new aggressive behavior

Question
Hello. My husband and I have an almost 2 year old yellow lab named Huey. He has been a very good dog and has not shown any aggressive behavior in the past besides barking at strangers.

Recently, my husband and I went on vacation for a week and boarded our dog with our trainer. She has each dog in seperate kennels but lets them play from time to time. We've brought him there before and he's loves it. Well, after we got back from vacation, my husband and I were clipping Huey's nails (which he's let us do before without too much trouble) and he snarled and bit my husband's hand drawing blood. My husband immediately took control and got Huey into a submissive position and held him there for about 5 minutes.

We have no idea why he turned and bit my husband when he's never shown any aggressive behavior before. I worry that he will do this again. We don't have any kids yet but hope to in the future and want our kids to be safe around Huey. We would hate to get rid of our dog because we love him so much.

Any suggestions on what we should or shouldn't do to prevent this from happening again? Do you think something happened at the kennel that tipped him off when we were clipping his nails? He also has sores on his elbows from laying on hard floors for a week, do you think his paws were just sensitive and he was telling us know? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!  

Answer
Hello Mandi and thank you for your questions,

My jack russell terrier does this he is 1 3/4 years old, he needs to be muzzled to cut his nails or he would bite... HARD! He hates his feet being touched period and when you ge tthe clippers get the muzzel as well in my household. It is very possible he has sore legs and was letting you know that touching them hurt! Maybe something happened at the kennel either with another dog or the trianer/keeper that involved his paws... maybe he got them stepped on or another dog was playing too roughly with him and hurt him. Idf he isnt neutered do it now it calms agression in many ways, my male jack russell terrier is neutered if he wasnt I think he'd be too dog agressive to live my me and my other pups. doing the submission thing is ok I have never heard of doing such a thing and *IF my lab (female spayed almost 3 years old) had bit me I would have yelled at her and put her outside for a while, To me this tells my dogs they've been bad shouldnt do it again and they are misrable wanting to come in and be with you but they cant until they've servered there time is what I think, Its like punishing a child to there room but my dogs crates are happy places not 'go to your room' places lol. If he is dominate with you be sure you eat before him it can be a cracker before you feed him just be sure You always eat first this will put him in his place eon the rank ladder, The boss dog always eats first out of three dogs(female labrador ret. almsot 3, male jack russel almost 2 and a baby boston terrier female the jack russell *Is the boss in our house after me anyways and don't let anyone tell him otherwise lol), If he is hogging the couch and he is a dominate dog push him off.... he will get the message sooner or later. If he has only did this once in his two years with you i don't think he would do it again if you practice taking charge and muzzle him during clipping and neuter him if not done already. My labrador retriever is persoanlly so freinly i think shes too friendly at times.. you get in the door adn her tail is swinging so fast he bottom is gonig with it lol, she lcks you to death if you bend down ad will procede to knock you over for a pindown licking. She is awasoem with my two neices aged 2 years old and 9 months old, but she doesnt upset them by licking them to the point of knocking them over. My lab is perfect with rabbits/other dogs all types and sexes, birds, reptiles and about everyonther creepy crawler I've had. If push comes to shove try an animal behavierist.