NER/NWR: Puppy Problems

TKzilla

In my intro post, I showed off pictures of my beagle baby, Jackson. He's ten months old and got neutered about two weeks ago. Before the surgery, he was rambunctious but in a playful way. He would nip at us (or other people he was really familiar with, never strangers) but it wasn't aggressive, just playing. Now, after the surgery he's become REALLY aggressive. He bites at me and my FI, and gets so wound up that the hair on his back is raised and he tears around the house growling. We took him to the puppy training class at Petsmart awhile back, and wanted to wait until he was neutered and healed to take him to the next level class. 

Tonight he got so aggressive that I was scared of him. For the first time, I was actually scared of my puppy. What do I do? I'm so upset, I'm in tears waiting for FI to get home.

MoonlightSilver

I'm sorry you're scared of your puppy, that's not a good situation. Do you think it might be because he's in pain from the surgery still? I'd probably get him a check up at the vet, and if he doesn't have anything wrong, then see if you can get a professional to come work with him. You'll have more trouble training and changing his behavior by yourself if you're scared of him. 

Summer2011Bride

I would definitely rule out medical issues first. It may have to do with the surgery since the behavior changed after that. My first phone call would be to the vet, see if they have ideas or suggestions.

When does he bite at you? Is it after you have done something or is it completely random? If the vet has no answers and the problem persists, I agree with finding a certified animal behaviorist. We have one who comes every three weeks to work with our shelter dog who has some fear aggression issues and we have made some amazing strides so far.

QueerFemme

Aggression is usually fear based (unless it is a medical issue).  I did have a foster dog with a brain tumor once and he literally lost his mind.  As his tumor grew (it was inoperable) he got more and more nervous and those nerves turned to aggression. 

But, for most dogs, it isn't a medical issue. It's usually because something is scaring them.   Have you had his hearing checked?  Deaf dogs can get startled and react aggresivly when not properly approached or trained.

The allowance of "nipping" during play is a very very very bad idea though.  when dogs are allowed to bite, even during play time, that usually escalates into unwanted biting.  I am not saying that is the reason he has become aggressive, but going forward, he has to be taught that NO biting is allowed. No nipping, no chewing on body parts, nothing.  I don't necessarily agree with the whole "you have to be the pack leader" thing, but the dog DOES have to learn to respect you.  If you and your partner allowed him to nip or bite during play, he absolutely was dominating you in some way.  Not good.

Is he getting enough exercise? Are you walking/running him regularly?  If a dog has nervous energy that causes him to tear around the house, it is very possible that he is going stir crazy from too much energy. 

No one can really diagnose what is going on with your dog online.  The things I mentioned above are just ideas of why this aggression may have developed.  You need a dog trainer. And probably more than a petsmart dog class.  The people at petsmart, while helpful, are not usually really trained enough to give the type of instruction your pup is going to need. 

