So much progress yet so far to go...

Question:
 Hey guys,
As everyone knows Duke has been going to a puppy socalization class for the last 3 months to help him get used to other strange dogs, as he has always taken an extremely long time to get used to anything new. We've had alot of progress since going as he went from growling and eventually snapping at any dog that walked up to him at the class ( oddly enough outside on walks, he's great with new dogs he meets), to sniffing them back.
He dosen't really like to play with most of them besides one big 8 month old lab ( which he is maybe an inch shorter then) which he likes to run around with and jump on. I'm not complaining as I know some dogs simply aren't intrested in other dogs, he does have a very strong working drive and it almost seems like he likes to be more serious then goof around with other dogs. This is fine and I have started to adapt to this by offering him more complex and longer training sessions every day ( even though we religiously practice nothing in life is free) as well as playing soccer which he loves as he tries to herd the ball and everytime I kick it, it's his job to go catch it and make sure it dosen't get away. ( lol and he takes it pretty seriously as if the wind starts to blow and it moves he growls and nips it to make it stop:goodvibes: )
I do intend on doing agility with him as well as skijoring and possibly shutzhund down the road after he passes his good canine citizen test and completes all three levels of obidence ( which he's going back to start in a week and a bit) to keep him mentally stimulated as I have never seen a dog with such strong drives and know he needs something to do to keep him mentally ok.
The one problem which has arisen out of his character however is that while at puppy club if any of the dogs piticularly the smaller ones ( which is practically all of them seeing as he outgrew most of them a few months ago) he tries to herd them and will chase after them while letting out loud deep vocalizations and has on occasion tried to nip them on the heels to make them go where he wants. I have started keeping him on lesh there as It's not fair to the other puppies as I am sure it is pretty scary for them and he's already made a lot of enemies among other owners their who think he's trying to kill their dogs.
The trainers their who supervise it have suggested letting go of his lesh and attaching it to his harness and then anytime he begins to chase to step on it say AH AH and take him to a quite corner of the park and making him sit staring away from the other dogs for a few seconds and then letting him go back to play. We have started trying this but it still hasn't made much of a difference, even worse is if the occasional dog fight breaks out between two puppies he tries to charge over letting out a deep deep growl and bark ( which makes him sound much larger and much more aggressive then he is). I'm unsure if this is because he wants to break it up or if he wants to help join in with the attack, but either way I haven't given him the oppurtunity to find out.
It seems like he gets over stimulated when this happens as he will also go this when two dogs are play fighting and letting out play growls. I again do not let him go over but it really makes me wonder if he is trying to attack or break it up or what.
The last thing that we very badly need to work through if we ever want to compete in agility is that I cannot run next to him, as the second as anything starts to move he begins growling and chasing after it and occasionally will try and jump up and nip me. This I have had an easier time fixing as I try and get him rilled up in the house and then run away screaming and the second he gets close I stop, fold my arms up and stand away facing him. This usually stops him in his tracks and the second he does I click, treat and then throw a rope toy for him.
Still I don't understand the base cause for these problems, is it the herding instinct in him or is the stimulation from seeing and hearing two dogs fight making him want to attack as well? The only dog he actually likes to play with is my best friends dog, Gypsy who is a 2 year old cattle dog cross and about his size and they see each other a few times a week and have a blast togther.
Thanks
Kayla

Answer:
Can anyone help me please...

Answer:
Sorry, i don't really know how to help. You might want to try searching the forums for nipping or biting. It seems most people here don't like repeating themselves too often, and i'm sure it's a problem a lot of people have (i posted a similar problem when i first joined) so i'm sure there's lots of advice to be had.

Answer:
There may be better, more specific plans out there that really experienced trainers use. But no one else has come to this thead. So, here are some of my "inventions." LOL. The only thing I can come up with.
It sounds like he needs an alternative outlet for this drive along with a gradual desensatization program where he learns to control his urges when he sees other dogs, but from more of a distance. He needs to have a highly valuable reinforcer at those times where he is mildly, then to a low reactivity state. The reinforcer will probably have to resemble the object of his obsession, some other kind of "prey" to run after. There are exercises which you can practice, but not in the presence of other dogs at first.
If you can get a friend or family member to help you, you can hold your dog on the leash and your friend can get him worked up over rope toy. When he tries to grab at it, she can put it behind her back. The second he calms down, give a cue: "leave it" and you pull a rope toy from behind your back, jiggle it, swing it, toss it a little ways. Let him get it and play with it. Do this for a few weeks every day a few times. Show him that by "leaving it" (the toy your friend or family member has) actually causes him to ultimately get what he wants. Now, after he gets onto this game of leaving what he wants and there by receiving what he wants, change to a more enticing toy and a more motivating alternative. For example, a furry stuffed animal on a long rope, being dragged across the yard. He wants to go after it. You tell him, "leave it," but only when stops straining to go after it. Don't use "leave it" until he has tied that cue with the actual calmness of leaving it. Otherwise, just wait and hold him on his leash quietly. The second he begins to give up and be calm, reward him with something better. You can add in some gourmet food reward too in addition to his "prey" reward.
Then take it out into the world. From distance, where he has a low reactivity level toward other dogs, just at the tipping point, where he is sitting on the fence about whether to go after a dog or not, tell him, "leave it" (anyway, even if he's not going after the dog) and reward him. Inch your way closer, gradually building tolerance. Your reward will have to be better than the other dog, not easy. If you get so close that this is too much for him, go back where he is successful.
There are other games he can play which give him an outlet for this drive. Hide and seek, hiding toys and treats around the house and getting him to find them, tug of war, but remember, tug has rules; no teeth on your skin, no leaping up to grab and he must know "give" or "out" when you want the toy back. That has to be taught separately when you're not playing tug. Retrieving, throwing a ball he can chase. In other words, re-direct him to satisfying outlets which resemble or replace his chasing of other dogs.
In group class, he'll be up close and you'll just have to manage it for now. Exercise the livin' daylights out of him before you go. Go through your repertoire of prey outlet games. Then just before you go to class, practice some disciplinary (teaching) things like heel (if he's to that point) or sit, stay, looking at you, leave it with some objects.
Eventually, he should learn to "leave it" and have some self control in class. It all takes time. Avoid face to face with other dogs. Turn him away a little bit, catch him if he's "behaving" for even one second. Reward with a high value treat and maybe a little fun with a rope toy. Show him what behavior gets him things he likes. Going after dogs while on a leash doesn't ever work. Keep him on a leash always when around other dogs until he becomes "civilized." Punishment, like jerking the collar, scolding will only rile him up more and associate those other dogs with a rotten time so avoid all that. When he's calm around other dogs, if what he wants is to go nearer, let him go a tad nearer as a reward. When he's snarky, walk him away a little ways. But stay calm yourself and confident.
If all this doesn't work a little bit in a few months, or you don't see any improvement, get a good, certified behaviorist to help you, not just your regular trainer. Desensatizing something like this can take a long time. Go gradually and build from the inside out. That way it will be more reliable and long lasting. Beefing up the obedience, really working on those basic skills will also assist in producing better behavior in general. So, make training motivating and rewarding....fun. Make it so he likes to comply with you. Lots of exercise, appropriate for his breed and age should help too.