HELP!!! my dog is aggressive toward neignbors when he gets out!

I rescued my Plott Hound, Bocote, off the side of the road when he was about 6mo, and now he's about 3-1/2. He's decently trained (sit, stay, shake, heel, drop-it, etc.) and he's great when I'm around. My biggest problem with him is that he always wants to give people "kisses".

He's very protective and barks ferociously at people over the fence, no matter how hard I try go get him to stop.
He's also a brilliant escape artist. I need to slide-lock my gates because he knows how to push the latch with his paw and PULL the gate inward to open it! If there's any weakness in my gate or fence, he'll find it. This has happened twice this week, and while I was getting ready for work, he was chasing the neighbors back into their houses. My next-door neighbor, who has two Dobermans, said Bocote "charged" at him and he "was sure he was going to bite him". But when I came outside, Bocote was just trotting down the alley, sniffing plants and wagging his tail.

He loves to play and has never had a problem at a dog park. He's very friendly and affectionate with anyone I let in the house. When he was a young, he once bit a guy who tried to pet him, and drew a little blood (a scratch, not deep puncture wound), but he was tied to a post outside a restaurant and I was inside. I've always assumed that he was perhaps abused as a pup and that guy reminded him of his abuser, or something.

So I don't know if he's really being aggressive and dangerous, or if he's just playing and acting fierce.

I consider myself to be a decent dog trainer. My Labrador has a 4 page vocabulary and will bring me beer from the refrigerator, but I can't figure out this Plott Hound. I can get Bocote to DO things, but I can't get him to NOT do things when I'm not around.

I need training advice specific to Plotts and their bread instincts, or I need to find a shelter for him.

Please help!
-Will

bflanery*at*gmail.com

will there is nothing worse than a mean dog,yeah you mite get him to be good when your around but when your not are you going to be able to trust him.what happens if he gets out a bites a child my advice is its time to get rid of him.

I don't think he's a "mean" dog. I think he's just bored and too confined, and acting up like a teenager.

I'd rather not get rid of him, but I may have to. I think if Bocote has a job to do and room to run around, then he'll be a great dog.

Does anyone know of a Plott Hound shelter or someone who's looking to adopt one?
I'm in St. Pete, FL.

Being in Fl, you most likely have a pit bull cross...OR a catahoula. Yes, there are brindle catahoulas and catahoulas are well-known to be property aggressive. I used to have catahoulas in the past.