TKzilla

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_nernwr-puppy-problems?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c003a659-8c00-4731-829c-df38c050ccf2Post:92127412-f354-4720-a4e9-ce27fb0f8ea6">Re: NER/NWR: Puppy Problems</a>:
[QUOTE]Aggression is usually fear based (unless it is a medical issue).  I did have a foster dog with a brain tumor once and he literally lost his mind.  As his tumor grew (it was inoperable) he got more and more nervous and those nerves turned to aggression.<div><strong>Holy god, that's awful. I'm sorry that happened to you!</strong></div><div>  But, for most dogs, it isn't a medical issue. It's usually because something is scaring them.   Have you had his hearing checked?  Deaf dogs can get startled and react aggresivly when not properly approached or trained. </div><div><strong>We took him to the vet a few days after the surgery to make sure the incision site was healing properly, and everything seemed fine. I don't know if hearing is the problem, since he still follows commands and will come if called from another room.</strong></div><div>The allowance of "nipping" during play is a very very very bad idea though.  when dogs are allowed to bite, even during play time, that usually escalates into unwanted biting.  I am not saying that is the reason he has become aggressive, but going forward, he has to be taught that NO biting is allowed. No nipping, no chewing on body parts, nothing.  I don't necessarily agree with the whole "you have to be the pack leader" thing, but the dog DOES have to learn to respect you.  If you and your partner allowed him to nip or bite during play, he absolutely was dominating you in some way.  Not good.</div><div><strong>I know. I catch myself playing with him and letting him nip and I'm like "sh!t we can't do this!" FI and my parents are really bad about letting him bite and play rough.</strong></div><div> Is he getting enough exercise? Are you walking/running him regularly?  If a dog has nervous energy that causes him to tear around the house, it is very possible that he is going stir crazy from too much energy.</div><div><strong>We take him out for walks/runs at least three times a day. One before we go to work, then FI comes home on his lunch break and they usually run a few laps around the apartment complex, then we take him out at least once when we get home from work.</strong></div><div>  No one can really diagnose what is going on with your dog online.  The things I mentioned above are just ideas of why this aggression may have developed.  You need a dog trainer. And probably more than a petsmart dog class.  The people at petsmart, while helpful, are not usually really trained enough to give the type of instruction your pup is going to need. </div><div><strong>I know, the internet isn't really the best place for this. I was just really upset and FI wasn't home for me to cry to. We're going to take him to the vet this weekend, as well as take him to my mom's house for a day (she has a huge fenced in backyard) so he can run off some energy. I love my little mongrel so much, I just want him to be happy and healthy. But I also want to keep my arms intact!</strong>
Posted by cmgilpin[/QUOTE]

</div>

TKzilla

He used to be like this:

But lately he's been more like this:

ZiggyZos

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_nernwr-puppy-problems?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:c003a659-8c00-4731-829c-df38c050ccf2Post:92127412-f354-4720-a4e9-ce27fb0f8ea6">Re: NER/NWR: Puppy Problems</a>:
[QUOTE]Aggression is usually fear based (unless it is a medical issue).  I did have a foster dog with a brain tumor once and he literally lost his mind.  As his tumor grew (it was inoperable) he got more and more nervous and those nerves turned to aggression.  But, for most dogs, it isn't a medical issue. It's usually because something is scaring them.   Have you had his hearing checked?  Deaf dogs can get startled and react aggresivly when not properly approached or trained. The allowance of "nipping" during play is a very very very bad idea though.  when dogs are allowed to bite, even during play time, that usually escalates into unwanted biting.  I am not saying that is the reason he has become aggressive, but going forward, he has to be taught that NO biting is allowed. No nipping, no chewing on body parts, nothing.  I don't necessarily agree with the whole "you have to be the pack leader" thing, but the dog DOES have to learn to respect you.  If you and your partner allowed him to nip or bite during play, he absolutely was dominating you in some way.  Not good. Is he getting enough exercise? Are you walking/running him regularly?  If a dog has nervous energy that causes him to tear around the house, it is very possible that he is going stir crazy from too much energy.  No one can really diagnose what is going on with your dog online.  The things I mentioned above are just ideas of why this aggression may have developed.  You need a dog trainer. And probably more than a petsmart dog class.  The people at petsmart, while helpful, are not usually really trained enough to give the type of instruction your pup is going to need. 
Posted by cmgilpin[/QUOTE]

100% all of this.

