Question here, with some reference to past experience; not advice or a claim to know...
Although Sadie is my first working dog, I did raise some labs when I was younger and have owned more than a few rescue dogs. One thing I thought I learned many years ago is that pack rank is usually instilled in a puppy's first weeks while it is still with the litter, and body language can sometimes be VERY indicative as to that dog's past or present rank. What I found with my labs was that lower ranking dogs ALWAYS behaved like submissive, lower ranking dogs, while alphas and lead dogs were more confident and tended to be more bullyish. Aggression usually occurred within the middle of the pack as rank was jostled for (NOT discounting that external factors certainly create aggression, also). Is it not possible that Kory's lab has always been a low-ranking dog and will never know any other way?
My current dog is an alpha female. She would like to play with other dogs but initiates every introduction by teeing up the other dog (once tried it with a horse!), which almost always means a fight. She doesn't mean to be aggressive; she just feels naturally dominant.

Sorry to be a parrot... got hung up in RCs reply and didn't see where Bob already addressed this.
Oops!

I've never bred a litter, so I don't have any experience with that part of their development. The teeing up other dogs and the different posturing stuff, I think comes from insecurity and maybe a little fear. Secure, confident dogs, or if you want to use Alpha or dominant, I don't think they feel the need to put on a show.

I'm not sure, Steve. Nothing else in her temperament indicates any fear or insecurity whatsoever. 100% confident, well-adjusted dog; just can't be trusted with other dogs. Reason she was given to me is that she was dominating all of the breeder's other dogs.

Its great that she's what you want and that you really like her. Thats what really matters to me. But really, what your describing is insecurity. I don't think a breeder would give away an actual dominant or alpha or whatever female, unless she was a terrible mother.

But other then kicking it around for thought, why even worry about it, as long as she's what you want, she'll be perfect.

Alpha refers to pack rank in herding animals, dog packs, cat pride, etc. It's not a pseudonym for a psychological issue. The term was stolen by behaviorists to use as a metaphor for human behavior. As Bob said, it is inherited; not merely posturing.

Wish I knew how to link a past post. When I introduced myself to this forum, I explained that that is why we couldn't figure out why the breeder was giving her away, and why I was so leary of the situation in the beginning. Didn't mean to hijack this thread.

All terminology aside, inherited not merely posturing is my point. She feels the need to posture, and you said its like that, a lot.

I don't know, I think it fits with this thread.

Thanks. Anyway, it was very confusing that the breeder was giving her away. Turns out that, even though she won't say it to me, the past owner had subsequently gotten a GSD with a stronger pedigree and Sadie wouldn't allow the new dog or her pups any peace, and, IMO, the owner wasn't equipped to deal with both, so easier to let the more obnoxious one go.(mostly inferred, but I think accurate).
I am alone with the dog and able to control all aspects by removing opportunities to be dominant, plus NILIF. Never will knowingly put my beloved in a postion to fail.