Amy, Welcome to the world of puppyhood! You are right, Nebo still hasn't figured out that you are the alpha and will test you until he figures it out. You need to understand what he is doing so you can work on it.
All domestic dogs are descended from wolves. Despite sometimes being very different in shape, size, and color, domestic dogs have retained about 75 percent of their behavior patterns. It is this part of our dogs that we need to understand if we are to enjoy our lives together.
In the wolf pack, there is a definite hierarchy which is strongly maintained and defended. This is how it will be in your family-pack. Adults first, then children, then dog. Dogs are very conscious of hierarchy and will attempt to find their own place if you do not do it for them.
It is important that your dog thinks that he is at the bottom of the pack. Suppose he is on the sofa and you want him to get off. If he is below you in the pack he will do so without argument. If he thinks he is on equal terms you will have to make him. If he considers himself above you he may try to bite because he feels you have no right to tell him what to do.
The greater the difference in hierarchy between yourself and your dog, the more respect he will have for you. The more respect, the more likely he is to comply with your wishes. Setting the ground rules from the start is therefore very important.
How you treat your dog in the first few months will make all the difference to the way he sees his place in your family hierarchy. Even if you have had well behaved dogs before, I strongly advise you to follow these guidelines for at least six months.
Dominant wolves will choose the safest, warmest place in the territory to sleep. It is usually elevated so that they can look down over the rest of the pack. In your house, of course, this is your bed. If you allow your dog to sleep in bed with you then he is immediately on an equal footing with you. For similar reasons it also pays to keep him off the furniture. I love to sleep with my dogs but do not let them until they are at least five or six months old. They sleep in the bedroom in a crate at the foot of the bed until then. This does two things. Helps with housetraining and lets the pup know I am the alpha. I also don't mind them on the furniture but they are not allowed on it unless I invite them up.
In the wolf pack, the dominant wolves will eat first, the rest waiting until after they have finished. For most dogs, dinner time is one of the highlights of their day. Therefore, it is important that your dog be fed after your family. Tidbits should not be given from the table as this can be easily misinterpreted by dogs as being a weakness on your part rather than benevolence. It also prevents the bad habit of begging at the table.
Dominant wolves will present themselves to subordinates for grooming. They will lick their faces and generally pay them attention. A dominant wolf would not be approached by a subordinate uninvited. In order to reinforce your status, it is important to groom your dog every day initially. This also gives you a chance to give him a quick health check, and ensures that you will be better able to handle him if he needs veterinary attention.
By following these guidelines you should start to see this aggressive behavior diminish.
As for the obedience classes.... the early socialization class at this point is much more valuable than the actual obedience class. Weeks 8 through 12 is a critical bonding stage for the puppy to bond with you. It is important during this time that you expose your puppy to places, situations and things that he will have to deal with in his adult life: e.g., riding in the car, going to the park (after 16 weeks), children, vacuum cleaners, cats, crying babies, loud noises, and others. Extremely important to proper socialization is allowing your dog to play with other dogs. This helps accentuate the difference between people and dogs, and teaches proper play behavior. That is what the early socialization class helps you with. Formal obedience can begin at home during this time with basic commands and later take the formal obedience class. Here are a few things you can do at home for socialization:
While your puppy is small, pick him up frequently.
Look into the puppy's eyes until he looks away.
Rub your puppy's stomach while he is on his back.
Use moderate pressure while grooming or petting.
Don't allow the puppy to stand on or over you during play.
Avoid tug-of-war games. Encourage fetch and retrieve.
Practice taking food away at mealtime.
Teach your puppy to relinquish toys or objects on command ("Drop it").
Praise your puppy for good behavior or when resting quietly.
Never use a command unless you are sure the dog will obey or unless you can make it obey.
Have your puppy obey commands prior to everyday activities such as feeding, playing and going out. ("Nothing in life is free."). I use this one quite extensively with Dusty since he is food motivated.
I would not suggest starting clicker training (I do clicker training with my dogs) until you learn how to do it properly. An excellent website is clickertraining.com . It has information on various books you can purchase to get going in clicker training properly. Unless you click properly, it is either wasted or shapes unwanted behaviors. You need to make sure you know what you are doing!
Hope this information is helpful!
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