I'm really trying to figure out exactly what's going on in the head of my family's beagle. He has been walking all over the family but since I came into the picture he's doing much better (mostly after training the owners!) but there are still issues. For about two weeks, I was the sole caretaker of the dog during which he was a model citizen, so I suspect the following behaviors I'll be listing have to do with unclear boundaries.

1) The dog has gladly taken over the household but isn't terribly bossy over them, but has gotten away with food stealing, begging, barking for things he wants, in short his owners were very well trained. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> With me, it's all NILIF. I go through doors first, I make him move out of the way, he MUST down and hold it briefly for meals (and if he refuses, he doesn't eat until he DOES do it), but walks he's still a pain, typical beagle "must-sniiiff." Firstly, on moving him out of the way occasionally he'll go stubborn and growl, I get closer, not willing to let him control the situation, then he'll attack my feet, at which point I grab him by the scruff and lift him out of the way. A couple minutes afterwards, he comes up to me slowly with head practically dragging on the floor, tail down, as submissive as can be. I make him sit or down before giving any affection at that point. Thoughts on this? Am I handling things completely incorrectly? Any advice on affirming my rank over him without pushing him over the edge to biting? This usually happens in an entryway between living room and kitchen when I shoo him out of the kitchen. 99% of the time when I point towards the living room, he leaves (much to the delight of the owners).

2) On walks, I'm really trying to control when he can and cannot sniff but I'm thinking that he IS a beagle, a beagle is a walking olfactory system so I'm trying to find ways to reinforce that I am still calling the shots on the walk without taking away his mental stimulation from smelling. Would periodic obedience suffice? Last times I walked him I would allow him to stop at will but only I would decide when to move forward. Any suggestions? I want to keep walks fun and exciting and not a drag-fest. He used to be a severe puller, to the point where the family hated walking him, but with me he's toned down a LOT and in fact rarely pulls. He used to go nuts when seeing other dogs but now walks very nicely as I gave him good reason to focus on me (praise, treats, etc).

3) Unfortunately, he's given a ton of freedoms such as being allowed on furniture and beds and the family yields to his growls (I say "piss off, MY COUCH). I know that this dog can be a model dog as he was when I was the only one in the equation, but unfortunately there's no way he's going to be lived with correctly 100% of the time; all the convincing in the world isn't going to change the family's minds fully, so I guess they have the dog they want. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

In most areas, I can tell the dog looks to me as above him, in others I wonder exactly where I stand. When the family brings him to the kennel for boarding, he goes nuts, when I was the one holding the leash the last time he went in he was very calm and relaxed. I can down him with a hand signal but the others cannot. I can shoo him out of the kitchen or away from us and others cannot. I can teach him new things and the others also cannot. But again, in some areas, he'll stand his ground.

Long story short, I'm just looking for better ways to deal with the aforementioned behaviors or suggestions for additional things I can try. I have thoughts on things to try and whatnot but I'd like to hear from the more experienced people other than "he cannot be on furniture" or "he must be on NILIF 24-7." Believe me, I would like nothing better than that but unless I assume ownership of the dog it's just not happening, much to my chagrin. Ecollar is not an option, at least not until I get closer to acquiring my own dog. I will be getting the dominant/aggressive dog DVD in the future, a bit before I get my dog. Thanks all!

(just noticed I wrote a novel.. oops)

If it makes any difference, he's not your normal small beagle that can be easily lifted out of the way. He's 18" at the shoulder and 50-60 lbs. Grossly overweight.