And to add: going for a walk a few times a day likely isn't enough exercise, or at least not the right kind. Walking around a neighborhood on a leash is a fairly mindless activity for a dog. You would likely have a more tired - and better behaved - puppy if you give him something that stimulates his mind, not just wears out his body.

beardownbchs

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_nernwr-puppy-problems?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c003a659-8c00-4731-829c-df38c050ccf2Post:92127412-f354-4720-a4e9-ce27fb0f8ea6">Re: NER/NWR: Puppy Problems</a>:
[QUOTE]Aggression is usually fear based (unless it is a medical issue).  I did have a foster dog with a brain tumor once and he literally lost his mind.  As his tumor grew (it was inoperable) he got more and more nervous and those nerves turned to aggression.  But, for most dogs, it isn't a medical issue. It's usually because something is scaring them.   Have you had his hearing checked?  Deaf dogs can get startled and react aggresivly when not properly approached or trained. The allowance of "nipping" during play is a very very very bad idea though.  when dogs are allowed to bite, even during play time, that usually escalates into unwanted biting.  I am not saying that is the reason he has become aggressive, but going forward, he has to be taught that NO biting is allowed. No nipping, no chewing on body parts, nothing.  I don't necessarily agree with the whole "you have to be the pack leader" thing, but the dog DOES have to learn to respect you.  If you and your partner allowed him to nip or bite during play, he absolutely was dominating you in some way.  Not good. Is he getting enough exercise? Are you walking/running him regularly?  If a dog has nervous energy that causes him to tear around the house, it is very possible that he is going stir crazy from too much energy.  No one can really diagnose what is going on with your dog online.  The things I mentioned above are just ideas of why this aggression may have developed.  You need a dog trainer. And probably more than a petsmart dog class.  The people at petsmart, while helpful, are not usually really trained enough to give the type of instruction your pup is going to need. 
Posted by cmgilpin[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>cmgipin is right on. I believe that this is personal preference and differs with every breed and individual dog, but I do believe in being the pack leader. I adopted a 6 month old American bulldog who was both stronger than me and treated very poorly in her previous home. I absolutely had to let her know that I was boss or she would have literally walked all over me. When she got too rambunctious and played too hard and started to scare me, I'd have to make her believe I wasn't scared of her and that I was the boss. I literally would get on top of her sometimes because it was the only was I could hold her down and overpower her. I haven't had to do that in years.</div><div>
</div><div>Again, this approach is not for everyone and not every dog needs this, but there are a lot of ways that most people are telling their dog that they're equals without even knowing it. I never feed my dog before I feed myself. When dogs were wild, the pack leader at first. I never feed her anything that I feed myself (also 'cause she's kind of a fatty) because that makes her think she's an equal. I always walk through a doorway first because again, the pack leader always was first. When we walk, she is not allowed to walk ahead of me. She is not allowed on any furniture because apparently being physically higher means higher in the food chain also. Plus she's huge and slobbery. Now that she's an adult, she'll stand and wait for me to enter the room and she doesn't even try to walk faster than me. Not because I'm mean and she's scared of me, she respects me and knows I'm the boss. 
</div><div>
</div><div>I definitely agree that you need some more...I don't know the word...intense? training for your puppy and the sooner the better. When training, only say the command once because saying it more than once is teaching them that they don't have to listen to your the first time. </div><div>
</div><div>I bought the book "so your dog's not lassie?" when we got Edna and I loved it. </div><div>
</div><div>And I'm glad that you're going back to the vet to see if there's something bigger here. </div><div>
</div><div>Do you have any dog parks in your area? Running freely helps a lot more than running on a leash and PPs are right that aggression often comes from boredom and lack of necessary exercise. Beagles are not a lazy breed.</div><div>
</div><div>Good luck to you and I hope you find a solution. It's a terrible feeling to be afraid of your own dog and I hope you can learn to trust each other. </div>

QueerFemme

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_nernwr-puppy-problems?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:c003a659-8c00-4731-829c-df38c050ccf2Post:b45806e1-b8d5-4982-8499-0e866f8a9609">Re: NER/NWR: Puppy Problems</a>:
[QUOTE]He used to be like this: But lately he's been more like this:
Posted by CourtaniaLynn[/QUOTE]

ok.  I don't know if that is really a photo of your dog, but that second shot made me laugh out loud.  Honestly, I think this sounds like a case of boredom and anxiety.

