Originally Posted by jplinville

I've owned Great Danes and boxers for most of my life. My Danes were wimps...they would hide behind the shed when someone was over...all bark, no bite.

My Boxers are a bit different. I have one, the Alpha of that group, that, if I or a member of my direct family were threatened or in danger, would chase you, hunt you down and finish you off. He'd also be the first to take a bullet for me. He is an American Standard. The second Boxer, a German Standard wouldn't leave my side, licking me to nurse me back. He was the one that licked my face after I passed out last week, then helped me get to the home phone so I could call my wife.

The third is useless as dogs fo. He's a rescue that spent the first 9 months of his life in a cage, only let out once a day fro about an hour or so...they didn't know anything about the breed and otherwise abused him by doing this to him. It took 8 long months to get him to understand that he's part of the family, and that none of us would do him harm. Now he thinks he's a lap puppy, always acting like a baby until one of the women folk of the house picks hum up and coddles him...useless, I tell you, but part of the family no matter how you look at it. he was bred solely for his coloring and skeletal structure...he's absolutely perfect in those manners, but has major skin conditions that require a special diet, weekly baths with special shampoos, etc. He, by far, has been the most expensive boxer we've ever had.

I rather like the imposing appearance of the two breeds listed above. I'd rather someone be a bit nervous around them and NOT approach my wife or kids when they are out on a walk. But, I know they are well protected by these dogs if something ever happens.

As for Pits...They can be great dogs, but there is too many bad breeders out there and not enough good blood lines for me to trust bringing one into my house. It would take years to research each breeder to find one that I'm willing to work with.