Looking for a "gentle giant" type of dog

[Greta]

Care to help me chose possible breeds for our next dog? We've always owned small to medium dog breeds, but next time (which will be months or possibly a year or more from now, once our oldest dog (17) passes away) I want a big dog. I go on daily walks, and we do have a back yard, so exercise won't be a problem.

 

In fact, I specifically want this dog to accompany me on my walks. We've had some close-calls with crime, and we recently had a horrific event happen just a couple of blocks from us. I want a dog that looks intimidating enough that predators (the human kind, that is) won't mess with me. But I also want a dog that is gentle enough that it won't pose a threat to any family members. And while I truly mean no offense to owners of these breeds, that means that pit bulls and Rottweilers are absolutely and completely out of the question for us (I realize that others love them, but I do not trust them and would never feel comfortable owning one). I want a dog that looks scary, but is really just a big softie at heart.

 

Two other requirements: needs to get along well with small dogs, and the shorter the hair the better (we live in a warm climate, and I'm not a huge fan of extensive grooming).

 

So I'm thinking Great Dane. My only hesitation is that they do seem to have a pretty short life span. I've read that 6 - 8 years is typical -- is that correct? :(

 

I personally love the disposition and temperament of the sighthound group. I have a whippet now, and she is a sweetie, the best dog I've ever owned. So I'm also considering bigger breeds in that group. Do you think a rescued greyhound would be big enough to send a "don't mess with me" message? Greyhounds look fast, but I'm not so sure they look scary! (I do love the idea of rescuing/adopting a dog rather than buying, if possible). What are some other large, short-haired dogs in this group?

 

Any other suggestions?

 

ETA: I should probably note that protection is not the *only* reason that I want a big dog, so this is not just a momentary fear-based impulse that will pass. I've always preferred the more mellow temperaments of big dogs. It's my husband who always wants yippy, high-strung, crazy little dogs. He thinks they're smarter. :001_rolleyes: :lol: This time, I'm finally going to stand my ground and get a big dog like I've always wanted! :D

Edited May 14, 2012 by GretaLynne

[elegantlion]

I wouldn't chose a greyhound. Most of the rescue ones I've seen are skittish, yet gentle. I don't think they send that don't mess with me vibe.

 

We have a lab mix, she's half lab half German shorthair. Definitely will bark, but is a really awesome pet. She's 7 1/2 and like a toddler. She's a good guard dog.

 

Newfoundland is another breed, although not short hair. They are giant breeds and like bears really.

 

Dobermans used to have an awful rep, but I found most of them to be big babies. I'm not sure where the breed has gone in the last decade though.

 

Giant breeds do have a shorter life span. I would read up on the pros and cons before deciding to go that direction.

[ClassicalTwins]

A Boxer may be nice...not a pit/boxer mix or boxer/something mixed....but a pure Boxer.

 

 

They love to play and lots of attention. Great with kids & family. And they look intimidating to others.

 

She's a lot bigger now. About 70 pounds of fun

 

They usually live 8-10 yrs...often Cancer gets them unfortunately. My parents had several and we now have our first she just turned 3. I think the longest one of their's lived was 11.

 

We have a chihuahua, who rules the Boxer...the boxer tries to play and the chihuahua will have none of that.

Edited May 14, 2012 by ClassicalTwins
age range

[Greta]

I wouldn't chose a greyhound. Most of the rescue ones I've seen are skittish, yet gentle. I don't think they send that don't mess with me vibe.

 

Sigh . . . yeah that's what I was afraid of.

 

We have a lab mix, she's half lab half German shorthair. Definitely will bark, but is a really awesome pet. She's 7 1/2 and like a toddler. She's a good guard dog.

 

Newfoundland is another breed, although not short hair. They are giant breeds and like bears really.

 

Dobermans used to have an awful rep, but I found most of them to be big babies. I'm not sure where the breed has gone in the last decade though.

 

Thanks, I will look into these. I really wasn't thinking of any of the retriever breeds, because I thought that, like the greyhound, they wouldn't have that "don't mess with me" vibe. But I could reconsider if you think I'm wrong, or I could definitely consider any retriever mixes that might be at the local shelter.

 

I have absolutely loved every Doberman that I've ever met -- they were super friendly and sweet, though they did look scary. I thought the breed kind of had a bad reputation, though. Maybe it isn't deserved. I'll definitely look into them as well. Thanks!