ETA:  You have GOT to get family members to stop letting her nip.  Like, it should NEVER be allowed.  Nipping turns into biting. And if nipping during play is ok. Biting during anxiety is ok.  that needs to be a hard & fast rule.  My partner's step father was "rough housing" with our rottweiler when he was about 4 months old.  He was already about 34-40 pounds at 4-5 months old, so he thought it was a good idea to rough house with him.  I took the leash from him and said "I'm sorry. We do not interact with our dogs that way. Please stop doing that".  And I literally walked my dog away from him.  

He was pissed at me for a minute, or maybe longer, but I did not care.  When Sancho was 100 pounds, I didn't have to ever worry about him mouthing or nipping a kid or anyone else.   If people can't respect and enforce the no nipping or biting rule, they shouldn't get to play with your dog.

beardownbchs

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_nernwr-puppy-problems?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c003a659-8c00-4731-829c-df38c050ccf2Post:271cc1f6-94fc-4dce-8d9a-bc8673bcfadf">Re:NER/NWR: Puppy Problems</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re:NER/NWR: Puppy Problems: Apparently my cats are absolutely the pack leaders in our house. :D
Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]

<div>
</div><div>Cats usually do, LOL</div><div>
</div><div>ETA: "Do". I'm dumb. Cats usually ARE*. :)</div>

QueerFemme

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_nernwr-puppy-problems?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:c003a659-8c00-4731-829c-df38c050ccf2Post:d054d23a-7745-4085-9f50-8a30ad825db0">Re: NER/NWR: Puppy Problems</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: NER/NWR: Puppy Problems : cmgipin is right on. I believe that this is personal preference and differs with every breed and individual dog, but I do believe in being the pack leader. I adopted a 6 month old American bulldog who was both stronger than me and treated very poorly in her previous home. I absolutely had to let her know that I was boss or she would have literally walked all over me. When she got too rambunctious and played too hard and started to scare me, I'd have to make her believe I wasn't scared of her and that I was the boss. I literally would get on top of her sometimes because it was the only was I could hold her down and overpower her. I haven't had to do that in years. Again, this approach is not for everyone and not every dog needs this, but there are a lot of ways that most people are telling their dog that they're equals without even knowing it. I <strong>never feed my dog before I feed myself.</strong> When dogs were wild, the pack leader at first. I never feed her anything that I feed myself (also 'cause she's kind of a fatty) because that makes her think she's an equal.<strong> I always walk through a doorway first because again, the pack leader always was first</strong>. When we walk, she is not allowed to walk ahead of me. <strong>She is not allowed on any furniture because apparently being physically higher means higher in the food chain also</strong>. Plus she's huge and slobbery. Now that she's an adult, she'll stand and wait for me to enter the room and she doesn't even try to walk faster than me. Not because I'm mean and she's scared of me, she respects me and knows I'm the boss.  I definitely agree that you need some more...I don't know the word...intense? training for your puppy and the sooner the better. <strong>When training, only say the command once because saying it more than once is teaching them that they don't have to listen to your the first time.</strong>  I bought the book "so your dog's not lassie?" when we got Edna and I loved it.  And I'm glad that you're going back to the vet to see if there's something bigger here.  Do you have any dog parks in your area? Running freely helps a lot more than running on a leash and PPs are right that aggression often comes from boredom and lack of necessary exercise. Beagles are not a lazy breed. Good luck to you and I hope you find a solution. It's a terrible feeling to be afraid of your own dog and I hope you can learn to trust each other. 
Posted by beardownbchs[/QUOTE]

The thing is... I know the whole "pack leader" thing is popular, especially with the dog whisperer, and to a point, I agree with the theories. But, we aren't dogs... so, no matter what, we aren't gonig to be a pack leader.  We are the human, which is "above" the pack leader.  Sancho, our rottie is the pack leader in our house.  My partner & I are his boss.   And in all actuality, Justin, the cat is really the pack leader.   The dogs were taught at a very young age that no matter what, they aren't allowed to have an attitude. They chase the cat, they get scolded. They growl when someone (or another pet) puts their face in their food bowl, they get scolded. 

