[SWHouston]

It may be a "seniority" issue...

My Male Sneakers is clearly the Alpha, is two years older and a few pounds heavier than My Female Becca.

When Becca first arrived (as a 11 wo puppy) Sneakers thought that there had suddenly been some type of immaculate conception, and the forces that be had endowed him with a puppy of his own.

New food, different surroundings for Becca, caused her to observe Sneakers actions constantly. He would pick a morsel of food from their bowl, and drop it where Becca could see it and pick it up to eat.
(Gees did that bring a tear to my eye, he dearly loved her from the first minute he saw her)

Today, she still waits until Sneakers "is finished" with a Bone or Bully Stick (when there's only one available) before she will "take" it. But, that's not the most endearing thing they do...

I leave their food out 24/7, and when it's meal time (2xday, 4a 4p) they will decide which of two types of food to eat. Usually it's Beneful in the mornings, and Wellness for dinner.

Sneakers will start, picking up a morsel and will back away from the bowl while chewing, letting Becca approach and get one for herself. Then, she will back away and Sneakers will approach and take another. It's back and forth until they decide they have had enough.

That may make one think that Becca is a docile little subordinate, BUT, nothing could be farther from the truth. She is a little WARRIOR !

She has a very strong territorial instinct, can hunt along the Bayou as well as Sneakers can, and has caught TWO birds more than Sneakers has, one of those being a small Hawk. And, when they detect an "intrusion" onto the property, she is right by Sneakers side, viscously barking and ready to stand together with him.

Could this "togetherness" be a presumed Parent/Puppy issue ?
Maybe it's a Male/Female thing ?
Maybe a Larger/Smaller Dog thing ?

Just can't answer that with any assuredness, but, since the onset of their relationship, I have encourage them to do things together. Praise both and encourage Becca to bark at the right "threat". That's their job by the way, security. They hunt together along the Bayou, and are inseparable most of the time. That is genuinely a "Pack" orientated relationship and has proved to bring my two together quite closely.

So, it was clear to Sneakers, and Becca subsequently, that I encourage their "togetherness". Put them in various situations, where they could share the experiences, and take pride in accomplishing the intended goal.

This approach is something you might try.