Duna pack leader?

[Kalima62]

Duna is now 16 months…she has always lived and shared every thing with her 9 year old companion Pimpa a female miniature pinscher.

Now Pimpa has always been seen by duna as a Mom and will do everything Pimpa does...cannot live without her and howls if we put Pimpa in an other room ( we experimented it). The only moment she isnt bothered in leaving Pimpa is when she goes out for walks with my husband...but as soon as she comes back..she will come running up to the sofa to meet her...but if Pimpa is out with me and not home yet..she'll search or her in all the rooms and when she realizes she's not home will howl and cry and do little michievios thing...she loves her so much.yet now we are noticing she's very often in competition with her.

It's now becoming very dangerous.......
it happened this last winter...pimpa is very strong minded and is totally fearless..she's a born leader and when it comes to food...she'll even steal it from Duna's mouth or from under her nose!
Of course for this, she eats separatly and in her crate...now i shut the door because duna leaves her food to poke her face in Pimpa's den and Pimpa will growl and gobble it down in seconds...

but i mainly close her because she will wait for duna to leave her bowl for just a second to sneakout and eat her food!! well this is no problem..but if duna comes back..because she does to control..they will fight so violently that i have to try and separate them...very very dangerouse.
yesterday evening..me and hub were on the sofa with the dogs....Duna wants to sleep on Pimpa's side and she will squash her until pimpa moves out growling all the time..we try and accomodate them both so as not to argue...so i moved a little bit to create some space for them both...i had a cuppa tea in one hand and as soon as i moved pimpa went to search on the sofa under me ,some biscuit crumbs that had fallen when we ate some before, well Duna did the same and they started growling and fighting like two wild cats!!!
the tea spilled all over ..sofa, me, dogs ,hub, floor..in trying to
separate them as soon as possible, becaure I was sure Pimpa would have been killed because she just wouldnt stop attacking...
she becomes so aggressive when these episodes happen, and when i pic Duna up, Pimpa will charge and bite at her..the same if i pic Pimpa up, duna will jump up and down to bite her paws.....this has happened many times and in three occasions my husband has had his hand bit...yesterday it was his arm!!!!
I think the tension as duna will grow between them will grow and they will harm themselves really badly.
This happens when we are present...on their own they are fine and sleep and play toghether as normally.
what do you think will happen..is my pinscher in danger with her life????

[AJs Human]

Sounds like resource guarding. Food is one resource, you and hubby are another resource. Best I can come up with is you and hubby need to retake the resources and make sure each dog knows they do not own anything, that you and hubby allow them access out of the kindness of your hearts.

Min-Pins are very Terrier in their attitudes toward other dogs and typically will not back down from anything, regardless of size. It's one of the endearments of the breed. However, now that Duna is passing puberty and becoming a full adult, she won't want to be bossed around any more. Neither should be allowed to boss the other. When a trigger for an altercation is presented, you choose for them where and when they will sit with you, eat, pick crumbs, etc.

When you have to pick one of them up, make the other sit and wait. If she complies, reward appropriately. If the jumping starts, a very sharp, "NO!!!" Would suggest make them both sit first then pick one up. It will take repetition and practice, so you will have to do this a few times each day, with each dog. Other experts here may have more ideas.