Now, my dogs eat before me; they lay on the couch with me; they often sleep or cuddle in my bed with me; they routinely walk through the door before me; and every so often, I have to give them a command more than once.  But, it's usually "go to bed" and they stand there staring at me, just to make sure I wasn't kidding.   I know that I can call my dogs up on to the bed with me for a snuggle and that they know that when I say "OFF" they have to get off, whether they are comfy or not.  That makes me the boss.

Summer2011Bride

Yeah I agree with not allowing him to nip during play (or ever). The ASPCA website has a lot of good information on pretty much any dog-related topic you could want. They suggest if the dog does nip you during play to yelp loudly in pain and go completely limp. If you grab your hand away quickly, the dog will often try to go after it again. They are used to other dogs yelping when in pain and understand what that means. I would start doing that ASAP whenever he nips to curtail that behavior.

QueerFemme

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_nernwr-puppy-problems?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:c003a659-8c00-4731-829c-df38c050ccf2Post:603dbb02-065b-46db-8a39-400640e16ea3">Re: NER/NWR: Puppy Problems</a>:
[QUOTE]Yeah I agree with not allowing him to nip during play (or ever). The ASPCA website has a lot of good information on pretty much any dog-related topic you could want. They suggest if the dog does nip you during play to yelp loudly in pain and go completely limp. If you grab your hand away quickly, the dog will often try to go after it again. They are used to other dogs yelping when in pain and understand what that means. I would start doing that ASAP whenever he nips to curtail that behavior.
Posted by Summer2011Bride[/QUOTE]

I actually don't agree with this tactic with this particular dog.  Given that the nipping has seemed to turn to aggression, I wouldn't suggest appearing "weak" or injured with this dog.  But, that's just my opinion.

beardownbchs

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_nernwr-puppy-problems?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c003a659-8c00-4731-829c-df38c050ccf2Post:057a5105-7b7e-42d4-836c-80d509bc80fe">Re: NER/NWR: Puppy Problems</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: NER/NWR: Puppy Problems : The thing is... I know the whole "pack leader" thing is popular, especially with the dog whisperer, and to a point, I agree with the theories. But, we aren't dogs... so, no matter what, we aren't gonig to be a pack leader.  We are the human, which is "above" the pack leader.  Sancho, our rottie is the pack leader in our house.  My partner & I are his boss.   And in all actuality, Justin, the cat is really the pack leader.   The dogs were taught at a very young age that no matter what, they aren't allowed to have an attitude. They chase the cat, they get scolded. They growl when someone (or another pet) puts their face in their food bowl, they get scolded.  Now, my dogs eat before me; they lay on the couch with me; they often sleep or cuddle in my bed with me; they routinely walk through the door before me; and every so often, I have to give them a command more than once.  But, it's usually "go to bed" and they stand there staring at me, just to make sure I wasn't kidding.   I know that I can call my dogs up on to the bed with me for a snuggle and that they know that when I say "OFF" they have to get off, whether they are comfy or not.  That makes me the boss.
Posted by cmgilpin[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>I've never seen the dog whisperer...lol. But this is why I said a few times that my approach is not for everyone. Most dog owners I know are in control of their dogs without doing any of the things we've done. I am the only person I know who doesn't let the dog on the furniture (and honestly, it's more because she's so slobbery and we have one L-shaped couch - not enough room for all three of us to lay down) My dog likes to push it. She's a perfect example of a stubborn, pushy, "I do what I want" bully breed. Every so often I'll let her on the couch. After I do, she spends the next several days whining and moaning and trying to get on the couch. When she was a puppy, I was literally afraid of her and the approach we used worked for us and we don't really have to do it anymore. Owning a dog that's stronger than you is scary and could be dangerous if not properly trained (as I'm sure you know - having rotts). I have no worries with her anymore and I trust her. She listens to me. When we first got her and she knew I was afraid of her, she walked all over me and did whatever she wanted. So like I said, this isn't for everyone but it definitely helped us a lot. </div><div>
</div>

LisaA2014

I didn't read all the responses but I want you to know I've been there. We had a little beagle named Holly and she used to use my arm as a chew bone. There was never an injury or anything but she was non stop with it. She also would chew whole couches while we were out and we would come home to piles of fluff every where.

