2male dogs

Question
i have 2 dogs,german shepard mix chow.i got them as pups ,they are only about 7months old but they fight quite often with one being more aggressive than the other at times.when they are not fighting they are likethe best of friends.the only thing i can think of is i have not had them clipped. what should i do about this? i do not want to have to get rid of one of them.

Answer
Getting two puppies (even of opposite sex) from the same litter is a tricky business because temperament is likely to be very similar and rank might be a problem between them.  I don't know what you mean by "fight"...I assume this is normal adolescent dog interaction to test for who is higher ranking than the other.  Because they get along well during other times, this doesn't appear to be a problem (except to you).  Problem exists when blood is freely flowing!  It appears these two are testing one another.  It is up to you to determine who is who in this duo and it appears that you might not be able to do that.  I suggest you bring them BOTH to the veterinarian at the same time and have them neutered ASAP.  Temperament between them might be SO similar as to make it impossible to determine which one to neuter first, and not being able to see and temperament test them I can't determine that for you.  Do NOT leave either of them intact; that would be a serious problem.  DO obtain information on positive reinforcement training and, using short episodes with both dogs individually, obtain 100% reliable response to one command (like "sit" but use a different word).  By doing this, you are elevating your rank, obtaining physical control in a reliable manner, and you should then be able to short circuit this hilarious "play" behavior with a simple "CUT IT OUT" command.  repost with any further questions.