dog bullying other dog

Question
I have a 5 year old hound and recently rescued a pit bull mix. The pit bull mix is now almost a year old and has really started to bully the hound who is very soft. I always thought that older dogs would put the youngsters into place but the hound just lets him get away with everything. I mean everything. Hound sniffs an area, pitbull pushes him to sniff it all. Pit bull obsessively pees over hound's pee. Greeting us turns into a scuffle, as pit bull mix doesn't want the hound anywhere near us. Feeding time, hound eats a bit but when pit bull mix is done, lets him finish up his meals. I was reading how dog packs are fluid and there's no absolute alpha, but this pit bull seems to win it all. Can it be possible? I feel a very big unbalance. I am at my wits end and feel bad for the hound at times who has the patience of a saint. Are there any solutions other than re-homing? thank you for your time.

Answer
Your younger dog needs some obedience training and learning to wait for good things, instead of demanding them. Find a local positive reinforcement trainer who does classes or even private sessions. If you're near Phoenix or Tucson, I can help with that. He needs to be under control and responsive to your cues. He needs to learn a solid wait/stay and he should practice that before he gets your attention, food, walks, etc. Read this article for more ideas:  http://k9deb.com/nilif.htm

Feed the dogs separately. Each dog needs a private area to eat without being disturbed by the other.

Provide the younger dog with plenty of opportunities for physical exercise and be sure the older dog gets quality one-on-one time with you.

Let me know if you have further comments, questions or would like a referral to a trainer in your area.