 

Giant breeds do have a shorter life span. I would read up on the pros and cons before deciding to go that direction.

 

Will do.

 

Thanks for your help!

[i.love.lucy]

Would you consider a German Shepherd? Possibly the best, sweetest, and smartest dog I have ever had. Well, mine was a mix actually. She was a lab/GS mix. That's a great combo because she had a super sweet temperment, very smart, and looked pretty intimidating. But I do love GS dogs.

 

I also agree on the Boxer. I know a few people that have them and they couldn't be sweeter but somehow look tough at the same time.

 

My dog right now is super awesome, she's a black/tan border collie mix, but I don't think she looks too tough. But big dogs are intimidating to most people.

[SonshineLearner]

I hear that Danes are awesome!! I suggest looking into feeding raw food, as it generally extends life expectancy :) There was a Blue Merle at the humane society when we were there... that was beautiful!!! :) (This was years ago)

[Home'scool]

We own a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, and he sounds like he fits exactly what you are looking for.

 

He is the sweetest, most gentle tempermented dog I have ever met. He is about 125 lbs, so he is big enough to be imposing to people, and when he does bark it literally shakes the windows.

 

He is the biggest baby, though. He sleeps with my daughter every night and just loves to be pampered and pet. We also own a corgi, and the corgi is definitely the alpha dog. The bigger dog has no desire to be in any position of authority! We also have a cat that he is very gentle with.

 

The "swissy" is the short-hair cousin to the Bernese Mountain dog. He is also considered a dry-mouth breed, so you don't get a lot of the slobbering that sometimes comes with the bigger dogs.

 

 

[Jen in PA]

Bullmastiffs are big yet gentle.

[ClassicalTwins]

Bullmastiffs are big yet gentle.

 

:iagree:

[Ellie]

Care to help me chose possible breeds for our next dog? We've always owned small to medium dog breeds, but next time (which will be months or possibly a year or more from now, once our oldest dog (17) passes away) I want a big dog. I go on daily walks, and we do have a back yard, so exercise won't be a problem.

 

In fact, I specifically want this dog to accompany me on my walks. We've had some close-calls with crime, and we recently had a horrific event happen just a couple of blocks from us. I want a dog that looks intimidating enough that predators (the human kind, that is) won't mess with me. But I also want a dog that is gentle enough that it won't pose a threat to any family members. And while I truly mean no offense to owners of these breeds, that means that pit bulls and Rottweilers are absolutely and completely out of the question for us (I realize that others love them, but I do not trust them and would never feel comfortable owning one). I want a dog that looks scary, but is really just a big softie at heart.

 

Two other requirements: needs to get along well with small dogs, and the shorter the hair the better (we live in a warm climate, and I'm not a huge fan of extensive grooming).

 

So I'm thinking Great Dane. My only hesitation is that they do seem to have a pretty short life span. I've read that 6 - 8 years is typical -- is that correct? :(

 

I personally love the disposition and temperament of the sighthound group. I have a whippet now, and she is a sweetie, the best dog I've ever owned. So I'm also considering bigger breeds in that group. Do you think a rescued greyhound would be big enough to send a "don't mess with me" message? Greyhounds look fast, but I'm not so sure they look scary! (I do love the idea of rescuing/adopting a dog rather than buying, if possible). What are some other large, short-haired dogs in this group?

 

Any other suggestions?

 

ETA: I should probably note that protection is not the *only* reason that I want a big dog, so this is not just a momentary fear-based impulse that will pass. I've always preferred the more mellow temperaments of big dogs. It's my husband who always wants yippy, high-strung, crazy little dogs. He thinks they're smarter. :001_rolleyes: :lol: This time, I'm finally going to stand my ground and get a big dog like I've always wanted! :D

We rescued a greyhound, and once she was rehabilitated, she was a wonderful dog. However, there is nothing scarey about them.

 

 

If you want something big and scarey-looking, there's always a Rottwieler...

[justamouse]

Irish Wolfhound

Great Dane

Mastiff

[lailasmum]

Would you consider a German Shepherd? Possibly the best, sweetest, and smartest dog I have ever had. Well, mine was a mix actually. She was a lab/GS mix. That's a great combo because she had a super sweet temperment, very smart, and looked pretty intimidating. But I do love GS dogs.

