Thanks for all your replies, the trouble is the two bitches love each other dearly, 99% of the time all they do is play, then they have an argument as soon as it has finished they are playing again literally within seconds.
They hate being apart, I don't understand why it starts normally over nothing, the other day they were playing one yelped having bumped her head as she was chargin round the room and then all hell broke loose, but again once I had seperated them they were licking each other and playing once more.
To be honest the thought of having to find another home for the collie bitch has not even occured to me, I will do all I can in my power to resolve this, she is as part of the family as the other two.
If you know of any techniques, methods etc which could help then please keep them coming.
Thankyou

Shelly

Do they stop fighting on their own or do you have to seperate them? Have they drawn blood - if so be very careful?

I havn't let it carry on to see if they stop on their own as soon as it starts I am seperating them, no blood has been drawn so far anyway. Good news is we had no fights yesterday, and at the moment they are whining to be together as I have just given them their food, the old boy eats his within seconds and my flattie likes to take her time so to save him trying to eat hers aswell they all eat seperately. Fingers crossed we will have another successful day today.

How long have you had her??

I know I dont have 2 bitches but when I 1st got Mia we had a few nasty fights start - and Ben has never been in a fight in his life!!
If they get on most of the time then this sounds really positive
Keep a big eye out for what kicks it off, food, attention, space, whatever
Although if it is kicking off when they are playing and stuff it sounds like someone nips a bit too hard

I have found that as they trust each other more then one can tell the other off without it escalating into a fight - and it sounds positive to me that you can break it up easily
- I am just thankful that my 2 are small and I could just quickly grab one out and chuck her out of the room - although it did once take 3 of us to prize her jaws off of Bens face! - so I would never let them just sort it out

On a positive note - we havent had a fight this year (touch wood) they can play together, have toys together and lie in each others arms licking faces, I am sure you will get to that point if you get ontop of what is kicking off with the girls
- and foget about pack position - we are humans, no way we can really understand the complexities of dogs

sometimes when bitches play, what they are really doing is sizeing each other up, eg whos fastest, strongest, more determined,

this can be a good thing if there is a clear {faster stronger dog,} but as your getting the odd spat, I take it they are kind of evenly matched,
introducing bitches is hard, I just took in a rescue neo bitch that was in season, I have two rottie bitches that are not speyed in the house,

the best advice I can give you just now is, dont leave them on there own, NO matter how well you feel they are getting on,
Dont allow them to dive about rough housing each other, even if it looks like play,
try to make there interaction together something your in control of,

as mentioned bitches can really go at it, and if your having spats, it may be that one bitch aint taking the hint, if this is the case things will get worse,.
do you do any training with your dogs?

I agree with Shona - don`t take chances. I`ve walked with a friend for 2 years. Our bitches had a spat at the beginning, then tended to ignore each other. Then one day they fought again, and it would have gone to the death if I hadn`t managed to get them apart. All over a ball.

Hi thanks for the advice I do obedience with them all although the new one hasn't had any till I got her so is still doing the basics, and I do agility believe it or not i am actually an instructor for both, just goes to show still learning myself!
As has been mentioned not been letting them be on their own, only with my supervision, and so far we have had another day with no fights, in fact today they seem quite content, they had a play in the garden shared the water bowl and are now layin side by side in the living room, but who is to say how long it may be till the next one?
Keep the advice coming i'm sure it's not over yet!

Cheers

Shelly

Woo HOO! another day has passed and nothing has happened from the girls, I have been stopping their play if I feel it is getting rougher then its supposed to be and at the mo all is ok, though don't get me wrong it could just be lull before the storm!

We had two bitches who fought when they were young. We sorted it with a behaviourist and no fights for 5 years. They used to play together too. Then one day for no reason they fought and they would have killed each other if I hadn't managed to seperate them.
I would honestly consider rehoming as you just don't know what will start it off again.

Kismet and Selkie fought as soon as Kismet was old enough, I kept them apart when I was not able to monitor them, fed them separately kept strict control of treats and simply didn't allow them to play together until they had a sort of stand off agreement. Pharaoh got involved in a couple of the spats protecting Selkie from this new intruder, but now seems to be more Kismet's dog.

All of my pack are now spayed/neutered and that has completely diffused the situation... Kismet was a hormonal wreck particularly through her season and suffered terribly from stress anger. Since she has been spayed she is almost a completely different dog, calmer, happier, more easy going with the other two. There have been no further aggressions between the dogs since her op.

It may be that just spaying the new collie bitch may sort things out. I'm not saying it's a cure all, but it has certainly helped us.