We have two little dogs, a 2 year old 10 lb dog and a 9 month old 20 lb dog. The larger dog, the 9 month old, has been acting aggresively with the smaller dog and his behavior is escalating. The small dog has a tiny 'toy' build and is generally submissive to the larger dog during play. The larger dog is very lean and muscular with a much larger head and mouth.
When they are loose in the house together(which is pretty rare now), they playfight constantly and this will go on for HOURS. The little dog is very vocal during these playfights so we end up keeping them seperated on different ends of the room most of the time. The playfights are annoying, but not serious; little nips and chasing and general roughhousing, but at random times when loose together, the larger dog actually attacks the little one, in a not so playful manner and we have to rush to stop it. The large dog has become food-aggressive towards the other(he didn't use to be), so they eat in seperate bowls at separate ends of the kitchen with supervision. The large dog wolfs his food down and then watches the little one eat and occasionally makes a dart over to him and they start the fighting(which we break up immediately).
Well, this morning I was running late. I took them out together and fed them when we got back in, they were seperate. I had both leashes in my hand and was leaving the kitchen to crate them and leave for work and the big dog JUMPS on the little one and starts attacking him, I immediately pull them apart and the little dog is barking his head off in fear and the big one is lunging at him. So, while I have them pulled apart by their leashes, I scold the larger dog firmly and he begins lifting his lips at me and snarling at me and does this the entire time. Walking both dogs to the bedroom, he continues to try to pounce the little dog so I grab the little one and put him in his crate. I pick up the leash of the larger one and take him to his crate. But he doesn't enter it, he stops at the door. I am really running late at this point and normally, I can just nudge him in if he won't go and he won't really resist. But today, he turns his head at me, with his teeth bared and starts growling at me again. I was actually concerned he would bite me so I had to use the crate door to push him in to protect my hand. Then he snarled at me some more from inside after I locked it. This snarling fit is becoming more and more common when we have to scold him and he has actually snapped at my boyfriend a few times during these episodes.
Any advice?
Edit: I should mention that on most days they get treats for being in the crate when I leave. It's the only way to keep them quiet after I walk out the door, however, this morning they didn't get any because I was late and I was rather annoyed with his behavior. He normally enters his crate just fine, with or without treats.