hi everyone, first post here!

last saturday i bought a small cavalier KC spaniel pup, oliver. he's been fine all week- ive had a week off work so he has settled in the house quite nicely.
untill today...
i bought one of his sisters from the same litter, nancy.
all day they've been following me around and playing fine, eating well etc. oliver has been mounting nancy all day, which ive seen before and assumed it was him asserting his dominance. he wouldn't let her move without his paws over her back end. then she got sick of it and growled back and gave him the signal to give up. which he did, to a point. then about an hour ago the two of them are playing on the rug in the living room and nancy decides she doesnt really like oliver and begins to chase him and bite his tail then paw and bite his face. the noises from the two of them aren't the best but as of yet theres been no yelping. oliver has since decided to hide behind sofas and chairs whenever nancy is around.

is this just a case of the two of them soring out who's boss or something more serious?
does the week long separation pay any significance into the situation??

thanks in advance

[lil mutt]

Maybe it is just rough playing... or just need more time so they can adjust to each other...

[Popcorn]

sorry to hear that you are having problems, but it is very well known that having 2 dogs from the same litter is a recipe for disaster. many responsible breeders will not sell 2 pups together for this reason, as they very often end up fighting for top spot and sadly you will end up having to rehome one of them before one may hurt the other seriously. they may only be play fighting now while they are very young but once they get a little older it will be a lot worse. May be it would be a good idea to see if the breeder would take one back now before you get to attached to it, sorry to be the so blunt. but i wouldn't want anything to happen to either pups through you carrying on with the two of them

good luck with what you decide to do

[Lara's mom]

I've never experienced your problem but, I have a 12 year old border collie cross and brought home a little shorty JRT. They have gotten along beautifully.

I was VERY careful to ensure the older dog that her place in the "pack" was secure. When I come in, she gets greeted first. She gets fed first. When treats are given out, the older one always gets them first. She always gets the attention first. Because of this, there has been no jealousy or nastiness. Perhaps, this would help you?