while two dogs are fighting for bone, a third one runs away with it
while two dogs are fighting for bone, a third one runs away with it
proverb When two people are engaged in trying to obtain the same thing, they are apt to miss the presence of a third party who can then take the thing from them. A: "Hal and I were fighting over the ball when Mara just came and stole it from us!" B: "Classic. While two dogs are fighting for bone, a third one runs away with it."
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.