When my old beagle mix Ginger died in 2020 at age 18 or 19, I said I'd never get another. I grieved hard. But then in 2021 I saw this elderly tripod beagle mix, Cashew, with a bad back story, and I had to have her. She was so scared and sad that I decided she needed a friend, so we got another dog, Joe. We thought we had made a careful choice, but Joe and Cashew disagreed over who should be dominant, and Joe bit her neck at mealtime. I started feeding them separately, and then Joe bit her because they tangled over access to me. What to do? I loved them both, and I knew Joe would not have a happy ending if I got rid of him. I keep them separate. They are with me (or another trusted family member) 100 percent of the time, or they are in separate rooms. I know how to avoid trouble, and I never let my guard down. They seem to enjoy each other now, but I will never, ever let my guard down, ever, because by deciding to keep them both, I've made it my responsibility to keep Cashew safe. They are older dogs, so I know this is not likely to be a long-term situation. It does break my heart. I wanted my dogs to love each other.