Dogs don’t work like that. A dog gets protective when it’s anxious, and thinks it has to be in charge because you are ineffective. If your dog is relaxed and looks to you to protect it, you are doing a good job of raising your dog.

Dog park, I dunno, but "standing up to other dogs just sounds like asking for a dog fight. Playing dogs are not necessarily jockeying for dominance but even if they are it doesn’t mean they can’t all have fun, without being mean.

I agree that even good, happy dogs can have a nose for danger, our awesome shep-akita was pleasant with adults and gentle giant with other dogs but once was so growly snappy with a girl my stepdaughter brought home and she did steal something. The dog picked up on her we did not.