Recommended training in the N. GA area?

Let me preface this by saying I think I know what 'the biggest' issue is but alas; Some of you my remember my thread from a 2 months ago where we were adopting a MALE 6 month old (now ~8months) Lab pup as a playmate for our then MALE 1YR staffybull.

When we first brought the Lab home Marley, our Staffy, immediately pinned him down by the throat; he wasnt really biting but pinning him down. It startled the wife and I who never could have thought our sweet mild mannered pup Marley could be mean. I now think I may have ruined the natural progression for dominance since it was in fact Marley's house first.

These guys get along great and literally play NON STOP! I am worried I am providing the wrong types of toys that encourage nipping or biting as all of their toys are ropes, bones, or other tug devices. The never want there own toy or bone even if they are the same exact thing. Instead they challenge eachother for the same toy or bone. They dont growl or fight for them, but will ip at eachothers legs, face, or whatever they can get to distract the other one get the toy then rinse and repeat.

Before we adopted the Lab I think we did a pretty good job with our StaffyBull he was rather obedient and listened to commands well... when he's out by himself this is still the case; however when they are both out together he listens to nothing. It is nearly impossible to get his attention.

The Lab is even worse, since he spent the first 6 months of his life basically in a crate he was already well behind the curve and we havent been able to successfully train him in anyway shape or form since bringing him home.

Now neither dog is fixed yet, but im starting to think all the testosterone in this house is getting to them and is a major part of the problem. I do not want to start disciplining them in a bad way at all or make them 'fear' me but am afraid I am going to lose my patience sometimes. Rather I would like to be able to correct the behavior. Ive tried rolling them on their backs like a Mom dog would when puppies to show dominance. Various high pitched corrections to get there attention from the 'rule breaking' behavior, ect. I believe I am respected as the dominant figure in the house because even as bad as they are they are WORSE with my wife when I am out of the house.

This is all just really starting to get to me... at first thought I really wanted to save the Lab from a bad place and instead give him a loving home and a playmate for my staffy. I feel that I am losing control of them.

It is probably nowhere near enough but they get ~ hour long walk in the AM before we leave for work and unfortunately are 'crated' until we get home from work. Then another 45min-1hr walk once we are home. He is doing much better on the leash but that was the easy part. Even the staffy caught on to that quickly when he was a young pup so I know they have the capacity to learn but im a but lost in the shuffle.

Can anyone make any recommendations on anything? Do you think neutering is the #1 problem? I will schedule them next week if so. Is the laser really that much more beneficial for a male? I could see it for a female 'spaying' as thats more invasive but...

Also can anyone recommend any good trainer, one on one, or group, or socialization anything in my area? I dont know that I have the kind of coin it takes to send them away nor do I want to be without my boys for a few weeks. This is really just causing a lot of tension in the house and im starting to think it was a very premature deicision to get the 2nd dog in that we are nowhere near experienced enough to handle them both as is.

Thanks again for any advice on here guys, it seems I always look to the advice and knowledge here and cant even think on my own... so I am sorry if it comes across that way

Josh

Sorry to hear you are having troble. Neutering may or not help it all depends on the dog. I think the best advice I can give is to decide on what the rules of the house are and enforce them each and everytime. If you're not doing that or only doing it on occasion the dogs will become confused. If you are both consistant they will learn.

Do you train them together, or seperately and do you walk them both yourself, at the same time, or does your oh go with you? I think you're gonna need to do a lot of seperate training with both of them. It would be better if you both took the dogs out & have one each. If either starts to act up, you have a better chance of correcting it. Don't pin them down, or roll them on to their backs - their dams may well do that in the litter & they will accept it, but they are not tiny pups any more & they will resent being made so vulnerable. You could end up with a dog that will snap at you or run away to avoid it.

Neutering may or may not help. I think the lab is way too young yet, anyway, although you could possibly get away with neutering the staff; at a year old it wouldn't be too bad. But you couldn't guarantee that it would calm either of them down!

If you can both get to a local training class it would be a tremendous help - it would get both of them used to doing as they're told while there are plenty of distractions (dogs!) around.

I can't recommend any clubs cause I don't know your area, but if you go through the Kennel Club at least you'll know that the trainers are qualified. Have a look here...
http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/public/findaclub/area/Default.aspx