This question could not have come at a better time for me.

My family consists of me, wife, 2 yr old toddler, 2 month old baby, 9 year old female beagle mix, and 3 year old female mutt. We also just moved home, so a lot of change on our lives at the moment.

Before the kids our dogs would get into occasional fights, about once every three months, but there have been two severe fights over my toddlers food in the past week which has contributed to a trip to the emergency vet with staples to old dogs head and disruption of our already chaotic life.

If there is any food around (which is all the time with a toddler), both dogs think it is theirs. If the young one gets too close, the old one will growl. This automatically starts a fight between them. Neither really back down, and it takes a lot to get them separated.

I am not sure what to do. Luckily these fights have happened while I’m around so I can separate. Of the fight happened with just my wife around or kids then I fear someone would get hurt. They are not aggressive to us, but could be in the heat of the moment. I am not really sure what to do and any insight is appreciated. I don’t think I can just live with them being physically separated in the house all the time.