 

 

I agree on the german sheperd front. They are popular dogs around here and really soppy and friendly but look intimidating. Plus they are the dogs commonly used by the police so they have that air of crime prevention.

[Unicorn.]

Rhodesian Ridgeback (scary looking but so loveable) http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/rhodesianridgeback.htm

or German Shepherd. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/germanshepherd.htm

[Greta]

Thanks for all of the replies so far! And the cute pictures too! I will look into each breed that's been mentioned. My daughter loves German Shepherds, and my parents used to have one and he was a really great dog. My brother has a boxer, and she's a great dog too. I've never heard of a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog before, but he sounds awesome!

 

I found out that the local shelter has a Great Dane who went up for adoption just 2 days ago. But she's ten years old! :crying:

[WistfulRidge]

Great Danes do have a much short life span - most large/giant dogs have shorter lifespans.

 

I'd also look into German Shepherds, Boxers, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Bullmastiffs, English Mastiffs, Irish Wolfhounds, Cane Corsos, and possibly some of the LGD breeds: Great Pyrenees specifically.

 

The main thing with any of these breeds (with the -general-exception of the Mastiffs and the Wolfhounds) is that you are looking at breeds that have a wide range of drive levels (everything from "couch potato" to "must be worked (hard!) daily to not go crazy", so you are going to want to talk to a number of breeders and specifically find one that breeds dogs with lower drive and couch potato temperaments.

 

If you find that none of those dogs meet your criteria and/or you are not comfortable owning them my advice would be to visit your local shelters and adopt a large black dog. In general, people are more likely to be put off by a large black dog than by any other color.

[TammyinTN]

The next dog we get will be an English Mastiff...they are definitely beautiful and gentle.

[Greta]

If you find that none of those dogs meet your criteria and/or you are not comfortable owning them my advice would be to visit your local shelters and adopt a large black dog. In general, people are more likely to be put off by a large black dog than by any other color.

 

Wow, I did not know that! What an interesting little psychological tidbit. Thanks for this and for the rest of your post too.

[jar7709]

If you find that none of those dogs meet your criteria and/or you are not comfortable owning them my advice would be to visit your local shelters and adopt a large black dog. In general, people are more likely to be put off by a large black dog than by any other color.

 

 

Agreed- we have two big black shelter dogs, both probably some type of black lab mixes. One a lab/husky and the other a lab/rottie/dobie or somesuch, hard to tell. Both seem to intimidate people, but they are pure sweetie pies.

[SailorMom]

We adore our Great Dane, and she scares the patootie out of anyone who knocks on my door :) However, she would simply want to play and lick them if they actually came inside. She has a very scary sounding bark, but there's no bite behind it. Everyone who meets her absolutely falls in love with her, and can't believe how sweet she is.

She loves kids, puts up with being treated as a jungle gym, and is scared of chihuahuas :)

If you get a black male (or large female), no one will mess with you!

[ereks mom]

The gentlest, sweetest dog we ever had was a golden retriever. They're my favorite dog breed. Labs tend to have a similar temperament, but not as gentle, IME.

[SailorMom]

The gentlest, sweetest dog we ever had was a golden retriever. They're my favorite dog breed. Labs tend to have a similar temperament, but not as gentle, IME.

 

The only issue is that very few people are intimidated by a lab or a golden - because they all know they are too sweet to hurt anyone :)

[Hockey Mom]

Irish Wolfhound

Great Dane

Mastiff

 

I have experience with both of the bolded.

 

My great dane lived to be 7 years old. She did get bloat when she was 3 years old, so that is going to be something you should look out for with the deep-chested, large breed dogs.

 

My great dane was a sweetheart. However, she was also just like the cartoon Scooby Doo - afraid of everything. Because of her size and demeanor, she attracted all kinds of people...so, she didn't really scare anyone away. In fact, if a "bad guy" were to ever approach, I've no doubt she would have hid behind me or our other dog.

 

Our (English) Mastiff is 3 years old. He is a lover- once he gets to know you. If he doesn't know you, he will bark and look really mean. He scares people because of his size, and how loud and menacing he sounds. Like I said, once he's been introduced to you though, he will love you from then on.

