Reminded me of my German-Canadian friend's farm - Their german shepherd Wanda would know when I was coming by the noise my car made. I'd just traded cars, and the way this driveway was situated, you had to park, then walk down a very long path to get to the house.
I park and hear Wanda barking - she doesn't recognize the car, as I'd just bought a new one. I'm halfway down the lane and I see the dog. It's coming towards me at full gallop, teeth bared and ANGRY. I have time to look back and know I'll never make it back to my car, so I brace myself. She leaps right at my face, going for the throat and right in that moment I see her expression change from "intruder attack" angry to "oh shit, I know that guy".
I'm 6'2" and solid, but she knocks me down to the ground, and is whimpering and licking me profusely...and all day I'm at the farm he's at my side, nuzzling my arm as if to say "I'm sorry". And every time after that, she's my best buddy whenever I visit.
That dog would climb a ladder to get to his "perch" in the loft above the barn and loved to spook strangers from that tall vantage point.