I would never get another Beagle, it's not that we didn't love her we really did love her. I just think Beagles are meant to be working dogs, they are bred to hunt. Holly used to escape ALL the time and tear around the neighborhood like a maniac.

As far as suggestions, give her a job. Do you have an off leash dog park near by? That can simulate pack hunting for her. It may seem silly but let her use her nose, line up some flower pots outside, let her smell a yummy treat and hide it under one. See if she can find it and reward her when she does! After she 'gets it' you can expand this to your whole yard.

Good luck and stick with it!

Hummingbird125

I have a question - when does he get this aggresive? Is it when you're playing with him? Is it around food/treats? 

I have a 6 month old puppy who has begun showing some signs of aggression when she has a bone or bully stick she's chewing on. To combat this, I'll sit down next to her while she's chewing, put my hand in front of her face (fist closed), then open it up and let her have the treat I'm holding. This is supposed to teach her that my hand in her face is a good thing, and no reason to get aggresive. It takes a lot of repetition, but it is definitely helping. If your dog is showing aggression in certain situations, this may be a good tactic to try.

I don't really agree with the dominance technique, but it may really depend on the breed. I've been told by many owners of the breed I own that using dominance techniques will just bring out the dog's stubborness, and that even if they end up doing what you want, they're doing it because they are afraid and intimidated, which is not the result I want.

cnf2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_nernwr-puppy-problems?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:c003a659-8c00-4731-829c-df38c050ccf2Post:057a5105-7b7e-42d4-836c-80d509bc80fe">Re: NER/NWR: Puppy Problems</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: NER/NWR: Puppy Problems : The thing is... I know the whole "pack leader" thing is popular, especially with the dog whisperer, and to a point, I agree with the theories. But, we aren't dogs... so, no matter what, we aren't gonig to be a pack leader.  We are the human, which is "above" the pack leader.  Sancho, our rottie is the pack leader in our house.  My partner & I are his boss.   And in all actuality, Justin, the cat is really the pack leader.   The dogs were taught at a very young age that no matter what, they aren't allowed to have an attitude. They chase the cat, they get scolded. They growl when someone (or another pet) puts their face in their food bowl, they get scolded.  Now, my dogs eat before me; they lay on the couch with me; they often sleep or cuddle in my bed with me; they routinely walk through the door before me; and every so often, I have to give them a command more than once.  But, it's usually "go to bed" and they stand there staring at me, just to make sure I wasn't kidding.   I know that I can call my dogs up on to the bed with me for a snuggle and that they know that when I say "OFF" they have to get off, whether they are comfy or not.  That makes me the boss.
Posted by cmgilpin[/QUOTE]

<div>I agree with all of this. When our dog was younger he was very dominate and still is. He would try to walk all over us and get his way. It took a lot of work a few times we did flip him on his back and pin him down until he got sumissive. Probably not ideal, but it worked for us. He now knows we're the boss, but he's still the pack leader. When other dogs come over, he gets things first, goes through doors first, drinks first, whatever. And now that we have a pecking order he gets to sleep in bed, snuggle on the couch and I don't care who eat first. Honestly, I feed him first thing when I get home from work, then I change and get myself all decompressed and make myself food later. It changes nothing for his behavior. </div><div>
</div><div>As for the biting, we do the loud OUCH whenever he nipped. Even if it doesn't hurt, say it loud and firm. Loudly and firmly enough to startle him into stopping. Do it every time and eventually he will figure out he can't do that. Dogs are smart and eventually they can learn different things as far as monitoring their own behavior goes. For example, our dog knows that FI's dad is for snuggling and swindling treats out of, but that he can rough play with my dad. And even rough playing with my dad, he knows he can't do that with me and doesn't do any rough play or play nipping with anyone else. But this is something he has learned AFTER we implemented the other behaviors first. Regardless, what works for some does not work for all. Definitely fill us in after the vet visit and look into animal behavior specialists. You should not be afraid of your own puppy. </div>