 

If you choose to go with a Mastiff, be prepared for the drool. Especially after they drink. If you don't clean it right away, it becomes near impossible to get off the walls and ceiling without chipping the paint off with it. We keep hand towels around the house for our dog's drool.

 

Both breeds shed, but no where near as bad as our lab does. Both breeds have health issues you should be aware of. Both breeds will require a quality dog food - ESPECIALLY the first two years of their growth. Don't skimp on the food, it's important. Both breeds can be couch potatoes, but you want to make sure they don't get into the habit of lounging around all day. Both breeds have short life spans.

 

I had read that mastiffs were hard to train (tend to be stubborn), but our Mastiff was a piece of cake to train. He's very well behaved, and reacts to our commands - even from the children. Both breeds were very easy to house train as well (we use crate training to house break).

 

I love giant breeds. I've always had a giant/large breed dog in my life for as long as I can remember. :) Good luck on your journey!!

[Melinda in VT]

The only issue is that very few people are intimidated by a lab or a golden - because they all know they are too sweet to hurt anyone :)

 

I'll agree with you on the golden retriever, but we had a huge black lab with a deep bark and people were scared of him. (He also had behavior almost on par with Marley. :glare: )

[Becca211]

My neighbor has a doberman and a boxer. I would take the doberman in a minute! He is so calm and sweet. The boxer is very high strung!

[Greta]

We adore our Great Dane, and she scares the patootie out of anyone who knocks on my door :) However, she would simply want to play and lick them if they actually came inside. She has a very scary sounding bark, but there's no bite behind it. Everyone who meets her absolutely falls in love with her, and can't believe how sweet she is.

 

She sounds perfect, just the kind of dog I had in mind. :001_smile:

 

She loves kids, puts up with being treated as a jungle gym, and is scared of chihuahuas :)

 

:lol: Chihuahuas ARE scary! I know, because I have one. She is the smallest of our pack, but she's definitely the boss. She's really gentle to the human members of the family, but she doesn't take any carp from the other dogs. Ounce per ounce, I'm convinced chihuahuas are the fiercest dogs on the planet! :D

[Greta]

If you choose to go with a Mastiff, be prepared for the drool. Especially after they drink. If you don't clean it right away, it becomes near impossible to get off the walls and ceiling without chipping the paint off with it. We keep hand towels around the house for our dog's drool.

 

I didn't even think to list this in my requirements, but that would be a deal breaker for me. You know how some people get really skeeved out by blood? I'm that way about drool. I just cannot handle it. I have a friend who adopted a big St. Bernard, and it was drooling all over my lap while she was asking me "isn't he the sweetest thing in the world?!?" and I was trying not to gag while I faked a "yeah, he's great!" So thank you very much for mentioning this, because there is simply no way I could bring a dog like that into my home. I'm sure they're wonderful dogs! But they wouldn't be a good fit for me.

 

Wait a minute, something you said just now clicked. The ceiling?!? Oh good grief! :ack2: :svengo:

[WistfulRidge]

I didn't even think to list this in my requirements, but that would be a deal breaker for me. You know how some people get really skeeved out by blood? I'm that way about drool. I just cannot handle it. I have a friend who adopted a big St. Bernard, and it was drooling all over my lap while she was asking me "isn't he the sweetest thing in the world?!?" and I was trying not to gag while I faked a "yeah, he's great!" So thank you very much for mentioning this, because there is simply no way I could bring a dog like that into my home. I'm sure they're wonderful dogs! But they wouldn't be a good fit for me.

 

Wait a minute, something you said just now clicked. The ceiling?!? Oh good grief! :ack2: :svengo:

 

This should probably be the time to mention that a Great Dane, or anything of similar size, are big enough to simply stroll by and eat something off of the counter. The top of the refrigerator is the only safe place to put stuff... and even then, I've known a few Danes both stubborn enough and smart enough to figure out how to get something that they really wanted off of the top of the fridge.

[TXMomof4]

A Boxer may be nice...not a pit/boxer mix or boxer/something mixed....but a pure Boxer.

 

 

They love to play and lots of attention. Great with kids & family. And they look intimidating to others.

 

She's a lot bigger now. About 70 pounds of fun

 

They usually live 8-10 yrs...often Cancer gets them unfortunately. My parents had several and we now have our first she just turned 3. I think the longest one of their's lived was 11.

