Pomeranian snapping & messing in the house

Question
My mum who lives in Southern Ireland has been given a 4 year old pomeranian which was due to be put down. The only background information they have on him is that he was raised by an elderly lady. She had then to be put into care so my mum said she would take the dog. She has not had any real problems with him apart from occassionally snapping at my dad. Just recently he has become more agressive and snapped at my Mum the other night when she went to bath him. He has also started messing around the house which he never did before. My parents love him very much but they are quite elderly themselves and if he keeps this behavour up they will have no alternative but to give him away. Unfortunately they are unable to find training classes near them as they live in Southern Ireland so I would apreciate any advice you may be able to give me so that I can pass it on to them.  

Answer
It is that he may not have had proper discipline or socializing and by this age it may be difficult to do that and with folks who may not have the time or energy to spend undoing his bad behavior it will only make him worse.  They should be scolding for bad actions and teaching him that THEY are the alha's, not him.  If he did not have a problem being in the house beofre and now he is messing in the house-he may not be let out often enough.  Before he gest too used to going to the bathroom in the house, they will want to reinstill in him that OUTSIDE is the place to go potty.
If you go back through some of the past questions. :) you will see that these are common problems that have come up with "rescues".  

Best of luck!
-Trish