My large family has always had dogs. My sisters tend toward little yappers that have the gall to bite your ankles as you walk away from them. Bigger dogs just seem more secure about themselves.
After having a few breeds, I can say that I'm a rottie guy for life. Both rotties I've had (well, one of the was a longtime roommate's) were far and away the best dogs I've ever had. Loyal as hell. My dog can't stand not knowing where I am at all times. When I'm camping and I take off on the quad, she patiently sits at the mouth of the trail she saw me leave on. I never have to tie her up because she won't wander out of earshot because that'd mean that she can't see or smell me.
When my ex took her camping without me, she never left her side.
When a guy handed her a beer that he dropped and then made a sudden movement to catch before it hit the ground, she leapt like a cat to get inbetween them and growl at him. No biting, no barking, just a firm growl of warning.
They are the best dogs ever. You can poke them in the eye and pull on their ears and if they don't like it, they'll just move their head. The ex's nephew rides Moxie like a horse and feeds her carrots. I can put a morsel of steak in my teeth and she'll gently take it without even touching me....... I can go on and on about how great my dog is, but this post is really meant to help dispell the myth that rotties are psychopathic killing machines.
Obviously you wouldn't let your kids play with a junkyard dog, but as a family pet and friend, they are unbeatable. IMO.
|