 

We have a chihuahua, who rules the Boxer...the boxer tries to play and the chihuahua will have none of that.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree: Ours is a brindle boxer and he looks terrifying. He has a huge bark and is all muscle. But he's the biggest pushover in history with anyone who gets to know him. Our cat absolutely rules the roost most of the time. However, a good friend came over with her new baby and Oz planted himself in front of that baby and wouldn't let the cat come near. I always post on these threads about the greatness of boxers, but I don't think it can be said often enough. They're fantastic, sweet, smart, fun, super-loving dogs.

[jujsky]

We've had some Great Danes in our training classes, and while I love them, I noticed they can be hard to handle and strong-willed.

 

A German Shepherd might be what you're looking for. While they're generally 70-80lbs, most people think they're around 90-100lbs because they LOOK intimidating. They are excellent family dogs -- very gentle and loyal, especially if you get them young and socialize the heck out of them, and great with children. They're extremely intelligent and want to work, so very trainable dogs. They're innately protective, so while they are gentle, you also won't have to worry about anything on your walks anymore. They will protect their people no matter what. Our old girl, Elsa, is so sweet and gentle with strangers that we seriously wondered if she would just roll over for a belly-rub if someone broke in. One night someone was cutting between our yard and the neighbors yard. She heard them out the window before we did, and her hackles came up and she bared her teeth. She went from being a total gentle giant to a truly frightening creature in seconds. She also put herself between us and the window, and wouldn't let us get close to it. I have no doubt that though they're good with the random stranger on the street, and fabulous with our friends, if any of us were in real danger my dogs would fight to the death for us. As far as life-span goes, we had a mix who lived to 10, and our old girl is 11 1/2. She's getting frail and grouchy, but she's still going. The breeder we got our new guy (16 months old) from had a dog live to be 14. I think 9-12 is pretty standard for the breed. Do some reading on the breed and see if they're right for you.

[DarlaS]

Would you consider a German Shepherd? Possibly the best, sweetest, and smartest dog I have ever had. Well, mine was a mix actually. She was a lab/GS mix. That's a great combo because she had a super sweet temperment, very smart, and looked pretty intimidating. But I do love GS dogs.

 

I also agree on the Boxer. I know a few people that have them and they couldn't be sweeter but somehow look tough at the same time.

 

My dog right now is super awesome, she's a black/tan border collie mix, but I don't think she looks too tough. But big dogs are intimidating to most people.

 

:iagree:

 

And they're beautiful:

 

 

They do shed though. :001_unsure: Just don't get a long-haired one. Fuzz vacuums up easier than the short prickly hairs of some shorter-haired breeds. They don't do so well with a lot of sun if they're mostly black though. Maybe find a white one?

[jujsky]

I'm bad at attachments, so hopefully these will work. One is my pups at Christmas -- and posing them for the picture was really easy because they listen pretty well. The other picture shows my daughter playing vet with the "puppy" around Halloween. She looks in his ears, checks his teeth, and plays with his feet all the time, and he's completely gentle with her. He flops over and gets this resigned look on his face :001_smile: I couldn't find the picture I wanted to post of my daughter dressing our old girl, Elsa, up like a princess. They tolerate a LOT from the kids!

 

 

[jujsky]

:iagree:

 

And they're beautiful:

 

 

They do shed though. :001_unsure: Just don't get a long-haired one. Fuzz vacuums up easier than the short prickly hairs of some shorter-haired breeds. They don't do so well with a lot of sun if they're mostly black though. Maybe find a white one?

 

Darla, he's gotten HUGE!!!!!!!

 

My friend has a long-coat, and she sheds differently than stock-coats. She tends to shed all at once, but not much in between seasons like mine do because long-coats don't have as dense of an under coat as stocks-coats. Some have hardly an undercoat at all.

[kitten18]

The only issue is that very few people are intimidated by a lab or a golden - because they all know they are too sweet to hurt anyone :)

I don't really think that is true. Our old golden was very gently and never took an aggressive stance with anyone, but many, many people we met were scared of him just because of his size (he was 85lbs, all muscle, no fat). Our current golden is smaller (only 65lbs) but he's a little leary of new people (men) and will sometimes growl at first. Everyone has always been uncomfortable/scared when he growled.

[DarlaS]

They tolerate a LOT from the kids!

 

 

Cute! I love the one of them both flopped in front of the tree.