ZiggyZos

Ugh. The flip & pin "alpha roll". That is one of the most overused, outdated, and uneffective methods in dog training, and I once again have to echo everything cmgilpin has said. Alpha rolling dogs does not work to make you "dominant" or the leader for a variety of reasons. First, dogs are not wolves. while they are descendants, centuries of living and working with humans has changed their behavioral interactions, so basing human behaviors/interactions with dogs in a domesticated situation on wolf-wolf interactions in the wild is just silly. Secondly, the original dominance theories that included the alpha roll were based on misinterpretations of wolf behavior. Alpha wolves never FORCE a subordinate wolf onto its back. Never. The beta wolf has two options: roll over voluntarily when challenged or fight back. Most often they roll over to submit - but again, it is not FORCED by a dominant wolf. It is a VOLUNTARY action by the lesser. The alpha roll in dogs generally makes dogs afraid, so it appears as though they are submitting to you but it isn't because they respect you - it's because you are making them uncomfortable and they are afraid. I've seen people get bit more times than I care to recall because they alpha rolled the wrong dog. One that is truly trying to be "dominant" (that term is terribly overused in the dog world) will lash out, not just lay there. As for being the pack leader by eating first, walking through doors first, etc.: all falsehoods. It is about setting boundaries, not about being first. My dogs eat first, sit on the couch with me, go through the door first, etc. because I *allow* them to. They get permission from me to do those things. In terms of true dog behavior, my alpha male - who is the clear head of our "pack" of dogs - goes out last and generally eats last, on his own volition. Excuse me while I anthropomorphisize for a moment, but it appears as though he is taking care of his pack, watching them all go out or come back in with him, making sure they all eat, etc. before doing so himself. There is no question as to who ranks where in our household with our dogs, yet top dog here does not exhibit these behaviors that are typically hailed as necessary to be the leader. OP - you need to find a certified behaviorist, and my recommendation would be to find one that does NOT operate on dominance theory, but rather on working as a team and building respect and trust between you and your dog

Pookieson

I didn't finish reading posts because I gotta get outta here but I have two adopted dogs, both with a form of what you are dealing with.

The Scnuazer was a nipper/jumper when we adopted him.  We simply told him a firm "NO!" every. single. time. he nipped at us. If he nipped.  Play time was over.  We also instructed guests and family to please do so.  With his jumping, if he jumped on us we simple turned our backs to him and ignored him until he stopped jumping.  I didn't pet him or greet him until probably half an hour later.  This took us about 2 weeks of consistency and he no longer does either of these.

Now....onto my little emotional issues dog.

The maltipoo is very timid/aggressive.  She barked and growled at children, door bells, guests, other dogs.  We were able to curb the barking and growling for the most part with positive reinforcement, firm "No's" etc, but we ultimately ended up in some training classes.  She was 1.5 when we adopted her, the trainer thinks she was abused previously, so she has some issues.  We did the training because she was also a submissive urinator.  She still cowers if she gets scolded, but she doesn't pee everywhere, she barks at the door until she is told to stop but she doesn't growl at neighbors, children or guests as long as she is informed they are fine.  I will admit she still makes me nervous around children and this usually results with her spending sometime in the yard or in our bedroom.  Good luck!

Jayceestar27

I agree with many of PPs. I think it may have to do with the breed. Beagles can be very energetic and become bored easily. Try to give him a job of some kind. Maybe some sniff and seak game of some kind.

