[used to labs]

I've recently had a 3 year old, Male, Non-neutered yorkie come in to my care and I'm encountering some severe behavioral problems. I know for a fact he has spent the majority of his life in a crate (around 22-23 hours a day). I knew of his problems before taking him on, and new he would require some significant work. However, I still agreed to take him because I feared if the family that had him brought him to the humain society he would be eventully put down. I am working to get him updated on his shots, however, due to allergies gone untreated he has dual ear infections. I am in the process of treating this and shots will follow when the dog is healthy, and then eventually the plan is to get him neutured.

He is not house broken and at times can be extremely aggressive (growling, snarling, biting, snapping, and even charging) He'll randomly "freak out" and go bizurk...(usually when I try to get him to do something he doesn't want to do, like go in his crate, get off the furniture, give me something he stole) I have been bit several times, and not just little nips. I have always had labs (which I have raised from puppies) and have never encountered anything like this. I'm not really sure what to do. I'm trying to determine if this is a lost cause.

He's not mean all of the time, sometimes he is very sweet and will show afffection.

I suppose the imediate problems right now is to figure out how to control the aggression and Pottie training. Apparently the owners had used the pottie mats in the past, but the dog would attack and shred them, (but not before "having his way" with them). The pottie training method I've used a lot in the past with my labs, is where you catch the dog in the act, make a loud noise to startle them and then quickly swoop them up and carry them outside... (this has worked wonders in my experience) I tried to do this with the yorkie and he "freaked out" and litterly started charging me and lunging at me and trying to bite me all while snarling.

I can deal with the not being house broken at this point, because its not his fault, but the aggression (at this severe level) I've never encountered and am not sure what to do.

I've been searching online a lot about how to train yorkies, and everything seems to be about yorkies when their puppies. There seems to be nothing about adults. I understand the problem is this dog has asserted himself as the alpha role. Am I correct to understand that you have to be fairly forceful with them and try to break them of this belief. Or will this just make things worse?

He does seem to like people, but only on his terms. I've been toying with the idea of putting a muzzel on him until I can curb this aggression problem. atleast when I have him out of his play pen and he has free rain of the house. (really, whatever room I'm in that is puppy proofed)

The only new thing I've picked up from reading that I haven't yet tried is the spray bottle with lemon juice. I'd forgotten about this, because this never worked with my last lab, because she liked the flavor of the lemon juice.

Any suggestions would be tremendously welcomed!...and mainly an answer to the question about have to "break them" with force. I know the common recommendation may be to get a trainer... However, I've never used one in the past and however, unfortunate it may sound. (if I had my choice it wouldn't be the case) There is a budget concern. :-(

thanks!