[BostonRott]

Sending a dog away for training is not going to solve aggression problems. A dog responds to commands from those with which it has a relationship (be it a respectful one, or one of fear). The dog is going to mind the trainer (Rick) but will never be as solid with you, as you have not put in the time.

You must earn a dog's respect and teach it to work with you. While the dog may mind you better than it did, if the initial problem is not solved (i.e. what are YOU doing to cause these behaviour problems), the solution is not going to be permanent.

Dogs who suddenly start showing aggression problems at 18mos are most likely dogs who have been given poor leadership and decided to set their own rules. When the dog returns to the same situation, the problems will resurface. Unless you've made some drastic changes in how you react to and around the dog, I wouldn't expect miracles.

Final note: most training takes place over months and years, not in a matter of 3 weeks. Anything fixed in 3 weeks is going to involve a lot of harsh, nasty corrections. That's not exactly how I'd want to start building a relationship of trust with my dog (shipping it out to arse-whipping camp).

I am VERY strongly against this type of solution and I hope it does not come back to bite you in the butt (literally).