As for the nipping I agree, that needs to go. When my puppy was tiny we started training her not to do this. When puppies play they yipe to let the other know its too rough. So this is what we did. Anytime she even had a finger or toe in her mouth, not chewing just hanging out in her mouth, we'd yipe. Its cute until they have teeth and then its harder to break the habit. I'm sure she thinks I'm a pansey but she caught on pretty quick. Even if we are playing with her toys and she accidently bites me i'll yipe and ignore her. This lets her know she is being too rough and we don't get to play anymore.

Since your dog is older that may not work.  As for people playing with him rough, ask them not to. We still have people come over and try to play with the dogs with their bare hands... THIS IS GIVING THEM THE 'OK' TO BITE!! Never let anyone do this. We just tell them "We are training our dog to be gentle and not to go after our hands" and give them a dog toy to play with the dog with... Even though there are dog toys all over they house. If they wont then take the dog to another room or ask them to leave. 

Another big thing I'd recommend is praise him for doing good. If he is playing with his toys, praise him. If he goes after your hands, say 'no' or yipe depending and stop paying attention to him for a few minutes. Praise for every good action, ignore/displine for the bad. I'm not a dog expert  but these things have helped with my dogs. Don't be scared of your dog. If you are scared of him, you are no longer the boss. Dogs are very good at reading emotion and body language. Even if you are scared, try to stay confident and not intimidated.

SB1512

I'm not sure how people will feel about this technique, but the dog trainer who taught our puppy classes had us use "time out" for annoying behaviors.  We started working on them one at a time, and luckiliy, our puppy didn't have too many annoying behaviors.  For our first one, we picked him taking shoes/clothes to chew on.  We actually left shoes out on purpose and watched him like a hawk.  As soon as he grapped a shoe we would say no, time out and put him in the bathroom (boring room, nothing to destroy in there) for 15-30 seconds to start.  After time out was over, we let him back out.  Next time he grabbed a shoe or piece of clothing, a "no, time out" and back in the bathroom.  I must say it took about 3 days of time outs and he has not touched shoes or clothes since.  Occassionally he will put his nyla bone into a shoe to chew on, but he doesn't chew the actually shoe so we let it slide (we think he does it because we have a lot of hardwood and if he puts a chew toy in a shoe it gives him some traction).

We also used time out for his excessive barking at other dogs walking by.  He still will bark when he sees a dog outside, but if I say "ozzy do you want to go in timeout" he quiets down to a barely audible noise level or stops barking completely.

So, maybe try time outs for the nipping?  Our dog has a super submissive personality to start with, so he caught on really quick, but I know some other people in our class who had dogs with a more dominant personality also found the time out technique helpful.

Edit: Oh and if you try timeouts, you cannot take the dog out if they are whining, they must settle down first or else they will learn that whining gets them out.

TKzilla

Thanks for all the suggestions everybody. I've been home sick today so I've been reading but not responding (yay fever dreams). Please forgive me if I stop making sense at some point.

Our plan at the moment is this: when Jackson bites, give him a loud, firm "NO!" and remove ourselves from the situation (i.e. go into the bathroom or bedroom, wherever he doesn't have access). Unfortunately we live in an apartment so we don't have a big yard for him to roam freely. The best we can do is find an off-leash dog park nearby and take him when we can (especially when the weather gets warm and the sun stays up later). For months, we've taken him to my mom's every Sunday because she has a huge backyard that's fenced in, and he could run to his heart's content. He hasn't been able to do that for the last few weeks because of the surgery and weather factors. I've gotten some "intelligence" toys from Petsmart that I think we need to use more often to stimulate his mind. More walks will be happening in the future with different routes to keep things interesting. I am still going to take him to the Petsmart class because it was nice to have him socializing with other dogs and other people in a more controlled enviroment, but we are looking into finding an animal behavior specialist.

I'm not giving up on my pup, though. That is fordamnsure.