Beagle aggression?

Question
Hello, we have a 6 months old Beagle and we had him since he was 7 weeks old. Yesterday we were playing at a nearby public school yard, and he got a hold of some kind of a bone that somebody just threw out after lunch, I guess..I told him to drop it, but he suddenly started to growl at me. Then I tried to take it away from him, and he REALLY started to growl, like he wanted to rip me apart. Then he bit me real hard. It didn't drawl blood, but it was as though he didn't even know me. He had a problem before of snapping whenever we tried to touch him, but that got alot better. He hardly showed any aggressive behavior for awhile until the incident yesterday. How should we deal with this kind of behavior?

Answer
Hi sorry for the delay in answering. This type of behavior has been growing since you got him as a puppy. He has not learned that you are the Alpha and he must relinguish food to you. This is called food dominance. He was probably a more aggressive puppy in the litter as well unless he was a submissive puppy who somehow was abused and is now hoarding out of fear. I am willing to bet that when you feed him he doesnt want or wont let you put your hand in his bowl either without a reaction and that he scrambles tohis food and gulps it down? This MUST be curbed immediately and he must learn that you are in charge! I will tell you how to do this but I must warn you that if you do not stay consistent with this, follow it exactly and to the end you are going to end up with a dog that will bite not only you but others.

You will need to begin by removing all toys and chewies and anything he values. These must be worked for as will his food. He should at this age be eating twice a day now and each time you feed him he must work for that too.  You will need to begin by feeding him by hand. He must sit in front of you and is only allowed to take the food from you when you say "OK", otherwise continue to put him in a sit and tell him "UnUh". You will need to feed him every meal like this for at least 3-4 days or longer UNTIL HE WILLINGLY COMPLIES before graduating to using the bowl again.
Each step in this process should be about 3-4 days, dont try to rush it.....
Once he has mastered the above when he eats it from your hand exactly as you want him to then you can begin to put it in his bowl little by little, in other words ration out what he should be eating and put a small amount in the the bowl going through the same drill that he has to sit and can only eat it when you say so and then return him to a sit. Then put in a little more etc until his rationed amount is eaten. While he is eating it keep your hand in the bowl, around the bowl, and sometimes even remove the bowl while he is eating and make him sit again. This reinforces that you and your hand are still the giver and taker and in charge. When he is done REMOVE THE BOWL and put it up so he cannot become possessive of it. YOU are the giver and taker of the food remember, the bowl is yours, not his. From this point you will graduate to slowly to being able to put the food down in the bowl, ALWAYS making him sit first and then releasing him  to eat it. All dogs should be made to sit or do something for their food throughout their lives to remind them of who is the boss of the food.

The same thing goes for any toys or treats, he must sit and you give it to him when YOU are ready, not because he is dying for it, jumping all over or crying. Until he learns that all belongs to you he doest get tohave toys lying around at his will. Always use the word OK when you release it and the words UnUh if he does it wrong and put him back in the sit. These words will then carry through with all his training as its ok or no its not.

There are many schools of thought about the Drop It COmmand. Personally I do not work on this with my dogs becuase I can go up to them at any time and take what is in their mouth out of it because they just automatically release it realizing that I am boss and if I want it they give it. It is purely a non verbal communication. That is not to say that the Drop it command is bad or wrong, some owners like this. My only comment is that if you want to follow through with that commandvit must be AFTER you have accomplished all of the above. Also whenever your dog and you are leaving the house make him sit and you should always go out the door first as the leader and then call him to you or tell him OK. All of these things are the developing of an Alpha (you!). The same goes with getting on the furniture, your lap or being pet. Make him sit for everything and you make the decision, not him!

I hope this is helpful, feel free to check back anytime with follow up questions or just to let me know his progress.