Help, My Boys Are Fighting!

Like others, my three dogs go crazy with the barking when someone comes to the door. But lately, the two males are going at each other, and just today I had to send the visitor away before I could get them to stop fighting. The older one, 11+ years old, is a retriever mix and we have been working on getting his weight down with diet and exercise. So I take him out in the early morning while it's still cool to play fetch, and this has caused strife between the two males as well. Toby, the OES, will get in Alex' face and actually try to block the door so we can't get out. Alex snaps and growls at Toby to get him to back off, and now when someone comes to the door it has escalated beyond just barking to alert the household. My husband isn't much help as he's on the road most of the time. So I am pretty much dealing with this by myself, and I can't pay attention to a visitor and deal with fighting dogs at the same time.

My female (BC) sometimes throws her two cents into the mix but usually backs off pretty quickly. She's the most dominant of the three, and Alex is the least. Toby, the youngest at 21 months, is (I think) still trying to figure out his place in the pecking order.

Any suggestions? I am really worried that this will escalate into something ugly.
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Have you had the retriever's thyroid checked? That can sometimes account for extra weight and aggression.
No, but that's a great suggestion. He's been on a strict diet and hasn't lost nearly as much weight as we'd like, although the exercise is helping. He's due for his annual, so I'll ask the vet. Thanks!
Fighting sucks. We've had our share, too. I hope it's an easy fix. I always think meds are a lot easier than trying to change behavior like that. It sounds terrible, but it's true.
I agree. Alex is the love of my heart, but I don't expect him to be with us for many more years, so whatever it takes to keep him happy and healthy is OK by me. And a little peace in the household wouldn't hurt either. :)
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