11 month old neutered male.

Question
with correction, grooming, removing attention from him, my dog bites me. he has not broken the skin. but it is out of hand.And a bite is a bite. He uses his teeth to get the attention of other members of the family...nothing to the degree that he bestows upon me. I tried a groomer, a person with whom he is familiar, for a bath, and he nipped at her this past week-end. He has a good life. He is an inside dog, we come home mid-day on work days to let him out, play for a bit.He is walked twice a day, and  receives plenty of play time.   I use the bitter apple...but that offers no long-term effects for this behavior. he gets spooled up with the correction and then it is really  hard to handle him.I have to take him down until he settles.  I am tired of having to constantly battle this behavior. we have been to training...and we carry on with the program ourselves,now. He was pretty young ...about 6 mos of age when we took him to the class. He is not the perfect dog, so the trainer won't take him into the intermediate class. His classes never helped with the biting. I am really considering a shock collar..I don't to do this but I am so frustrated with him. thanks for whatever help you can give me.  Deborah

Answer
Many obedience classes are total wastes, failing the primary purpose of training the owner in the proper role as leader.  You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/  For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm  Pick through this list for more good books:

Here is a list put together by the professionals at a dog guide school for those caring for their dogs.

The Cultural Clash by Jean Donaldson, 1996

Excel-crated Learning by Pamela Reid, 1996

Don't Shoot the Dog, by Karen Pryor, 1996

Surviving Your Dog's Adolescence, by Carol Lea Benjamin, 1993

Second Hand dog, by Carol Lea Benjamin, 1988

Dog Problems, by Carol Lea Benjamin, 1989

Super Puppy, by Peter J. Vollmer, 1988

HELP, Mt dog Has an Attitude, by Gwen Bohnenkamp, 1994

Owners' Guide Better Behavior in Dogs and Cats, by William Campbell, 1989

What All Good dogs Should Know, By Wendy Vollmer, 1991

How to Raise a Dog When Nobody is Home, Jerry Kilmer, 1991

Through Otis' Eyes-Lessons from a Guide Dog Puppy, by Patricia Berlin Kennedy and Robert Christie, 1998

Puppy Primer, by Brenda K Skidmore and Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D., 1996

Beginning Family Dog Training, by Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D., 1996

I don't like shock collars.  Youcan end up with a confused, neurotic dog.