goldendoodle

Question
my 3/4 Standard Poodle and 1/4 Golden Retriever is alpha to my just turned 7 year old boy...my son feeds him and plays with him...they are very rough together...the dog makes me nervous for he is so big, fast, disrespectful of both my son and I...only encountered this with my husband's Lab(bought mainly for hunting ducks in the marsh)...this dog also ignored my commands...he was put down for attacking a 6th grade boy...my husband could barely get the dog off the child...we had been moving around from place to place due to Katrina flooding our house...the dog reacted poorly to the change in his environment...my 5 year old son cried for a one month daily due to the loss of his dog...my husband finally agreed to another puppy...I thought I had found a perfect dog for us...we got the dog and he was great...little did I know that he was growing into Clifford the big black dog...he now towers over both my son and I...he rules by nipping, mouthing, chasing, jumping, growling, chewing everything in sight, and when he gets out of the fence he is off to the races...sometimes I wonder...should I let him go...but the guilt sets in...this situation is getting worse and I do not know how to get a hold of it...my son and the dog have a relationship that is not good for each other...I had no idea that he would be so active and domineering...if my son had been older, he may have had the respectful relationship an dog and his owner share...I had two Golden Retriever and a Maltese, they treated me with love and respect...what should I do...for I do not want to fail or hurt my son's feelings, but I am at the end of my rope....help... before he bites my son

Answer
I am not sure your son will be old enough.  With somebody the right age in the family, 4-H dog training is a great idea.
In my area, clubs form soon after the first of the year.  Even many urban
areas have 4-H.  For info look in your phone book under government listings
for extension or cooperative extension offices.  Ask specifically about a dog
or canine club.  The 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 a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/ Another good resource is http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm including their page on children and dogs.  

Some dogs just have a much greater drive for dominance that others.  Given a chance, many will take over the household just as that Lab did.  You didn't say how old.  The sooner you start on this, the better, it will only get worse as he matures.  He is neutered?  It is no cure all, but a must in these cases.

You may look into a private trainer.  I have my doubts about some of them, but even if they are not using the best methods, you must get control of the dog.