What's your favorite guard breed?

 Speaking of which - schipperke!  I'd want a larger one with a natural tail, please.  This would be when I'm an ancient lady living in a retirement community.  I've always been very attracted to them and recently found out that it's thought they may actually be scaled down Belgian Sheepdogs rather than pure spitzen.

Leonberger. Cleo is a goofball but her tenderness with and protectiveness of my kids is amazing to watch and it will only get better as she gets older.

Second would be Akita....but they're a lot more dog...

I love my rottweiler. He is the sweetest boy, but I have every confidence that if he was ever needed to protect us, he would. I also have every confidence that he would use biting as a last resort.

 One day my fiance was out walking him and our beagle, when a german shepherd came running out of the house/yard they were walking by. Timmy (rottweiler) just stood up tall and stared at him, while Sadie (beagle) started barking her head off. The dog came closer  and closer to Sadie so Timmy stepped in front of my fiance and Sadie standing as tall as can be, didn't make a sound, just stood there....by that time the german shepherd's owners were calling him back to the house and apologizing. Timmy was all scared for the rest of the walk, he was all on edge.

Performance American Bulldog hands down. great farm dogs, family dogs, hunting dogs, and all in the same day :D

Belgian Groenendael (and Tervuren). By far. I want one so badly, and have for a long time, but I can't for many years to come.

 After them, I love Dobermans and Leonbergers.

Must amend my pick,  I need to add the Giant Schnauzer.  That is an impressive animal.  The Black Russian terriers fit in here as well, alhtough I know very little about them.  Black dog, with the presence in the day time to deter just about anything and at night, the advantage of dark coloring to enhance the stealth.  Certainly not for everyone but truly efficient at their jobs.

mrv

Must amend my pick,  I need to add the Giant Schnauzer.  That is an impressive animal.  The Black Russian terriers fit in here as well, alhtough I know very little about them.  Black dog, with the presence in the day time to deter just about anything and at night, the advantage of dark coloring to enhance the stealth.  Certainly not for everyone but truly efficient at their jobs.

Don't forget to add the Bouvier...    Though the ones with natural ears always seemed to look a little less intimidating and more..well...goofy!  But when you see them work, your attitude changes a bit. 

mrv

Actually, I think the giants are more agile/fast than the bouvs, which is why I mentioned them. ..I must admit, bouvs are likely to be more biddible.

The one I met was a very sweet guy, but definitely did nice protection work, too.  Kind of reminded me of how my dog is...very sweet off the field, but on the field he's all business and knows what's up! 

I met a Bouvier last year. She was 12. What a fantastic dog. I was really taken with her. She didn't strike me as the guardy type, really, but she was NOT happy about Penny going into her tent. She wasn't allowed in the tent and she applied that rule to Penny as well. Penny was a little bewildered when she found this sweet big dog she'd made friends with suddenly coming across all pushy. The look on the Bouvier's face when her owner told her off was beautiful. She was like "But MUuuum! She's in the tent!"

I like Central Asian Ovtcharkas. And Tibetan Mastiffs. But a Leonberger is probably more realistic. I also think Giant Schnauzers are hard core.