Puppy aggression

Question
Hello, I would like to ask about my 8 wk old male standard's biting and growling aggression.  He does have play bites but after he eats and some other random times he gets downright aggressive with growling (no gums showing)and hard snapping bites.  We yelp and quit playing, say firmly "no bite" and offer him bite toys.  Usually if all else is exhausted, I'll take him and hold him like a baby in a towel until he submits.  Sometimes his mood changes back to being nice or sometimes he'll revert to aggression again.  We don't play tug of war or promote the aggression.  Also, he seems to be heavy on the hunting/prey side. Lizards, frogs, some digging and he's heavily scent stimulated.  When he's outside playing hard, he'll sometimes attack our legs with the aggressive behavior.  The majority of the time he listens when told "no bite" but gets kujo-like a couple of times a day.  Do you think he'll grow out of this?  Should I consult a behaviorist?  Oh, and I have socialized him with other puppies and he usually takes the aggressive (head on top of their neck, humping to show dominance) approach.  There's a 3 yr female terrior he plays with that snaps at him when he offends her and he backs off.  Should he play more with her?

Answer
The yelp and quit playing is the best technique to stop the biting.  Yes, let the terrier teach him some doggy manners.  You need to work on it too.  The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. 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

''Elevation for small puppies: Sit on the floor and gently put your hands around your pup's middle, below his front legs, and lift him up. He is facing you. Hold him for 15 seconds. Repeat until he no longer struggles. If he is past 10-12 weeks, lift his front feet off the ground, but don't pick him up.

Cradling for small puppies: Hold your puppy gently on his back, as you would cradle a small baby. If he struggles, hold him firmly until he quiets for 10-15 seconds. With larger pups, you can do this as your sit on the floor, with your pup between your legs.

Quiet lying down: Place your pup on the floor on his side, with all 4 legs pointing away from you. Use your hands on his neck/shoulder area and middle, to hold him in this position. When he is quiet, praise him. Lengthen the time that you keep him quietly in this position. When he accepts this position well, handle his paws and muzzle, while keeping him quiet.''

The quotes mean this isn't my original work. It is copied from my Puppy Raising Manual. I have long used these or minor variations of them, and they are very effective. You may want to give him a belly rub while he is on his back too. Helps bonding. There is a big difference between him rolling over and demanding a belly rub, and you choosing a time to roll him over and rub his belly. The latter cements your place as pack leader.