always been Poppys house and we've brought him into it?  A new house (with a bit more space) would be new to both and I could set rules that were fresh for both of them right from the start. 

We've fed them in one room (on opposite sides of it) because it seemed more practical at the time.  there is very little room in the kitchen and I've honestly never thought of feeding one of them in the garden or the bedroom etc.  

In hindsight, letting them have a bit of peace from one another whilst they eat their respective dinners would be a lot easier.  I don't understand them though.  When they are together they (occasionally) fight, separate them, like I did last night, into the bedroom and living room and they both sat either side of the door whining for each other. 

OK they were fed in separate rooms tonight - success!  No fighting, no worries.  So thanks everyone for that. 

Now what am I supposed to do to stop him barking?  I'm currently making sure he is going on toilet breaks (but not at a time when he's barking at me, trying to keep it fairly regular and consistent) but he's still yapping away.  He's still quite high pitched and I swear the sound is going right through me! 

If you are ignoring it, then it will get worse before it gets better (it's called an 'extinction burst' - meaning that he knows it's always worked before, so he'll try more of the stuff that works.)  Slowly he'll find out it doesn't work, and at that stage, you've cracked it ;)