 

I'm convinced ours actually likes being mauled. Any attention's good attention. ;)

 

I think I remember you posting the pic of your dd and Elsa on facebook.

[Greta]

This should probably be the time to mention that a Great Dane, or anything of similar size, are big enough to simply stroll by and eat something off of the counter. The top of the refrigerator is the only safe place to put stuff... and even then, I've known a few Danes both stubborn enough and smart enough to figure out how to get something that they really wanted off of the top of the fridge.

 

My whippet isn't all that big, but somehow she manages to get anything and everything that is left out on the kitchen counters. So I've learned. The really funny thing is that my chihuahua is pretty bad about that too -- she's a climber! Though I have to admit I never thought of the top of the fridge as being unsafe! :lol:

[NanceXToo]

Irish Wolfhound!!

[Cassy]

We had a Bernese Mountain Dog who was incredibly placid, and very lovely to look at. She had great stamina for long, long walks, but was fine if we were only able to fit in a short walk (this tended to happen around the arrival of a new baby). DH adored her. The kids rather accepted her, although she was never really a children's dog. I was fond of her, but found her quite hard work sometimes, as she seemed to need a lot of fuss and attention, which wasn't always easy when I was up to my eyes with little children.

 

Cassy

[Greta]

We've had some Great Danes in our training classes, and while I love them, I noticed they can be hard to handle and strong-willed.

 

I appreciate the warning. I think that I could probably handle that type of dog well, but I'm not as sure about my husband (total pushover when it comes to dogs) or my dd (simply because of her size - the dog would outweigh her!).

 

A German Shepherd might be what you're looking for. While they're generally 70-80lbs, most people think they're around 90-100lbs because they LOOK intimidating. They are excellent family dogs -- very gentle and loyal, especially if you get them young and socialize the heck out of them, and great with children. They're extremely intelligent and want to work, so very trainable dogs. They're innately protective, so while they are gentle, you also won't have to worry about anything on your walks anymore. They will protect their people no matter what. Our old girl, Elsa, is so sweet and gentle with strangers that we seriously wondered if she would just roll over for a belly-rub if someone broke in. One night someone was cutting between our yard and the neighbors yard. She heard them out the window before we did, and her hackles came up and she bared her teeth. She went from being a total gentle giant to a truly frightening creature in seconds. She also put herself between us and the window, and wouldn't let us get close to it. I have no doubt that though they're good with the random stranger on the street, and fabulous with our friends, if any of us were in real danger my dogs would fight to the death for us. As far as life-span goes, we had a mix who lived to 10, and our old girl is 11 1/2. She's getting frail and grouchy, but she's still going. The breeder we got our new guy (16 months old) from had a dog live to be 14. I think 9-12 is pretty standard for the breed. Do some reading on the breed and see if they're right for you.

 

Sounds perfect! The more I'm reading about them, the more I'm loving the idea of a German Shepherd or a Doberman. They both sound like wonderful family dogs, who are capable of protection when required.

[Greta]

 

And they're beautiful:

 

He is a beautiful dog! I love all the pics that people are posting. :001_smile:

[DarlaS]

Darla, he's gotten HUGE!!!!!!!

 

My friend has a long-coat, and she sheds differently than stock-coats. She tends to shed all at once, but not much in between seasons like mine do because long-coats don't have as dense of an under coat as stocks-coats. Some have hardly an undercoat at all.

 

And that pic was taken last fall! I think he may very well be around 80 lbs now. He is TALL and still quite gangly looking @ 14 mos. I just measured him (while he squirmed around a bit, so it's not like he was standing up straight) and he is very close to 29" at the shoulder. :blink:

 

I'm not sure how that happened? Neither of his parents were freakishly tall. :001_huh:

 

I love love love the look of the long-coated dogs. If I ever get a puppy of my own, I'll keep that in mind.

[kewb]

Having owned both German Shepard Dogs and Dobermans you can't go wrong with either one. They are great dogs.

[pfamilygal]

Boxer! We adore our sweet 80 lb brindle boxer. He is so gentle, but sounds fierce when he barks!

[mama2cntrykids]

We have a Rotti and a Cocker. The Rotti looks like a monster, but she's the sweetest dog. The Cocker is actually the alpha. The Rotti is afraid of him.

