[supernurse]

Hi all. I've been coming to this forum since before we got our Rottie pup and have found the info here invaluable! I have searched through the threads multiple times and have found much wisdom, however since we all know all dogs are different, I want to post my situation.
Background: We got our Rottie pup at 7 weeks old from a breeder in MO. My fiance picked him up and brought him home and I started working with him immediately. The pup's name is Ruger and he is now 11 1/2 weeks old. He has been quite mouthy from the start. He chews on EVERYTHING, so he has a plethora of dog toys that we trade for objects that he shouldn't chew on. He's gotten better about leaving stuff alone when we tell him "no", but my issue is his nipping at us. Problems: He will sit and look at me as I pet him, then, something changes and he starts to mouth at my hand, wrist, sleeve, whatever is closest. Sometimes I tell him "no" and try to ignore him, but the problem is almost like defiance. He'll curl his lip up and continue to snap at me. He also will growl and snarl. Most times he jumps at me! At this point I put him in time out in his crate (he is pretty good about being in his crate nowadays. He sleeps there at night and doesn't whine at all anymore.) Every once in awhile he nips at our pant legs ( I have a 12 year old, 9 year old twins and a 2 year old). He does this to the older children also but seems to show some restraint around the 2 year old. Sometimes when I go to correct him he snarls and growls and has even tried to snap at me-not playing- he turns and SNAPS! Tonight I had him at obedience class and while we were walking around the circle he intermittently tried to bite my leg. I jerked on the leash as a correction, but sometimes I had to do it 2 or more times. Then once he got ahold of my pants and growled and wouldn't let go. At one point in class the trainer came over ( he has been training dogs for 40 years) and he told me I need to get him under control or we will have a problem (duh!) and he smacked him on the mouth. He told me to smack him hard enough that the dog's teeth click together. Now I have been preaching at my fiance that we don't hit the dog, but obviously there is something I was doing before that has not been working because it seems that Ruger just keeps behaving badly. I'm terrified that this behavior will continue and I don't know what to do. I had a Rottie pup about 10 years ago and I don't remember him ever being like this! (I had to get rid of him because of my landlord's homeowner's insurance. He was about 2 yrs at the time.) Ruger is a big boy now- I know, he's only 12 weeks but he is STRONG and his teeth are sharp! I so much want to do everything right, but there is so much conflicting info out there I don't know what to do. I watch a lot of dog whisperer, but I tell you, it's so hard to emanate "calm assertive energy" when you have tiny sharp teegh connecting with your skin! I end up with "Pi@@ed off that hurts!!" energy. I try to practice NILF. He has to sit before I feed him and look at me, not the food before I put the bowl down. I take him for purposeful walks and make him heel and also practice our training on the way. I only give him attention/affection when he has done something good and is calm. Nobody babies him. Shoot! the kids are about afraid to pet him because he nips at them ALL THE TIME (except the little one). Ruger had been doing good in his classes up until tonight. He barely paid attention to the other dogs, he walked with the leash slack right at my left side, he even sat and stayed very well- I was so proud! Now after tonight his behavior is making me want to make a stiff drink! Sorry this is so long, but please, I need some reassurance and some good advice! Has anyone had their Rottie pup behave like this but still grow into a good adult dog? I would love to hear success stories and how they came about. Thanks so much.