Fighting

[Guest]

Help! I am having the worst time with my 3 yr old cairn right now! About a year ago, he started fighting occasionally with our other dog (a 5 yr old yorkie-poo...both neutered) We went to obedience lessons and I learned some ways to show him I was the "alpha dog" and they eventually stopped the fighting and the jockeying for position. But it resumed last week with a vengeance. To my eyes, it doesn't seem like the other dog is provoking anything. The cairn just comes out of nowhere and jumps on him. It happened 8 times yesterday alone and it's escalating. These are really nasty fights where one of them could wind up seriously hurt and it scares me to death. I ususally break it up, but it's happening more and more often. Other times they get along the same as they always have. They play, sleep together, eat together....then a fight comes out of nowhere. He's usually a really sweet, affectionate little guy, but he's driving me crazy here lately. Any suggestions? Is this typical?