Help! He's biting everyone

[lynnkg]

Help! Our 1 1/2 yr old, Hercules is biting everyone who comes in the door! He goes bezerk when he see's anyone who is not immediate family. Barking, Biting, growling, jumping, etc. We are going to have to find another home if we can't train him. Of course he's not trained at anything, not even housebroken. The family needs as much training as he does. But we need to fix the biting thing immediately. He's could'nt be any sweeter to me and does great with my Teenage Son, but doesn't get along well with "Granny" or my 12yr old Daughter. She doesn't seem to like him either, but she usually loves Dogs. She said Hercules is mean. I need Help.

[Mrs.F]

Well it sounds like you've already taken the first step in helping Hercules - you realize that he and your family need to be trained!
Although there are lots of great books out there, it sounds like you and Hercules need to work with someone experienced. Group classes would probably be a good thing for Hercules because they'll give him an opportunity to learn how to behave around strangers. Most meet a couple times a week and most are reasonably priced. (Your vet or local animal shelter can give you info on local classes.) The classes are set up to teach YOU how to teach Hercules.

In the meantime, you need to make sure that Hercules doesn't have a chance to bite, growl or jump at strangers. As you noted you won't be able to keep him if he bites someone, so you'll have to make sure that he doesn't have the chance. When someone comes to the door, put him in another room with the door shut.
After you begin to train him, you'll be able to have him on a leash when someone comes to the door, and later on you can have him sit and stay when guest arrive.
I know that it may seem impossible to imagine Hercules behaving himself right now, but it's truly amazing how fast they can learn when worked with consistently. Once he settles down a little Granny and your daughter will probably look at him differently.

Good luck!