[kalanamak]

 

So I'm thinking Great Dane. My only hesitation is that they do seem to have a pretty short life span. I've read that 6 - 8 years is typical -- is that correct? :(

 

 

If the Dane doesn't get big dog bloat, they live longer. The 6-8 ARAIR, is average. Mine got to 12, although he was definitely geriatric the last two years. Sweet as peaches. Loved him.

[kalanamak]

We've had some Great Danes in our training classes, and while I love them, I noticed they can be hard to handle and strong-willed.

 

 

 

Really? I've not seen that. I have known some Sheps who only wanted ONE owner, and everyone else could go hang, as far as obedience.

[Jann in TX]

We have had 5 German Shepherds and one German Sheperd-Corgi mix (think sawed off shepherd!) in the 28 years we have been married.

 

I LOVE the fact that they are gentle floor rugs! They look intimidating (we live in the country). Our dogs are well trained--and were EASY to train!

 

They have all been great with kids...

 

We currently have 2 solid white German Shepherds... they start out like this:

(our current puppy at 8 weeks old)

 

And end up like this (our previous white male):

 

Our puppy is 60 pounds at 4.5 months old. He will be around 120 pounds by age 2. Our female is on the small size-- she is around 80 pounds.

 

We have had 2 from rescue centers-- both were super sweet--but also had issues...

The others came from reputable breeders (limited selected breedings each year, family raised... health guarantee...).

 

Puppies are a lot of work--but our new guy was sitting, staying, shaking, rolling over (on command) and walking on lead without pulling... after only a few days!

[Tammyla]

Oh, what a beautiful GS. My sister's has had two (rescue) Sheps and they are the best of dogs. If I ever get another dog, it will be GS. The white is awesome.

 

We have had 5 German Shepherds and one German Sheperd-Corgi mix (think sawed off shepherd!) in the 28 years we have been married.

 

I LOVE the fact that they are gentle floor rugs! They look intimidating (we live in the country). Our dogs are well trained--and were EASY to train!

 

They have all been great with kids...

 

We currently have 2 solid white German Shepherds... they start out like this:

(our current puppy at 8 weeks old)

 

And end up like this (our previous white male):

 

Our puppy is 60 pounds at 4.5 months old. He will be around 120 pounds by age 2. Our female is on the small size-- she is around 80 pounds.

 

We have had 2 from rescue centers-- both were super sweet--but also had issues...

The others came from reputable breeders (limited selected breedings each year, family raised... health guarantee...).

 

Puppies are a lot of work--but our new guy was sitting, staying, shaking, rolling over (on command) and walking on lead without pulling... after only a few days!

[Hockey Mom]

My whippet isn't all that big, but somehow she manages to get anything and everything that is left out on the kitchen counters. So I've learned. The really funny thing is that my chihuahua is pretty bad about that too -- she's a climber! Though I have to admit I never thought of the top of the fridge as being unsafe! :lol:

 

Exhibit A:

 

 

That was a birthday cake that I left on the stove top to cool. Cleo, our great dane, didn't want to wait...but she was very, very sorry that she got caught! :lol:

[Audrey]

Would you consider a German Shepherd? Possibly the best, sweetest, and smartest dog I have ever had. Well, mine was a mix actually. She was a lab/GS mix. That's a great combo because she had a super sweet temperment, very smart, and looked pretty intimidating. But I do love GS dogs.

 

I also agree on the Boxer. I know a few people that have them and they couldn't be sweeter but somehow look tough at the same time.

 

My dog right now is super awesome, she's a black/tan border collie mix, but I don't think she looks too tough. But big dogs are intimidating to most people.

 

 

A GS/lab or GS/Collie cross would be my pick. I don't go for pure-bred dogs for the most part, unless I could get one from Astrid. ;) A GS cross would get you the bulk and intimidation factor, along with the more even temperament, and minus the hip dysplasia problems that plague so many pure-bred GS dogs.

[zimom]

 

If you find that none of those dogs meet your criteria and/or you are not comfortable owning them my advice would be to visit your local shelters and adopt a large black dog. In general, people are more likely to be put off by a large black dog than by any other color.

 

I was going to recommend the same thing. We have two labs, both totally harmless, one yellow, one black. The yellow is the bigger of the two. My black lab stops folks dead in their tracks (or better yet sends them retreating) ALL THE TIME.