help with 5 month old golden retriever puppy

Question
My now 5 month old golden retriever, Brody, is turning out to be
quite a challenge.  We are having him professionally trained and he
is making progress in some things.  He'll sit and stay whle I get his
meals ready and won't go to the dish until I tell himn "okay."  He'll
stay on his bed when put there unitl we give him the "okay," and he
doesn't try to eat the furniture, crapeting, walls, etc.  

He still jumps on people as they come in, pulls on the leash,
won't "give" or "drop" when told to, and, most frustrating to me is
the biting.  I know he is still a young puppy and a lot of this is
typical of the hyper breed.  

One thing that concerns me is that I think he may see himself as
Alpha in my relationship with him, so I have been doing different
exercies to establsih myself as the leader - making him sit as I go
through the doorways first, ignoring him when I get home and he jumps
up, eating first (I tried gesture eating from his bowl with a cracker
but felt real silly doing so - LOL).  

Last night he did a couple of things really interesting.  I went to
feed the bird and left im in the living room with my mom and told him
to stay on his bed so he wouldn't follow me.  He stayed there the
whole time I was in the other room, even whined, but would not leave
his place, wenn when my mom gave him the okay.  I was happy with
that, but other times, he won't stay the whold time I am in the other
room, so this is hit and miss right now.  

Also, I usually lay on the couch to watch television in the evenings
and he will settle down (on the rug or his bed) as well.  Last ngiht
I was in the reclineer, and he was walking back and forth
restlessly.  Just as an experiment, I went to the couch, and sure
enough, he laid down as well. Why would he not lay down while I am in
the recliner, but lay down the second I went ot my usual spot (maybe
he wanted me in my ususal "place?").  

The most fristrating thing, as mentioned above, it the play biting,
and it often follows a patern.  He'll come to me with one of his toys
in his mouth (and his mouth is clamped shut).  I am careful not to
play tug with him, but sometimes I will direct him and the toy away
from me.  Inevitably, he will drop the toy near me and start biting
me - not viciously, but playing, but even then he gets over excited
and bites harder.  Any suggestions on getting him out of this?  
Everyone says he will outgrow it, but so far he hasn't.  One book I
am reding did suggest limiting the number of toys available, and tach
im to give/trade toys, and if he bites, end the game and leave.  Do I
take the toys with me so he'll have nothing to play with?  

The funny thing is that he does this mostly with me.  I used to sit
on the floor with him but haven't in a a good month or so.  I train
him more than play with him, but somehow I think he still sees me as
a littermate.  

Any advice or suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks!

Alfred  

Answer
Young Labs, which I know best, and other puppies tend to very bad about
biting.  You see a litter of them, and all the ones that are awake are biting
another one or themselves.  I am not even sure they realize that when they are
alone, if they quit biting, they would quit being bitten.  At 3 to 4 months
they are getting their adult teeth, and it seems they spend every waking
moment biting or chewing.  I maintain a Lab's favorite chew toy is another
Lab.  Otherwise they settle for any person they can.  They keep hoping to find
one that won't yelp and jerk their hand away, or growl "Bad dog." and clamp
their mouth shut.  Then offer a chew toy.  They keep trying despite hundreds
of corrections.   Another good technique is to quit playing and go away.   Be
sure to praise them when they are playing nice and not biting.

You just have to keep on correcting them, hundreds of times, not dozens.
Provide sturdy, safe toys such as Kongs and Nylabones.  Avoid things they can
chew pieces off and choke on them.  Keep them away from electrical cords.
Crates are essential for most young Labs and other dogs.

I hope your trainer is emphasizing teaching you to play the role of top dog.  That is absolutely the most important thing.  Here is a link to some of the things you must do as top dog, http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm  That site doesn't discuss the importance of walks as much as I would like.  Choosing when to walk, where to walk, when to stop to eliminate, the pace, etc. emphasizes your place as top dog.