[Nancy1999]

I'm glad you are taking her to the vet, any change in personality should be taken seriously. I've never had a female, so I don't know if this is related to her femaleness, but she's around that age. She does sound like she is displaying alpha tendencies, and waking up suddenly and always being on guard is something the alpha dog does. You need to teach her that all humans are the alpha, and there are various ways to do this. Just do a google for tips.