Great Dane (if you are up to the task).
Loyal as hell (mine never leaves my side)
Friendly (mine loves everybody and everything)
Sensibly protective (mine keeps my other puppy safe when big dogs come by and get too aggressive)
Understanding of their place in your pack (Mine knows I am the pack leader, followed by my other pup who was here first, then its him, then its my girlfriend) {If I could get that ***** to know her place, we would be a happy family}
Easy to take groom (Occasional rinse down, sometimes with soap)
Cuddly as can be (He loves being as close to me as possible)
Cons
Some health issues (bloat being number one, hip issues aren't as common as you would expect
Size is a challenge (they are relatively sedentary at home, but need LOTS of space to run. I take mine to the fenced in dog beach down the road. 20 acres of dog fun)
Training is crucial (You want them to be proud, not shy, calm, yet strong. It's a tough balance to maintain)
Super premium food is a must (I feed mine eagle pack giant breed. Fortunately its on sale at petco RIGHT NOW)
Price (A pure bred European great dane will set you back in the neighborhood of $1,000 to $5,000 from a reputable breeder. I got lucky, the breeder practically gave him to me. She said we are a perfect match)
Here is a video about them:
http://animal.discovery.com/videos/d...reat-dane.html
Another great option is an airedale
Pros:
Easy to train
Very loyal
Strong and courageous
Understanding of their place in the pack
Smart as ****. Almost too smart. My airedale gracie could do math, I **** you not. 3x2 and she would bark 6 times (she could do other simple equations too)
Very hearty. Gracie died when she was 12 (put down due to dimentia) Griffon is still alive at 13.
Did I mention smart?
Cons:
Strong willed
Smarter than your average human
Grooming is somewhat expensive
Hip dysplasia is common (griffon is getting it
)
Here is a video about airedales:
http://animal.discovery.com/videos/d...e-terrier.html
Here is Achilles, my 3 month old European great dane sleeping with my mutt after a few hours at the beach:
I'm looking for good pictures of my Airedales. They are hard to look at. Gracie getting put down was really hard for me, and I'm afraid Griffon doesn't have much time left either. They are/were amazing dogs. Griffon was probably the best friend I ever had. Achilles is a sweetheart though. He is an ESA (emotional support animal) for me and is going through therapy training. I will be loaning him to the military bases for PTSD therapy sessions. They love Danes because crippled/amputated soldiers don't have to move out of their wheel chairs to pet Danes. That, and I want Achilles to live to his full potential. He seems to have healing powers hidden in all that extra skin and behind those soft brown eyes.
This is just my opinion, I am NOT an expert, just a man who loves his dogs like family. Take it for what its worth.
Edit: Just saw how long that was...hope somebody enjoys it.