puppy fighting

Question
I have 2 lab/heeler male nuetered puppies 11 months old brothers.  They are very agressive with eachother and somtimes fight when putting them on their leashes to go outside.  One is bigger than the other and seems to pick on the smaller one.  We buy 2 of everything with the toys but they would rather play with one and eachother which sometimes leads to agressive behavior.  We try to pet them the same and treat them the same so there is no jelousy.  I have 2 lab/ shepart 9 year olds and don't remember this ever being a problem.  how do i keep them from fighting?

Answer
Honestly, having littermates (especially same-sex littermates) can be very challenging. It's such a problem that there's a name for it - "littermate syndrome" Such puppies are often very competitive with each other. You may want to get good in-person professional help, and you may also want to consider finding a good home for one of the pups. I know that is a hard choice to make, but sometimes it can avoid serious injuries and emotional problems for the pup being bullied. If you do decide this isn't an option you want to consider, please get good professional help. Sandy Case BFA MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com