I am out of ideas....I need some suggestions.
I've got two ACD's, both around 5 1/2 years old. They've grown up together since they were 8 weeks old. One has been a lot more strong-headed (Cody) than the other (Rudy). I've worked very hard to be #1 in the pack. They are extremely submissive with both me and my husband.
Rudy, the submissive one, has always had some (what I thought were) quirks. Cody always was crazy about the ball and so when Rudy was able to finally get it in his mouth, he'd taunt Cody with it. If Cody got too close, he'd growl....sometimes he'd just drop the ball and watch Cody. Then if he'd get too close, he grab it and scamper off. He also has grown increasingly distant. We have a dog room where he would stay in his dog bed unless we called him. Then he'd hang out for a while and then go back to his dog bed in the back room.
On occassion (for probably at least a year), I would come home from work and find that Rudy was at the door with a scratch or two on his head. We thought that it was from him jumping up on our chain link fence and hitting a few sharp edges so we tried fixing what we could.
Then last Thursday, I opened the door and saw that Rudy's whole face and one leg were swollen with puncture wounds. The vet confirmed they were dog bites.
Now I'm noticing that they don't want to be around each other at all. There's this weird communication thing that they do when one walks into the same room where they both lower their heads and kinda dodge each other. I can't understand it. But it doesn't seem like a dominance thing.
I want to get them to both be in a good state of mind and I don't think that Rudy is there yet. I can ensure that I'm the pack leader when I'm home but I'm not sure how to keep things in control when it's always happening when I'm gone without seperating them.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have spent hours trying to make sense of what is going on and why but I cannot figure this one out.
They are exercised daily (except for the last few weeks due to the tremendous amount of snow we've received in CO), there are rules that we give them and only give affection when they're being submissive and calm. I also follow the "no free lunch" policy where they have to work for everything they get (toys, food, affection).

Anyone?
To add just a bit more info, I'm also unsure of who is actually the problem. In some instances, I've seen Cody follow Rudy around the yard or kinda make a point of walking towards him but then in other instances, I see Rudy (the more submissive one)growl in Cody even walks in the room (when he's walking to see one of us) and he's always the one to leave even if Cody isn't acting weird or even very close to him. I've caught Cody standing over Rudy (out in the backyard) and Rudy flattened on the ground (especially right after the incident and I couldn't tell if he was licking the wounds or what). It's hard to know if Cody is making Rudy uncomfortable or if Rudy is the one getting upset and then Cody reacting to it. Twice, I've called the dogs and when Rudy didn't come, I went out to look for him and found him wedged between the back of the doghouse and the house (stuck). We couldn't figure that one out but now we're wondering if he was trying to get away from Cody.
Rudy is skiddish of tons of things (vaccuam, the sound of the plastic when I open a bag of chips, etc). I always stay calm and never feed his fears by babying him or anything. If he is a weak-minded dog, could Cody be attacking him seeing that he's weak? I've watched a lot of Cesar episodes and I know that I have control and will not allow Cody to hurt Rudy because he's weak-minded but how do you solve that issue when we're gone?
Right now, I'm keeping them seperated (in the house due to the cold weather) but once it starts warming up, I want to fix this otherwise we're going to have to divide our yard in half which I hate to do to them.

Seems to me like separating them is the best, easiest, and perhaps only option. If you can control things while you're home, I'm not sure what the hesitation/objection is to separating them when you are not around?

I have three ACD's, and each are crated when I'm away from home. I'm moving and will have some property space soon... And each will have an individual kennel run for when I am not home. I'm taking no chances with my boys.

Best of luck!

Thanks Jennifer. I guess I just feel like I'm not fixing the problem that way but it could end up that it is something that isn't going to be fixed. I always try to understand how Cesar can do it but it seems that when he is gone, someone else is always there to keep the person as the pack leader. That's not feasible for me (considering I have to make a little $$ by going to work) so as much as I hate it, I may have to keep them seperated. Does anyone else have any suggestions?

Hi. My name is Katrina Cleveland, and just over a year ago, I experiencede the same problem. Hopefully, your outcome will be better than mine, as my best buddy is now dead.

This is what happened.........I met my husband, he had an Aussie and I had a red heeler. They got along perfectly! For 5 years they were great friends. Wouldn't go anywhere with out the other one. Then one October day, I noticed my Aussie was injured a little on her leg. I took her to the vet and the vet said it was from my Heeler. I thought that was strange, but ok. Now what should I do? I got back, my Heeler was so happy to see my Aussie that I thought they were back to normal. About 2 weeks later, my Heeler nearly ripped my Aussie's face off. It took about 4 hours of reconstructive surgery to replace her eye back to normal and fix her face. It was completely unprovoked. I had no idea what was going on with this dog. She was about 11 years old and still loved my Aussie, but that was the last straw. I knew her arthritis was bad, so I called my mom who lived 200 hundred miles away to see if she would take her or she would end up killing my docile Aussie. The bill alone was over 400 dollars. Just that one time. So she took her and this was early November now. Then about a week after she got her, my mom said she wouldn't eat. So I drove out there and took her to the vet 4 times! On the fourth time, I had to put her to sleep because she had lost a total of 20 pounds (she was only a maybe 40 pound dog to begin with). They tested her liver and it was shot. If I had thought to have her tested when she attacked my other dog, my Chewie would still be alive. But I thought she was just being mean. I didn't take her in to have her blood checked and an ultra sound done, until it was too late. My vet said the only thing that would have saved this dog was a liver transplant (he said about 10 grand). I would've done it in a heartbeat if he said the vet would do it. But he said since she could barely walk there was no way any vet would in their right mind. He said there was no saving her. Her stmoach had been completely blocked for quite sometime (about the time the fights began) and she pretty much starved to death. Knowing that, it really kills me. I didn't intentionally let her starve. I didn't know what was wrong, which was why we kept going back to the vet's. We tried different types of food right up until he mentioned IV therapy. I would have done it if he said there was a less than 1% chance it'd work. So on December 21, I put my dog to sleep. I hope you don't have the same outcome. It took one month for her to die, but he said those types of dogs are very strong and can take a lot of pain. He said when they start showing signs like that, get immendiate attention because something is definitely wrong. That is what my vet said. I hope either way that you do not have this problem with your dogs. Since Chewie died (one year ago last month), my Aussie, Kalley, has not been the same. She wont leave the porch anymore and she is so depressed. Just 2 months ago we found out that she has cancer now and will die this year. This cancer is quick to kill and there is no treatment here in Utah. I feel so bad. But I know it's inevitable. This is a sad story, and maybe nothing is wrong with your dogs at all, I hope not. But you never know. I wish I had checked Chewie's liver or even done a blood test. I wish I had done it in October, November when this started happening. But I can't turn back time.

On a positive note.......since Chewie died, I bought a German imported German shpeherd puppy. He is such a great dog! I have taught him to track and we're almost ready to get certified as a SAR team! I am very excited!

Hope all goes well with you! Good luck!

 Quote: Audrey Litfin

....I want to fix this otherwise we're going to have to divide our yard in half which I hate to do to them.

That would be doing something FOR them, rather than TO them.

Living in fear is not something you want to inflict on either of your dogs.

Jennifer is giving you very good advice, IMHO. Good luck.