Linda, my dog is almost 4 years old. He sees me as alpha, listens when I tell him to behave. He is always friendly with strangers in a neutral setting, great with kids of all ages (supervised of course. He's so friendly he's almost more like a golden. This is all when I'm around. I have never heard him do more than bark at strangers, and then he stops on the first command. I see myself as his protector, not the other way around. He is also a very good SAR dog. Not aggressive in any way while working, no matter how strange the victims look or act. Again, this is with me working him.

Now, the reason for the questions is that there have been a couple of instances when I am not around he has given warnings. First, last year at the vet when he was neutered. They put him in a run for observation. The tech tried to put a leash on him, he growled so she went to get a Vet. This is a Vet he has never seen before. The Vet tries to put a leash on him, Stubby bares his teeth, the vet pushes the issue and Stubby nips hard enough to draw blood but not a full bite. Vet backs off, they call me to come get him, I get there and Stubby is his friendly self toward everyone. Another time, he's at the vet for hip exrays and they put him loose in a dark room by himself to come out of the anesthetic. This is a strange enviroment to him, he doesn't know anyone, never been there before. I get there to pick him up and the tech informs me he nipped her when she went in. Now, when I got there he was still obviously groggy and could hardly stand yet. He was very medicated. In this instance, he did not get the person, no bruising, nothing. I socialized him with the tech and again, he was friendly. The next instance, you have to understand, we had two people alternate caring for the dogs from the time Stubby was little when we went away. Then we got a puppy, and a few weeks later left for the weekend. The gal got the pup out, another person held her, she went to get stubby out and when she went to put the leash on (see a pattern here) he growled at her. Back in the crate he went. We came home and I had the gal work obedience with him, and no problems after that.

Linda, I know about high drive dogs. I have 2. I practise NILF with them, and I don't have any problems with aggression, obedience or anything.