bulldog aggression

Question
I have a 8month old White english bulldog. He is very sweet and loves to be the center of atention. I have two todler boys 1 and 3 they just love him to death but every time my 3 year old has friends over my dog gets very aggressive to them he growls, and darts out to them.He puts his ears back and barks. and when we take him to the park he is okay unless somebody get to close to him he becomes aggressive. but when it is just us in  the house he is the sweetest.. can u help me?

Answer
Actually this is the sort of thing that would best be addressed by an in-person professional who can watch the dog and access his behavior. And I'd strongly recommend it. Aggression towards humans is something that needs immediate attention, and as young as he is, it's probably going to become more intense if you don't work on it now. If he hasn't been neutered yet, I'd recommend that. He's just starting to get that adolescent testosterone surge, and while it's no substitute for training, it may take the edge off and make training easier. He needs to be socialized, but it should be under the guidance of a good positive training based professional, as the wrong type of experiences may make him more distrustful and reactive. Needless to say, while you are looking for someone to work with him, please do not put him in situations where he can rehearse this behavior. When children are over, he should be safely crated in a closed room. And if you take him to the park, walk well away from other people. Good luck with him. Sandy Case MEd CPDT www.positivelycanine.com.