Sam my nuts dog

Question
I have two jack russells one is male who's five years old and the other is female at four yesrs old. They get on really well but have started to fight over toys or bones or even me and the fights have become more aggressive-we can no longer play with both at the same time as it causes a fight will this always be the case?

Answer
Hi Laura;
It will be as long as you put up with it.
You have to be the pack leader.
You have to be the dominant one( the parent).
I would suggest you go through an obedience training course with them. Either take one and and your husband or another family member.
This business about one dog will be pack leader ( alpha) is like saying one child is always going to be dominant over the others.
I don't allow any alpha business among my dogs.
Sometimes, there has been an alpha, of sorts, ( I always have more than one dog. I have 4 now), and it will be shown some respect by the others, but I doin't allow any bossing, fighting, snapping wtc.
They get along or the one tht snaps, growls etc, gets chewed out and put in time out.
They all share all the toys, the food bowls and water dishes, and they even let others get in their beds.
They know if they get snippy over a toy, they all lose it.
They each have a bed of their own, but sleep with my husband and I wnen we are in bed, if theyt want to.
They have a bed they know is their's, and they can always go there if they want to.
When they want their own bed and another dog is in it, they just stand there and stare. Thjat means the other dog had better get out of it, or mom will come and make them.
My dogs are spoiled to loving, and I treat them in some ways that some other people think is going too far with a dog, but they are family members, and they get the respect they deserve.
If they are in my way, I walk around them. I have read some experts advise against this, but I don't make them move. They know to move if a guest is coming that way and they are in the path.
Essentially, I raise them just like I raised my children.
They don't always love it the way it is here, and sometimes my little Lhasa, Max, will stomp off grousing at me. They can talk back, they just can't do it in a threatening way.
If you don't tolerate it, they will stop doing it.
Every dog I have used time-out for punishment, and it has been more than a hundred, at least, hates it, and it only takes a couple of times in time out to change the nasty behavior.
They ghet put in the small bathroom for a half hour, after getting the chewing of their life, all the way to being carried to the room.
Whehn I have had to put two in at once, I used the little bathroom, and a closet about the same size.
It is not dark, justt confined, with no toys, and always after a very prolonged and severe chewing out.
Dogs, like chidren will do what they can get away with.
Charlotte