Hi STEVEPHS and dsapala,
I am so sorry to hear that you were forced to put your dog to sleep because of his aggressive behaviors.
I have 2 border collie mixes but fortunately they don't either nip or bite. They do have some breed specific behaviors, such as chasing fast moving animals and objects. It is true that border collies are bred to herd sheep and to nip too.
However, what I read in dsapala's original posting sounds more like a puppy biting. The problem is the puppy doesn't know how hard he can bite assuming he didn't have enough playing with his siblings or other puppies/dogs.
I personally believe that attending dog training classes is for YOU to learn how to train/handle your dog, more than the dog to learn how to behave. Unless your puppy has some medical problems (physical and/or mental), he should be able to be trained by you. General obedience and trainings are very important no matter what breed your dog is. It helps a lot in building a trustworthy relationship between you and your dog.
dsapala, please let us know how your puppy is coming along when you have a minute. I hope he is gradually settling down....
