Ahhh....puppyhood....nordic breeds and puppyhood...even better.

I have a male siberian husky...he's a year now, but I went through those puppy woes last year with him. He was a major *brat* puppy. He was also a serious biter too. I was worried he could really get aggressive by the way he was acting. I have heard many different ways to help with this problem. I tried most of them. I don't think there's a "right" or "wrong" way really (for the most part) because different things work with different dogs. Here's some things to try...

Make a yelping or "ouch" sound when he bites on you. This did not work for my dog when he was young, but it works now if he nibbles.

When he starts to chew on you tell him no and immediately give him a toy to chew on and praise him. Always praise him when he's chewing on correct things (toys!) Puppies HAVE to chew, so you can't discourage him from chewing things period, just encourage him to chew the RIGHT things. Maybe buy him a kong or something tough like that and put treats in it.

You can try spraying nasty things (like Bitter Apple) on your hands so when he goes to chew them he won't like the taste.

And another thing that works for some dogs is just plain ignoring them.....whenever the pup starts to chew on you, just get up and turn your back to him. Don't look or speak to him for a few seconds. Go back to play with him, and if he chews on you again, just keep getting up and ignoring him. The thought is that eventually the pup will learn that he only gets attention when he's playing nice!

I hope some of those ideas work for you!

As far as the problem being outside...I think maybe a good idea would be to get him used to you not being there all the time (inside and out). Never make a big fuss when you leave or come home. I'd try just leaving your door open to your yard (if it's fenced) and go in and out casually, not paying attention to the dog. Maybe give him a toy to play with by himself. Make the intervals that you stay inside gradually longer. I think eventually he'll get used to you being out of his sight when he's outside.

I think the puppy kindergarten is a GREAT start! I had my dog in that and also basic obedience later. Just keep working with him, I bet he'll be a wonderful dog for you. My dog is still a brat at times, and still acts like a pup but he has matured into a very sweet dog.

p.s. Any pics?