| You had been there long enough that he had probably taken on a bit of territorialty. He was distracted when other people happened by but just noticed these people and decided he thought they were intruders and hence alerted. He is becoming an adolescent which means he responses are gong through changes. Had you been on a crowded beach he would have known it was public and not have alerted at anyone (nor been off lead at all). IT is very unlikely he would have closed contact as he was in fact somewhat frightened (trying to make himself bigger)........
Now you know that the 8 month old is not a 5 month old dog. Up your formal training (inherited temperament does not substitute for formal training) and up your socialization (doesn't substitute for that either). He was dead wrong in his response as he should have known he doesn't own the beach. Be forewarned regarding the training and the fact that he is not seeing the world through the same eyes he was looking at even from week to week.
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"The scientific name for an animal that doesn't either run from or fight its enemies is lunch."-Michael Friedman |